BBC remains UK’s most-used media brand, according to YouGov
June 8, 2026 11.27 Europe/London By Julian Clover


The BBC remains the UK’s most widely used media brand, with 62% of British adults consuming BBC content at least once a week, according to new research from YouGov.

The study found television continues to be the most popular form of media consumption overall. Seven in ten UK adults (70%) watch television content, either live or on demand, at least weekly. That compares with 67% who use social media and 64% who access streaming platforms.

Among individual brands and platforms, the BBC ranked first, ahead of Netflix on 55%, followed by ITV and Instagram, both on 43%.

The figures highlight the continued strength of traditional broadcasters despite growing competition from streaming services and social media platforms.

Television viewing remains heavily influenced by age. Weekly TV consumption rises from 49% among 18 to 24-year-olds to 81% among those aged over 55. By contrast, social media usage falls from 86% among younger adults to 52% among the oldest age group.

The BBC’s audience profile also skews older. More than three-quarters of over-55s use BBC services weekly, compared with 41% of adults aged 18 to 34. ITV and Channel 4 show similar demographic patterns.

Netflix remains the strongest streaming brand, with usage peaking among 35 to 44-year-olds at 65% and 45 to 54-year-olds at 63%.

Among younger audiences, social and music platforms continue to dominate. Seven in ten 18 to 24-year-olds use Instagram weekly, while half use TikTok and two-thirds access Spotify.

The research also found media consumption remains high overall. Around 70% of media users spend between one and four hours each day consuming content, while almost one in five spend more than four hours daily.

Despite concerns about digital overload, a majority of respondents said their ability to focus had remained unchanged over the past year. However, 29% reported a decline in concentration levels, compared with 9% who felt their ability to focus had improved.

Nearly two-fifths of respondents agreed that they find it harder to concentrate on more than one task at a time, with younger adults significantly more likely to report difficulties than older age groups.

The findings underline the continued importance of television and public service broadcasting in the UK media landscape, even as audiences increasingly divide their time between streaming platforms, social media services and other digital content providers.