Sport draws nearly a billion hours of viewing, while nearly half of under 35s tune into podosphere for news

• Sport continues to drive viewing as 950 million hours of sport watched on Sky
• 1 in 4 UK adults listen to news podcasts weekly, increasing to nearly half of under 35’s
• More than half of UK adults (52%) reported that they feel proud when British shows earn international recognition
• Changing consumption habits increase data demands, with Sky Broadband reporting a 17% increase in peak throughput in Jul – Dec 2024

Brits are spending more time watching content than ever before, consuming 16 billion hours of content on Sky in 2024, according to new research in Sky’s bi-annual Attention Index report.

The latest data reveals that while viewing is up, the content people consume is increasingly fragmented as audiences shift away from pre-scheduled broadcasting and instead move to on-demand viewing.

Dana Strong, Group CEO, Sky: “Our data shows that the way people are watching TV is changing. Tech-savvy and engaged viewers are setting the pace, but these audiences are no longer just amongst the younger generations. This marks a pivotal moment for the UK entertainment industry, audiences no longer just crave choice, but a better and more engaged viewing experience, which is both simple and personal to them.”

Sport top of the league for linear

Bucking wider industry trends, sport continues to deliver large audiences to live viewing. In the last six months of 2024, fans watched nearly 950 million hours of sport on Sky, with over two thirds tuning in to watch the action live. Sky Sports also continues to thrive on digital platforms, with over 1.5 billion views on YouTube in 2024 - up 7% year-on-year - marking 10 consecutive years of growth.

Football maintains the top position as the most-watched sport with an 8% year-on-year increase, while female viewership also continues to climb, with women making up to 30% of Sky Sports audiences in 2024.

Meanwhile, the Formula 1 British Grand Prix became the most-watched European race ever, drawing an average of 2.19 million viewers, and the PDC World Championship Final was the second most-watched non-football event ever on Sky, with live viewing up by a staggering 46%.

Podcasts an increasingly popular news source

In the same period where online took the crown as the most popular news source (Ofcom 2024), podcasts are becoming an essential medium for Brits. Nearly half the population say they are tuning in, with 1 in 4 listening to podcasts weekly to keep up with the news.

Younger generations are leading this trend with nearly half (45%) of under 35s keeping up with the news via podcasts weekly. A third of listeners (33%) say they trust news on podcasts more than news from other sources, highlighting their growing influence beyond entertainment.

Sky News’ podcast listens increased 12% in 2024, with 20.4 million listeners tuning in over the year. In the wake of major elections in the UK and US, political podcast Electoral Dysfunction generated over 4.5 million listens alone.

Smart TVs crowned as the most popular video device

These changing consumption habits are closely tied to wider technology adoption. Audiences are eager to invest in state-of-the-art devices, with 71% reporting they consistently watch most of their video content on smart TVs; 66% on mobile or smartphone devices and 50% on a laptop or desktop, compared to just 40% on a standard TV set.

This has also driven an increase in on demand and digital viewing, as more people choose to watch content when and where they want. In 2024, Sky’s biggest new series launch ever, The Day of the Jackal, saw 61% of total viewing from Video on Demand.

Demographics, financial background and even political leanings were found to play a minor role in shaping modern viewing habits. Instead, audiences are driven by core motivations to stay informed, escape or keep up with trends. Passive viewers are gradually declining, now representing just 14% of the population and skewing slightly older than the national average age.

Demand for data continues

Changing consumption habits continue to deliver a demand for data, with Sky’s peak broadband usage growing by 17% compared to the first half of last year. Customers used 19.1 billion gigabytes of broadband data from July to December 2024 – enough to stream the entirety of Charli XCX’s Brat over 193 billion times.

Gen Z turns to content to shape their real-world experiences

For younger generations, film and TV aren’t just entertainment. With an unprecedented variety of content at their fingertips, they are turning their favourite films and shows into real-world experiences. 50% of 18–24-year-olds reported that they’ve been inspired to pick up a new hobby based on a film or series they’ve seen, 44% to change their style or fashion, 63% to learn a new dish, and a striking 83% to research a new topic.

Homegrown hits

British content continues to win with viewers, with the nation expressing a strong sense of pride in the UK’s success in film and TV. More than half of UK adults (52%) reported that they feel proud when British shows earn international recognition, with more than 1 in 10 UK adults intending to tune into an award show.

British storytelling and talent are taking Sky audiences by storm. Some of last year’s biggest shows including The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Sweetpea premiered to audiences of over 2 million, and the first episode of standout show The Day of the Jackal has now reached a lifetime audience of 6.2 million, cementing 2024 as Sky Original drama’s most successful year to date.

More insights can be found in the full Attention Index – available to view here

For more information contact Ellen Stirling ellen.stirling@sky.uk