BARB

Last month, a media storm broke out about a landmark change in children’s TV viewing habits. It was widely reported that, for the first time, “young ­people are spending more time online than watching TV”, according to “The Monitor Report 2016” by Childwise.

This was quickly challenged by Thinkbox, the marketing body for commercial television. But it highlighted some fundamental questions about the rapidly changing landscape of TV, online and mobile viewing:

The number of people watching on-demand and live-streamed content through online TV Player apps is to be recorded for the first time.

The Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB), which already provides viewing figures for UK television audiences, will start producing a beta version of its TV Player Report in September.

The report is the first set of BARB data to focus on viewing that takes place on computer devices including laptops, tablets and smartphones.