Key findings:

  • Seven in ten UK adults (70%) watch broadcast TV (live or on demand) content at least weekly, compared with 67% who use social media and 64% who use streaming platforms.
  • TV viewing increases from 49% among 18–24-year-olds to 81% among adults aged 55 and over, while social media usage falls from 86% to 52% across the same age groups.
  • The BBC is the most-used individual media platform, with 62% of UK adults who consume media consuming it weekly, followed by Netflix at 55%.
  • Nearly one in five media consumers (19%) typically spend more than four hours per day on media activities.

Television, streaming services, social media and online video have become embedded in everyday life, shaping how people consume information and entertainment.

New YouGov Surveys research explores how UK adults consume media, how much time they spend doing so, and the extent to which they believe media affects their ability to concentrate.

UK media consumption trends: TV, social media and streaming lead in 2026

Seven in ten UK adults consume TV content at least weekly (70%), making it the most commonly used media format. Social media (67%) and streaming platforms (64%) follow closely behind.

Media habits vary significantly by age. TV consumption rises steadily with age, from 49% among 18–24-year-olds to 81% among over-55s. Social media shows the opposite trend, reaching 86% of 18-24s and 83% of 25-34s, compared with 52% of those aged 55 and over. Women are more likely than men to use social media weekly (72% vs. 63%).

Streaming services have broad appeal across age groups, peaking among 25-34-year-olds (74%), while gaming is concentrated among younger audiences, with around 45% of those aged between 25 to 34 gaming weekly, compared with 21% of over-55s. Print media remains strongest among older adults, reaching 53% of over-55s versus 31% of 18-24s.

Most popular media platforms in the UK: BBC, Netflix and Instagram dominate

Among individual platforms and channels, regular media consumers are most likely to watch BBC at least once a week (62%), followed by Netflix (55%), books (46%), ITV (43%) and Instagram (43%).

The BBC's audience skews older, including 77% of over-55s but only 41% of those aged 18-34 who watch at least once a week. ITV and Channel 4 show similar age patterns. Netflix usage is highest among 35–44-year-olds (65%) and 45–54-year-olds (63%).

Social and music platforms attract younger audiences. Seven in ten 18–24-year-olds use Instagram at least weekly (70%), half use TikTok (50%), and two-thirds use Spotify (67%). Women are more likely than men to use Instagram (49% vs. 38%), while men are more likely to use X (23% vs. 13%).

How much time do UK adults spend consuming media each day?

Around seven in ten media consumers (70%) spend between one and four hours per day consuming media, including 29% who spend two to three hours. A further 19% spend more than four hours daily.

More than half of media consumers (57%) say their ability to focus or pay attention has remained unchanged over the past year. However, 29% report some degree of decline, compared with 9% who say their ability has improved.

Nearly two-fifths (38%) agree that they find it harder to concentrate on more than one thing at a time, while 36% disagree. Younger adults are more likely to agree with this statement than older adults (47% of 18-24s vs. 28% of over-55s).

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Methodology: YouGov Surveys: Serviced provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online between 19-20 May 2026, with a nationally representative sample of 2,130 adults (aged 18+ years) in the United Kingdom, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education, region and social grade to be representative of all adults in the United Kingdom (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates.

Image: Getty Images

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