Ten million Britons tuned in to watch Boris Johnson’s address to the nation on Wednesday afternoon. The public’s desire for the latest information during prime minister’s daily press conferences are driving enormous audiences to traditional live TV news, reviving a format that had been written off in the social media age. The audience for BBC One’s daily Coronavirus news special peaked at 7.1 million viewers on Wednesday afternoon as the prime minister answered questions from journalists on school closures and plans to restrict movement in London. By comparison, the recent primetime return of the hit BBC drama Call the Midwife reached an average audience of 6 million, while the Brit Awards attracted 4 million viewers. Traditional television news is particularly popular with older viewers who are more likely to rely on television news for information.

Source: The Guardian March 19, 2020 17:41 UTC