The X Factor could be the latest victim of the web’s monopoly over young audiences, warns Enders Analysis.
Viewing figures for Sunday’s X Factor final hit a record low with an average of 9.1 million viewers tuning into watch Ben Haenow take this year’s crown - a substantial drop on 2010, when the final drew in an average audience of 17.2 million.
The talent show was competing with BBC Sports Personality of the Year and Strictly Come Dancing, which cast a net of 9.6 million viewers.
But X Factor could also be suffering from a general trend for young audiences to be lured away from conventional media by the web.
Toby Syfret, a TV analyst from Enders Analysis, told the Guardian: “What we’re seeing is a big drop in the under-25 bracket.”
He said laptops, tablets, smartphones and social networks are having “a drain on the main linear audiences”, but acknowledged that “the main linear audiences are still huge for these shows”.
The X Factor held a 34.5% audience share on Sunday night, down on 36.9% on Saturday.
Syfret added that while viewing figures will continue to evolve, the analysis firm believes the UK industry is currently experiencing the period of most intense change: “We’re in a phase of really peak shift and then I think into next year it will cool off.”
Simon Cowell has pledged to change the show’s format next year, after his return to the judging panel failed to turn around the decline in ratings.
He said on Friday: “If it goes the way I want it to go, it would be a very different show to judge than we have ever done before … Things have to change.”
Reversing The X Factor’s fate could be challenging.
While an official second-screen app has increased online engagement with the show, Syfret suggested that the format’s age could also be causing some viewers to lose interest: “Sometimes there is a lifetime for a certain type of programme.”
Research released by Ofcom this week indicates the 16-24 age group is turning away from TV and radio in favour of new media channels like Facebook.
The report highlights that television produced for young viewers has been hit hard by changing media consumption patterns.
Ofcom said it was particularly concerned about the state of Channel 4’s main network and Channel 4 news.
The channel’s audience share fell to 4.9% (it rises to 5.8% including Channel 4+1) last year from 6.2% in 2010.
Ofcom wrote: “While younger audiences have always watched less television than older audiences, our audience research suggests that the connected generation are watching increasingly less television, and that they may be taking these habits with them as they age.”
The regulator added: “Less than half now think that the TV is their most important source for relaxing or entertainment.”
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