Everyone TV, the joint venture comprising the United Kingdom’s four main public service broadcasters, says its streaming platform Freely has reached 500,000 British viewers within its first year of existence.
The service offers streaming access to linear channels from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Paramount-owned Channel 5, and was developed as a way to help the networks reach a younger audience at a time when viewers are shifting toward streaming platforms.
Company officials say Freely is on track to overtake Freeview as the U.K.’s largest television device platform by 2030. Younger audiences have fueled early growth, with those ages 16 to 34 representing the largest group of adopters. A survey conducted by the company found that 80 percent of users want Freely integrated into their next television set.
“With the majority of our users streaming-only, it shows that Freely is accomplishing what we set out to do – provide an easy and simple way for audiences to enjoy their favorite free TV shows all in one place as viewing habits shift,” Jonathan Thompson, the CEO of Everyone TV, said in a statement released this week.
To mark its first anniversary, Everyone TV commissioned Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates to survey public opinion on national broadcasters. The report, “The Heart of the Nation: The enduring power of the national broadcasters,” polled 1,500 people and highlighted the cultural significance of the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
The study found that while YouTube and Netflix command attention, the most-watched cultural moments still come from national broadcasters. Eight of the top 10 shows for shared viewing originated on the BBC, ITV or Channel 4. Respondents cited ITV drama “Mr Bates vs The Post Office” and news coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022 as among the most memorable television moments of recent years.
Trust in news also favored national broadcasters, with the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 ranked in the top five most-trusted sources alongside Sky. Sixty percent of lower-income households said public service broadcasters best represented their local areas, compared to 22 percent for subscription streaming services and 14 percent for video-sharing platforms.
Ofcom data cited in the report showed that national broadcasters still account for 41 percent of total TV viewing in the U.K., compared to 14 percent for YouTube and 8 percent for Netflix.
“As we increasingly hear a narrative that ‘YouTube is the new TV,’ the report we have published today plays an important role in setting out the actual facts,” said Mark Oliver, the Chairman at Oliver & Ohlbaum. “British audiences of all ages still favor the long-loved national broadcasters.”
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