NEWS: Olympics TV coverage brings in light viewers

particularly during the early hours of the morning when viewers who do

not normally watch TV tuned in.

Unofficial viewing figures show that at 2am on Saturday 3 August more

than 80 per cent of all adults watching terrestrial television chose the

Olympics coverage on BBC1.

A study by CIA Medianetwork found that, during the final weekend of the

games, the average percentage of all UK adults watching BBC1 rose from 4

per cent to 6 per cent year on year. The equivalent ratings on BBC2, ITV

and Channel 4 held steady at 2 per cent, 5 per cent and 2 per cent,

respectively.

Simon Cox, the broadcast director of CIA, said the figures should be a

lesson to the commercial channels.

‘By pulling in extra audiences, the BBC has proved that, if the product

is right, light viewers can be attracted to television and the audience

can grow. ITV and Channel 4 would do well to remember this in the coming

months and seek to expand the total audience, rather than simply steal

share from each other,’ he commented.

The first week of the games gave BBC1 its highest ever lead over ITV

outside of the Christmas period. Its 37.4 per cent share put it 6 per

cent ahead of ITV.

Unofficial viewing figures show that BBC1 achieved a 29.5 per cent year-

on-year rise in its audience share to 41.7 per cent. ITV’s share of

viewing fell by 15.3 per cent, while Channel 4 was down by 29.5 per

cent.

BBC1’s other programming also performed well on the back of its Olympics

coverage.

The fourth weekly episode of EastEnders that was introduced during the

Olympics was the top-rated UK show for the week ending 21 July.