Barb, the UK industry’s standard for understanding what people watch, has added TV-set viewing to YouTube channels to its reporting. 200 of the most-watched YouTube channels across a number of interests have been selected to be part of its regular audience reporting. From popular creators like Sidemen and kids’ content such as Bluey and Peppa Pig to sports like FIFA and WWE and news, the channel's selection was primarily based on volumes of viewing as well as brand safety.
The new report will show the weekly reach, share of total identified viewing on TV sets and total minutes viewed for each of the 200 YouTube channels, alongside a demographic profile for each channel.
Caroline Baxter, Chief Operating Officer at Barb said:
“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.
According to Barb, TV sets account for the largest proportion of in-home, WiFi-based YouTube viewing. In the second quarter of 2025, TV-set viewing accounted for 43% of all this YouTube viewing among people aged 16+, ahead of smartphones at 32%. TV sets are also the most popular device for children aged 4-15, accounting for 53% of their in-home, WiFi-based YouTube viewing in the same quarter.
This new reporting will allow not only advertisers but also potential licensees to easily see in one report which content is most popular with UK audiences. With the proliferation of content across streamers and platforms this will allow quicker and more informed decision making when signing new licensing deals.