Non-terrestrial channels overtake BBC1 and ITV1 in ratings for first time

Satellite and cable channels have overtaken BBC1 and ITV1 in the ratings for the first time.

Figures released yesterday show non-terrestrial channels drew an audience of 26.1 per cent of all viewing in the Easter week, beating both the 23.9 per cent for BBC1 and the 23.8 per cent for ITV1.

Non-terrestrial television, which registered its previous highest audience share of 24.6 per cent during the same week last year, reached the new high thanks to contributions from E4, UK Gold, MTV and Sky television. In particular, Sky's investment in football paid dividends, with Arsenal's match against Manchester United shown live on Sky Sports on 16 April attracting 3.4 million viewers.

Further gains over their terrestrial rivals were made with the 300th episode of The Simpsons on Sky One, which attracted a record 1.5 million viewers on Easter Day, and the new series of Friends, the provisional figures from the Broadcast Audience Research Board (Barb) reveal.

The top 10 shows on multi-channel television also included ER on E4 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Sky One. Sky's football drama Dream Team was the only home-made drama in a list dominated by sport, films and US imports.

The BBC, which has launched non-terrestrial niche channels such as BBC News 24, BBC Parliament, the children's channel Cbeebies, BBC4 and most recently BBC3, failed to register a single show in the top 10. A spokeswoman for the BBC said that despite the poor showing, the overall trend vindicated the corporation's move into non-terrestrial TV.

The latest figures confirm a gradual move towards multi-channel television, currently in about half of UK homes, and provide a boost to the Government's aim of converting the entire population to digital television by 2010.

A breakdown of the research for the week ending 20 April shows that in multichannel homes, cable and satellite attracted 46.5 per cent of the audience, beating the previous record of 45.9 per cent in Easter week last year.

The latest Barb figures, which will be revised to include recorded programmes and published in two weeks, may further undermine the BBC's claim to the licence fee.

They will also make it increasingly difficult for ITV1 to claim the lion's share of advertising revenue.