Blockbuster Film Voted the UK’s Number One Christmas Day Programme

ANT reveals Ultimate Christmas Day TV schedule

11 December 2007

The blockbuster film has been voted the most popular part of the ultimate Christmas Day TV schedule, according to new research released today. The YouGov survey of 2,111 adults in Britain revealed an ultimate Christmas Day schedule dominated by films and comedy specials.

The research, on behalf of leading software provider ANT, revealed that nearly half of British adults (48 per cent) said that a blockbuster film like Harry Potter or Pirates of the Caribbean, was the key part of their Christmas Day viewing. Only Fools and Horses was second (32 per cent), whilst a classic film such as Mary Poppins or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was third, with 30 per cent of viewers saying that was the ultimate part of the schedule.

Viewing figures on Christmas Day have been on a downward curve in recent years. From a high of 30.1 million viewers for Eastenders in 1986, audiences have slipped to 16.3 million in 2002 (Only Fools and Horses) to a low of 11.4 million in 2006 (The Vicar of Dibley).†

“The decline in viewing figures is both a massive problem and opportunity for the industry,” said Simon Woodward, CEO, ANT plc. “It’s a time of year when advertising money is at its highest, yet if people aren’t watching the revenues will drop along with the audiences. Yet our research shows that TV still plays a massive part of the day and the overall festive experience.”

When Eastenders drew 30.1 million viewers there were only four channels available to viewers. In these days of cable, satellite, over the top (OTT) services and IPTV, the choice is far more varied. This latest research also highlights the different viewing habits between generations; adults aged between 18 and 24 said The Simpsons was their number one ultimate Christmas Day programme, in contrast to the over 55 demographic who opted for a blockbuster film.

Simon Woodward continued: “ As the availability of content for the consumer increases, the way in which we consume it is already changing. The emergence of VOD means viewer habits are no longer dictated by the broadcast schedule, whilst advertisers have the opportunity to capitalise on these same technical advances by targeting their content to reach very specific audiences. They can then take the same campaigns across the different platforms on which consumers are viewing their content”

The top ten ultimate Christmas Day TV programmes in order of preference were as follows:

1. Blockbuster film (eg Harry Potter)
2. Only Fools and Horses
3. Classic film (Eg Mary Poppins)
4. The Vicar of Dibley
5. Coronation Street
6. Eastenders
7. Morcombe and Wise
8. The Simpsons
9. Queen’s speech
10. Christmas Top of the Pops

† Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB)

About ANT Software Limited

ANT plc (www.antplc.com) is the leading provider of client software solutions and services to the digital media industry. It develops open-standards-based client software and applications to enable operators to exploit digital media across a broad range of consumer devices from TV’s ,set-top boxes and DVD players , to portable media devices such as mobile phones and personal media players, regardless of content delivery platform.

ANT enables media driven organisations to quickly create and roll-out innovative and successful applications and TV services on any consumer device, enabling operators to attract new subscribers, reduce churn and increase average revenue per user.

ANT’s software has been extensively deployed by customers throughout the world including Scientific Atlanta a Cisco Company, Chunghwa Telecom, Foxconn, France Telecom, Humax, LG/Nortel, Philips, Sagem, Samsung, SaskTel, Telecom Italia and Thomson.

ANT plc's shares are listed on AIM, a London Stock Exchange regulated market, under the ticker ANTP (Reuters: ANTP.L, Bloomberg: ANTP.LN).

Press Contacts
Gerry Grewal
Rainier PR
Tel: 0207 494 6589
Email: ggrewal@rainierpr.co.uk

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,111 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20th – 22nd November 2007. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).