Virgin 'accounts for third of iPlayer viewing'

A third of all programmes watched on BBC iPlayer are viewed on Virgin Media's digital cable TV service, the cable operator claimed today.

Noting a "massive increase in on-demand viewing", Virgin said that BBC iPlayer on Virgin Media cable television has an average of 11.5m viewers per month, compared to total BBC iPlayer views online of 21.8m in May.

"We are clearly on the precipice of some fundamental changes in the way people watch TV," said Virgin Media CEO Neil Berkett. "The giant leaps we have taken, this year alone, show how popular on-demand viewing has become and as we continue to add compelling programming and develop innovative new way of accessing it, we will certainly enter a new era of television."

Overall, Virgin Media's video on demand service had 45m views in August, up from 34m views in January. 50% of its television subscriber base now "regularly" use on demand, with the addition of genre-based music playlists and special features driving 16m music views last month.