Cash-strapped Britons watching more television

UK viewers watch more than four hours of television per day, according to new statistics.

Figures released by the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (Barb) show average daily viewing in the first three months of this year rose to four hours and 18 minutes, up from three hours and 56 minutes in the same period last year.

That means viewers spent a day and a quarter (30 hours and four minutes) out of every week watching television.

The figures, which only include shows viewed as they were broadcast or recordings watched - without fast-forwarding - within seven days, show almost two-thirds of those hours (62%) were spent watching commercial channels.

Commercial television accounted for 18 hours and 29 minutes of weekly viewing, or two hours and 38 minutes per day, up an hour per week on last year.

The number of advertisements which the average viewer watches each day also rose from 45 to 48.

Thinkbox, the marketing body for commercial TV, said the rise was partly down to cash-strapped Britons staying home more often.

A spokesman said a rise in the number of households with digital television (93.9%) meant viewers had a greater choice of channels and almost half (44%) now have digital TV recorders.

Tess Alps, chief executive of Thinkbox, said: "Anyone who doubted the continuing importance and popularity of broadcast TV in the UK should hopefully be convinced by these new figures.

"However, record levels are unlikely to continue. We are nearing the peak, if we are not there already.

"Once analogue signals are finally turned off in 2012, the figures are likely to stabilise, but hopefully will remain at these high levels."