Channel posts lowest share in more than 15 years despite Christmas Day success with EastEnders and the Royle Family
BBC1 posted its lowest audience share in more than 15 years last month, despite trouncing rivals in the Christmas Day TV ratings battle, as Channel 4, BBC2 and Channel Five also saw significant viewing dips.
BBC1's share of the peak-time audience, as measured between 7pm and 10.30pm, was 23.4% last month, a loss of 4.7% of viewers year on year. The channel's all-day audience share (6am to midnight) was 21.5%, a loss of about 1% of viewers compared with 2008.
It is thought to be the worst performance by BBC1 as measured by Barb audience figures since 1993. Nine of the top 10 Christmas Day shows were delivered by BBC1, but millions fewer tuned in to traditional hits such as Doctor Who and Strictly Come Dancing. BBC1's peak-time share on Christmas Day was 39.5%, compared with 43.7% in 2008.
Channel 4 also suffered what is believed to have been its worst all-day and peak-time share since 1993 in December. Channel 4, and its timeshifted 'plus one' channel, saw all-day audience share fall 8.5% year on year to 7.1%. Peak-time share fell by 10% to 6.4%.
ITV1 followed a bumper November with another solid month in December. ITV1's ratings warhorse The X Factor produced a string of huge audiences, culminating with 15.5 million for the final, which fuelled a 1.5% year-on-year boost to the broadcaster's peak-time share to 24.1%. The channel's share of all-day audience remained flat year on year last month at 16.7%.
Channel 4was overtaken by BBC2 for the first time in several years. BBC2's all-day share was 7.8% in December, a 6.7% year-on-year fall and the worst December for the channel since 1993. Peak-time share was 8.8%, a fall of 4% year on year and the worst performance since December 2006.
Channel Five's all-day share was 4.2%, down 9.7% year on year and its worst performance since June 1998. Its peak-time share was 3.8%, a 16.8% fall compared with December 2008 and its lowest since February 1998.
There are some discrepancies between rival channels' share figures because ITV defines peak time as 7pm to 10.30pm, while other broadcasters say it is 6pm to 10.30pm.
Ben Stephenson, the controller of BBC drama commissioning, yesterday unveiled the corporation's winter and spring lineup and argued that there must be a way to evaluate the success of the corporation's drama without relying on the size of audiences.
The BBC said that if peak time is defined as 6pm to 10.30pm then BBC1 was ahead of ITV1 in both all-day and peak-time viewing. The BBC claims that BBC1 registered 21.5% all-day share and 24.2% peak-time share compared with ITV1 at 17.7% and 22.8% respectively.
'This December the BBC's portfolio overall saw an increase in viewing during the Christmas period compared with last year with BBC1 remaining the most watched channel across all networks in all hours and peak,' said a spokesman for BBC1.
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