Is the TV licence killing interest in television?

According to Ofcom’s annual study, less than half of 16-24-year-olds were recorded to be watching broadcast TV in an average week in 2024, down sharply from 76% in 2018. With young people becoming increasingly disconnected from traditional television formats, it raises the question of why this is the case when older generations remain consistent in their viewing habits.

One unnerving culprit behind the disinterest is the infamous TV Licence, a legally enforced annual fee for watching live television or streaming on BBC iPlayer. It is most well-known for dispatching ominous bi-weekly letters threatening to forcibly enter your home and catch you in the act if you refuse to pay. Following a harsh price increase in April 2025, the cost of a TV licence for a household is currently £174.50 per year. If the menacing mail wasn’t enough to put people off, the price definitely finishes the job.

In comparison to on-demand streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime, the TV licence seems far less justifiable. Most platforms charge between £75 and £100 annually, depending on the subscription tier. For many young adults, especially those living alone or in rented accommodation, this means shouldering the full cost themselves, which makes it disproportionately expensive.

This naturally transitions to the question of value: is the content funded by the TV licence worth the hefty price? While the BBC has been known to produce high-quality programming such as Sherlock, Doctor Who, and Blue Planet, it doesn’t always align with the preferences of younger audiences. Increasingly, young adults are finding the content they want elsewhere. And that’s not to say interest in visual media has been killed; in actuality, far from it.

Streaming services provide more freedom and diversity in addition to the competitive prices. The digital-native generation is far better served by on-demand libraries which offer 24/7 access and the flexibility to binge, pause, or skip. In contrast, traditional television continues to function on regular schedules and limited selections, making it restrictive by comparison.

Short-form content platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts also play a major role in this shift. Designed for engagement and quick consumption, they offer a kind of instant gratification that traditional TV simply can’t match. Scrolling through bite-sized videos tailored to individual interests has become the norm, firing up your dopamine sensors every few seconds and making an hour-long episode seem tedious.

Although it's not just how content is delivered that is causing the decrease in interest, it's also about who it’s made for. Traditional broadcasters are failing to produce television that represents the young adult demographic. In recent years, they’ve made attempts to bridge the gap by bringing in online personalities. TikTok Comedian GK Barry’s appearance on I’m a Celebrity, KSI’s judge role on Britain’s Got Talent, and YouTube Creator George Clarkey announcing he'll join Strictly Come Dancing are all examples of this strategy. Meanwhile, reality shows born from online platforms such as Netflix’s Inside or YouTube’s Footasylum: Locked In have built massive followings, with viewership numbers rivalling legacy live TV shows like Big Brother.

As a whole, in an economy where the cost of living is already a harrowing factor in many young people’s lives, the TV licence has certainly become outdated. However, it isn’t killing an interest in television, merely redirecting audiences to other places.