Drawing on a nationally representative survey of 1,000 UK TV viewers, in-depth consumer workshops and expert interviews, the Stream On: The Future of UK TV report concludes that:

• Every UK household could have access to internet-delivered TV by the mid-2030s, allowing traditional terrestrial distribution to be retired;

• Most viewers have already made the switch – 94 % of UK adults have internet at home and 92 % use a VoD service;

• Audiences – including older viewers – are enthusiastic about connected TV, with 93 % finding its features useful, rising to 99 % among those aged 70 +;

• A‘ nightlight’ DTT or satellite service would be costly and little used, with minimal audience demand; and

• Consumers would prefer Government to focus on digital inclusion – skills and affordability – than maintaining a legacy broadcast system. The publication comes as DCMS and Ofcom consider options for the future of TV distribution and the potential retirement of Digital Terrestrial Television( DTT) during the 2030s.

The research finds that internet-delivered TV is already transforming the viewing experience, particularly for older and disabled audiences:

• 93 % of connected TV users value features such as pause, rewind and watch from the beginning;

• Among over-70s this rises to 99 %, and they are often more likely than younger viewers to rate features as“ very useful”;

• Accessibility tools – including voice control and improved subtitling and audio description – are described by experts as“ transformative” for some older and disabled viewers.

Audiences are equally clear about what they want next: better content discovery, strong safety features and a trusted, family-friendly environment. It’ s important too that the increase in choice comes with simplification – audiences want simple interfaces with a variety of content shown in one place, akin to the traditional TV guide, to ensure they can easily discover their next watch.

Nick Herm, group chief operating officer at Sky, commented:“ This research shows that modern TV and social inclusion can go hand in hand. A full move to internet-delivered TV in the 2030s is achievable – and it can help close the digital divide rather than deepen it. With most people already streaming, an investment from the Government in skills and affordable connectivity for the relatively small number of households who still need help to get online will have benefits far beyond TV, while saving hundreds of millions on maintaining legacy systems.” Further findings include: Only 330,000 households left by 2034 – if action is taken on digital inclusion

• Building on DCMS-commissioned forecasts, O & O model the impact of a clear Government decision to move towards an‘ IP TV switchover’:

• In 2023, there were 3.9m households not using internet-delivered TV;

• Without action, DCMS modelling suggests 1.8 million could remain unconnected in 2035; But evidence from the 2012 digital switchover and international experience, shows that a clear announcement around 2027, coupled with effective public communication, could reduce this to around 330,000 households by 2034.

These remaining households are more likely to be older, lower-income or disabled-groups who already experience digital exclusion across public services, work, healthcare and banking. The report argues that helping them to connect should be seen as part of the UK’ s wider digital inclusion agenda, not a TV-specific fix.

While projections suggest almost all audiences will have naturally transitioned to

Most viewers have already made the switch – 94 % of UK adults have internet at home and 92 % use a VoD service

IPTV by 2035, the industry, Government and regulators all have an important responsibility in ensuring everyone can embrace IPTV.

The research indicates that audiences would prioritise support for vulnerable groups to transition to internet-enabled TV over investment in a‘ nightlight’ broadcast service, with 72 % of workshop participants preferring support with connected TV skills and affordability for those who need it.

Audiences across demographics are positive about the future of TV, with 93 % of IPTV users valuing at least one of the features it provides, such as‘ watch from the beginning’ and‘ pause and rewind’.

While younger demographics have traditionally been seen to lead the shift to IPTV, older users find it even more useful. 99 per cent of IPTV users aged over 70 value at least one of the features it provides.

The greatest drivers to IPTV were found to be its ability to provide greater choice and a wider range of content and services. Audiences enjoy features that enhance the core TV viewing experience, with flexibility enhancing features allowing them to watch when they want scoring highly.

Going forward, audiences are most excited about new features that allow them to curate their experience, such as subscription bundling; a single, aggregated user interface; and greater personalisation, along with simplification to reduce the overwhelm of multiple apps.