UKTV’s streaming service added another million registered users in 2022, taking the number to 6.45 million.
The growth in UKTV Play’s direct-to-consumer views (27 per cent) was aided by over 3000 hours of new content being added to the service last year, said the company.
In September UKTV Play underwent a full rebrand, with a renewed digital-first brand direction and a fresh look and feel, while towards the end of the year it began to transition content to HD.
UKTV’s CEO, Marcus Arthur, said, “Despite the economic downturn in the latter half of 2022, UKTV has continued to grow its share of the commercial TV market (SOCI) to record levels while continuing to invest in services and programming. UKTV Play has undergone product updates and a major brand refresh, while thousands of hours of new content have been added to the service, resulting in growth of over a quarter.”
Dave’s YouTube channel generated 12 million views, up 42 per cent year-on-year, and scored over one million hours of watch time on the channel, while across all social platforms UKTV’s social feeds saw an average of 25 million impressions per month and enjoyed an 11 per cent increase in followers.
“Looking ahead to 2023, we know it’s going to be a challenging time for all commercial broadcasters as we face into an advertising recession, however, at UKTV we remain committed to continuing to invest in channels, content and UKTV Play to fuel growth and provide our viewers with even more content they love,” added Arthur.
