Public Servant Lifestyle

The UK is a nation of internet and interactive TV lovers according to a new report.

British households are technology lovers according to a new survey from the Independent Television Commission. Around 70% of households have two or more television sets. Latest figures (April to June 2001) also reveal that 38% of British homes - an average of 9.4 million - are online across Britain. This number is four times that of just three years ago.

Over half (51 %) of adults have accessed the internet at some time, according to the National Statistics Omnibus Survey. This is equivalent to 23 million adults having accessed the Internet. In the month prior to the survey, 40 % of adults had accessed the Internet.

These statistics cover all forms of access, including new technologies, such as digital TV; earlier figures had only included access from home computers.

Over the last year, internet access has risen 19 percentage points, for people aged 16 to 24, and nine and 10 percentage points for people aged 25 to 44 and 45 to 54 respectively, while there were much smaller changes for people aged 55 and over.

A fifth of those surveyed had bought or rented a new TV in the last 12 months. It's not just newer items that the British want; we're looking for the most technologically up-to-date products on the market. The number of households with widescreen televisions has doubled from 8% in 1999 to 16% last year alone.

Internet Interest

This rise is due mainly to increased access in the home, and was particularly high amongst AB viewers and those who did not watch much television.

An amazing 24% of us have access to the internet at home, mainly via a PC. Plus a significant number (6%) said they accessed the internet via the television. A half of all respondents thought that interactive services offered 'a valuable service to viewers'.

Over a half of children and 67% of 10-15-year olds now have a television in their bedroom, but only 2% have internet access in their bedrooms (3% of 10-15-year olds).

More TV, Less Video

The survey saw a decline in VCR ownership and usage. Viewing of commercially recorded tapes has also fallen, but there was a small increase in the number of multi-channel subscribers using Pay-Per-View (PPV) television, with films proving more popular than sports. However, 80% of multi-channel viewers said they resented having to pay more to watch certain sports events or films on PPV.

The internet is continuing to attract new users, with 9% of those who have ever accessed the web, doing so for the first time, within the last three months.

PSP Ltd is not responsible for the contents of external websites.

More information available in Home Computing, Home Electric, Gaming