The South Korea-based hit drama on Netflix becomes the first subscription video-on-demand programme to be recorded in the UK’s top 10 most watched programmes.
UK television audience measurement company BARB has been updating its systems to include viewing figures for on-demand services including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+. It will begin regular publication of this data in 2022.
To prepare for the change, BARB has released sample data for October, with Netflix’s Squid Game in at number 10. Specifically episode 7 reached the most viewers in October, totalling 5.77 million. A further three Netflix shows and one Disney+ title, Black Widow, placed in the top 100 most-watched programmes in October. Amazon Prime Video’s highest-ranked entry didn’t make it into the top 100 for this calendar month.
BARB is now able to measure the reach and total time spent viewing services such as Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix. It can also record data from video-sharing platforms like TikTok, Twitch and YouTube, regardless of whether these online services have chosen to subscribe to BARB. It will be done through data collected from router meters installed in BARB panel homes.
In addition, BARB can also now report the audiences to programmes viewed on TV sets on the most-watched SVOD services in BARB panel homes (Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Netflix). This can be done regardless of whether the online service is a BARB subscriber or not. To do this, BARB is tapping into Kantar’s SVOD programme measurement system.
UK TOP 10 | October 2021
Now including subscription video on-demand services
- Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One – 30/10/2021)- 10.435 million
- The Great British Bake Off (Channel 4 – 26/10/2021) – 8.89 million
- The Larkins (ITV – 10/10/2021) – 6.58 million
- Silent Witness (BBC One – 04/10/2021) – 6.21 million
- Shetland (BBC One – 20/10/2021) – 6.16 million
- Countryfile (BBC One – 24/10/2021) – 6.16 million
- Coronation Street (ITV – 25/10/2021) – 6.07 million
- The Long Call (ITV – 25/10/2021) – 5.88 million
- Blankety Blank (BBC One – 02/10/2021) – 5.86 million
- Squid Game (Netflix – Series 1, episode 7) – 5.77 million
Data: BARB | Figures have been rounded.
The second most popular Netflix show in the UK in October was the film “The Guilty”. It reached 3.12 million viewers, putting it in 46th place on the list.
In third place, “You”, series 3, episode 1 in 58th place with 2.69 million. However, Black Widow, the most watched Disney+ show only reached 79 in the top 100. Black Widow reached 2.27 million viewers.
Commenting on the new data sets, Justin Sampson, BARB’s Chief Executive, said:
“Understanding people is at the heart of BARB’s remit and it’s been clear for some time that streaming services have started to attract viewers who have traditionally relied solely on linear channels for their viewing entertainment.”
“It’s great news for the television and advertising industry that we’re upgrading our always-on measurement service to include SVOD and video-sharing platforms. For the first time there is audience measurement for these services that bears all the hallmarks of a joint-industry currency: independence, objectivity and transparency.”
[Photo: Netflix publicity image]