BBC and Sky Dominate the Third Screen in the U.K. With Leading Mobile Video and Web Offerings, According to Telephia

Broadcasting giants, BBC and Sky, dominate the third screen in the U.K., according to Telephia, the largest provider of consumer research to the communications and new media markets. Telephia recently expanded its consumer research program in the U.K. to track mobile content consumption at the channel, website and content title level. The first wave of findings shows 33 percent of all mobile TV/video viewers watched BBC 1 (see table 1). Twenty-nine percent watched Sky Sports. The BBC also secured the top ranking among mobile Internet sites, with 28 percent of all mobile web users visiting the site. The Sky Sports website secured a 23 percent reach among mobile Internet users.

"The big broadcasting brands in the U.K. have extended their footprint to reach the mobile population, and the strategy is clearly working," said Reza Chady, Managing Director Europe, Telephia. "Consumers are tapping into three screens -- television, PC and mobile phone -- for their news and entertainment. Broadcasters must develop an integrated strategy across the three screens to reach, maintain and expand their audience."

Table 1: Top Mobile TV/Video Channels and Mobile Web/Internet Sites (U.K.)

Channel              % of Mobile       Internet Site       % of Mobile
                     TV Viewers                             Web Users
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
BBC 1                     33%             BBC                   28%
Sky Sports                29%             Sky Sports            23%
Discovery Channel         24%             BBC Sports            22%
BBC 3                     22%             BBC Weather           20%
BBC 2                     22%             Google Search         18%
BBC 4                     22%             Jamster               13%
ITV 1                     22%             Sky                   11%
Cartoon Network           21%             MSN Games             10%
ITV 2                     21%             eBay                  10%
UK TV gold                17%             AA                     8%

Source: Telephia Audience Measurement Report U.K.  (Q3 2006)

Note: Data represent responses about mobile activity in the last
30 days. Differences in share between mobile TV channels and mobile
Internet sites may not be statistically significant.

Among all U.K. mobile subscribers, there is an even 50/50 gender split. However, both mobile TV and Internet users are more likely to be men. Three percent of U.K. mobile subscribers watch mobile TV or video content, with 70 percent of the audience being male (see Table 2). Penetration of mobile Internet/web is higher at 19 percent, with men comprising 64 percent of the audience. Text and picture messaging still reign supreme with penetration rates of 85 and 35 percent, respectively. In contrast, demographics for text and picture messaging skew female.

Table 2: Penetration and Gender Breakdown for Mobile Data Services (U.K.)

Mobile Activity              % of Subscribers      % Male    % Female
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sent or received a
Text Message                      85%               49%       51%

Sent or received a
Picture Message (MMS)             35%               47%       53%

Played or downloaded Games         26%               53%       47%

Accessed the Wireless Internet     19%               64%       36%

Downloaded Ringtones               15%               53%       47%

Played or downloaded
Full Track Music (MP3s)           14%               59%       41%

Sent or received an
Instant Message                   14%               57%       43%

Sent or received an Email          11%               64%       36%

Downloaded Wallpaper
or Images                         10%               61%       39%

Listened to or paid for
Mobile Radio                       7%               62%       38%

Used or downloaded
Applications                       6%               68%       32%

Uploaded pictures, videos or
blogs to an Internet website       4%               56%       44%

Downloaded, watched, or paid
for Mobile TV-Video                3%               70%       30%

Source: Telephia Audience Measurement Report U.K.  (Q3 2006)

Telephia Launches Detailed Mobile Content Measurement Service for the U.K.

Today, Telephia launched the most comprehensive mobile audience measurement service in the U.K. The Telephia Audience Measurement service (TAM UK) delivers the most detailed tracking of mobile content and application consumption, including mobile TV and radio channels, Internet sites, games, ringtones and applications titles. Surveying 8,000 mobile subscribers per month, TAM UK also provides information on both on-portal and off-portal download volume, carrier and device analysis and detailed consumer demographics.

Technorati tags: mobile TV