As a huge YouTube fan, it wasn’t surprising to learn this week that it surpassed the BBC iPlayer in the UK for views in December. The channel had already beaten ITV in mid 2025.
I’ve definitely watched far more YouTube content than the BBC for years. In fact, BBC content has become rather dull (other than The Traitors). This news coincides with the BBC’s announcement of plans to release unique content on YouTube. No doubt they are realising the youth who ditched the BBC in particular may watch if the right content, which then in turn may help them show renewed interest in the iPlayer.
As a viewer who watches both YouTube and iPlayer, I’ve noticed a significant advantage YouTube currently holds: its user interface. It’s much easier to navigate and find content compared to the iPlayer. I’m not a fan of the smart TV versions of iPlayer or the Netflix menus at present.
I understand that in December, YouTube gained 52 million views compared to the BBC’s 50.8 million. While Christmas naturally sees a rise in TV viewing this reinforces the widespread reports that the BBC’s output was weak that month. And I still haven’t forgiven them for pulling Mandy!
It would be interesting to know the overall viewing time spent on these platforms. Most BBC programming starts at least 30 minutes long with a few exceptions. While YouTube content is often lengthy, there are also many short videos. Hopefully ad viewing isn’t included for a fair comparison though?!?!
With YouTube on smart TVs being much easier to use these days (and I use Sky Stream), I also expect the YouTube Premium Lite subscription has encouraged more people to watch for longer and enjoy ad-free content. Consequently, overall viewing is likely to be increasing. (Lite review here).
It’s undeniable that many people today resent or simply don’t pay the licence fee. YouTube offers a free alternative if you’re willing to endure ads. Furthermore, for those paying for YouTube, the Lite subscription is significantly cheaper than the supposedly mandatory BBC licence fee. This fee is legally required for anyone who watches or records live TV or BBC iPlayer. While I do pay the fee, I don’t feel I’m getting my money’s worth compared to other subscriptions. This definitely needs addressing.
Last year I confidently predicted significant changes and developments in TV streaming especially for YouTube. I’m even more certain even bigger things are coming and this is just the beginning for Google’s YouTube platform. While a huge fan I’m also aware of potential problems. It could easily become a monopolising hub. BBC you need to pull your socks up. You’ve got a problem because when you have viewers of my age group who grew up watching the BBC now viewing and using other platforms (as well as the youth) you’ve got a problem that you need to address.
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