Barb Starts YouTube TV Viewing Coverage

Barb, with partner Kantar Media, has today begun its regular reporting of TV-set viewing of 200 selected YouTube channels. Initial figures show the strong popularity of watching on a set vs mobile phones and other devices.

Barb says it is the first TV joint-industry measurement system in the world to incorporate viewing of YouTube channels - the launch was first announced in February this year. The organisation already reports on viewing of content on YouTube that is distributed by TV companies, as well as service-level audiences for YouTube.

The two hundred, selected in a collaboration with YouTube ad campaign planning specialist SeeViews, span a wide variety of content types. They include kids' content such as Bluey and Peppa Pig; sports like FIFA and WWE; UK and international news and politics such as Fox News and Times News; entertainment like Doctor Who and Warner Bros. Entertainment; and popular YouTubers such as Mr Beast, Sidemen and Topper Guild. Volume of viewing and brand safety standards were among the key considerations.

Stats for the channels will be reported in a weekly report on Barb's client portal, and include weekly reach, share of total identified viewing on TV sets and total minutes viewed for each channel. It also provides a demographic profile for each channel with information about the age and sex of viewers. The report does not include the previously reported TV company YouTube channels, which are included in figures for the companies themselves.

Barb COO Caroline Baxter states: 'We are constantly innovating to keep pace with what people are watching today, without being constrained by the platforms or devices people watch on. We've gone beyond linear to report audiences to BVOD services, and we've gone beyond broadcasters to report audiences to the streamers.

'Now, using the same techniques we've been using for many years to report audiences to programmes on linear channels and streaming services, we're breaking new ground again. This fresh, independent insight will shine a light on what people watch on YouTube for the first time, starting to answer the questions that are being asked across the advertising, programming and regulatory parts of our industry.'

Initial data shows that TV sets account for the largest proportion of in-home, WiFi-based YouTube viewing - 43% among those aged 16+ in Q2, and 53% for children aged 4-15. Smartphones are in second place with 32% of those aged 16+.

Web site: www.barb.co.uk .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.