Those aged 34 and under watch fewer than two hours of TV a day

As online alternatives such as Netflix soar in popularity
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According to Ofcom, Northern Irish viewers watch less TV on average than other UK regions.

This demise in viewing figures is particularly evident among the younger demographic, with the survey indicating that those aged 34 or younger watch on average fewer than two hours’ TV programming a day.

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This can probably be explained by the dwindling popularity of terrestrial content compared to the rising interest in digital platforms like Netflix, Apple TV+, and other modes of online streaming.

The younger generation are increasingly turning to online platforms instead of terrestrial TVThe younger generation are increasingly turning to online platforms instead of terrestrial TV
The younger generation are increasingly turning to online platforms instead of terrestrial TV

More than half of adults (55%) in Northern Ireland use on demand video streaming services.

Some three in 10, for instance, use Netflix, making it the most used streaming service in the province.

Ofcom’s Northern Ireland report has been published as part of a survey covering all UK regions.

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And it clearly highlights that younger viewers are driving the decline in broadcast TV viewing.

Viewing among the over 55s has remained stable, although it has declined by 48% among those aged 4-34 since 2010.

Those aged from 16 to 34 watch 1 hour 51 minutes of broadcast TV per day on average, Ofcom has found.

However, as in the rest of the UK, people in Northern Ireland are spending more time watching streaming services or gaming via their TV set.

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Sky is the most popular paid-for TV service, with subscriptions in just over a third (33.7%) of Ulster households.

The report also reveals that the Irish language broadcast fund paid out £2.7m for programmes in 2017-18, the bulk to the BBC and TG4.

The Ulster-Scots broadcast fund, meanwhile, paid out £1.6m for programmes, including more than three-quarters to the BBC.

Meanwhile, an episode of the ITV programme ‘I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here’ broadcast on November 19, 2017 was the most watched TV programme in Northern Ireland in that year.

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Ofcom also found that there were 75 radio stations broadcasting in the province in March 2018.

Yet only half of adults in Northern Ireland own a digital radio, significantly lower than the rest of the UK.