16 December 2005
Ratings for digital channels have continued to grow, the BBC has reported.
Channels such as BBC Three, CBeebies and BBC Parliament now exercise an audience reach of 17 million – an increase of 21 per cent on last year's viewing figures.
Jane Bennett, director of BBC TV, attributed the channels' success to groundbreaking shows such as Little Britain.
"We are meeting digital viewers' appetites for original British programming: from The Thick of It to Little Britain and from The Lost Decade to Funland, as well as with our brilliant and bold children's services," she said.
She added: "Last year, our digital channels reached 41.5 per cent of digital viewers; this year, that figure has risen to 44 per cent - significant growth when set within the context of the remorseless expansion of the multi-channel universe."
BBC News 24 continues to enjoy a dominant hold on the digital news market with a 0.54 per cent share of viewers.
The figures came as ITV announced the closure of its 24-hour digital news service.
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