Total TV was the most-watched at-home viewing method in the second half of 2022 with a 72.6 percent audience share, compared to 15.3 percent for SVOD and 12.1 percent for social video.
For ad-supported video, total TV was the main medium for viewers with an 85.7 percent audience share. YouTube had the next highest share at 9.9 percent.
According to Think TV’s latest Fact Pact, which gives an insight into audience viewing habits, the average cumulative reach for linear TV was 20.3 million for the second half of 2022, down slightly from 20.5 million for the first half of 2022.
The percentage of audiences that watched linear TV live was down slightly at 88.4 percent for H2 2022, compared to 88.6 percent for H1 2022.
The average monthly viewing time for linear was down to 51:14 hours per person from 55:41 in the second half of the year.
Despite the marginal drop in linear TV viewing, there was a clear increase in viewers watching on playback and on BVOD live in particular.
Average weekly hours for BVOD was up 11 percent year-on-year and for H2 2022 the percentage of viewers watching BVOD livestream increased to 43.4 percent of views compared to 41.2 percent the six months before.
The average monthly total hours for BVOD increased from 115,664,760h to 118,082,020h.
The shift in viewing habits was reflected in the shift in advertising spend in 2022.
Total TV advertising market, which includes metropolitan free-to-air, regional free-to-air, subscription TV and Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) and excludes SBS, recorded combined revenue of $4.1 billion for the year to December 2022, which was up 1.2 per cent compared to the same period ending December 2021.
Investment in BVOD platforms 7plus, 9Now, 10 Play, Foxtel Go, Foxtel Now and Kayo accelerated with BVOD revenue up 10 per cent to $239 million for the six months to 31 December 2022. BVOD revenue for the total financial year was $448 million, up 23.5 per cent year-on-year.
