29 January 2009
Despite the growth in online television services, traditional TV viewing has continued to increase and has now reached a record high, according to new figures.
Research body Thinkbox revealed that in 2008, the average person watched 26 hours and 18 minutes of broadcast television a week.
This was 48 minutes more than in 2007 - an increase Thinkbox puts down to factors such as bad weather, the economic downturn and the proliferation of hit TV shows.
It found that TV viewing also increases as consumers invest in digital TV recorders, such as Freeview+ or Sky+.
According to the Digital TV Group, sales of Freeview+ boxes rose by 118% between December 2007 and the same month in 2008.
The Thinkbox research also shows that online television is failing to erode traditional TV viewing, as 78% of the viewing carried out on the internet is done by consumers catching up on programmes they have missed.
Thinkbox chief executive Tess Alps said: "TV remains people's favourite form of entertainment, whatever technology delivers it."