TV was Wales’ top source of Senedd election news, Ofcom finds

Mark Mansfield

Television remained the dominant source of election news for people in Wales during this year’s Senedd election campaign, according to a new Ofcom report.

More than six in 10 adults in Wales (63%) who were aware of the election said they saw news or information about it on television, compared with a third (33%) who encountered election coverage online.

The report also found that almost half (48%) of those aware of the election received news about the campaign from BBC television, more than double the proportion who cited ITV News (23%).

Across all news consumption, BBC One remained the most-used news source in Wales, reaching 57% of adults, followed by Google Search (55%), Facebook (52%) and ITV1 (40%).

For news specifically about Wales, BBC One was again the leading source, used by 37% of adults, ahead of ITV1 (24%) and Facebook (14%).

The findings are published in Ofcom’s latest Media Nations report, which also shows that people in Wales continue to watch more video than audiences anywhere else in the UK.

Average daily viewing reached four hours and 52 minutes per person in 2025, although this was down from five hours and nine minutes the previous year.

Traditional broadcaster television still accounted for the largest share of viewing at two hours and 41 minutes a day, while live television viewing fell to one hour and 43 minutes.

The report highlights the continuing shift among younger audiences away from traditional television. People aged 16 to 24 watched just 33 minutes of broadcaster television a day on average, down 37% on the previous year, while those aged 55 and over continued to watch more than five hours a day.

Streaming services dominated the year’s most-watched programmes in Wales, with Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters attracting an audience of 1.3 million. Seven of the top 10 most-watched titles were films, while the BBC’s Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell documentary ranked second with almost 900,000 viewers.

Despite that, public service broadcasters remained viewers’ first choice. Half of people in Wales said they would turn to a public service broadcaster first when deciding what to watch, compared with 26% who would choose Netflix and 6% who would choose YouTube.

The report also found that S4C continues to play an important role for Welsh audiences. Among adults who watch the channel, 36% said they did so because it represents the culture and life of Wales, while 32% said it helped them learn Welsh. Rugby was the most popular programme genre, watched by almost half (49%) of S4C viewers.

Radio listening remained stable, with nine in 10 adults in Wales tuning in each week, although listening among younger people has declined. At the same time, podcast listening has continued to grow, with 23% of adults now listening weekly, up from 14% four years ago, while music streaming services account for an increasing share of audio consumption.

Philip Henfrey, Ofcom’s Wales director, said the Senedd election had demonstrated the continuing importance of broadcasters in informing voters.

Vital role

He said: “The Senedd Cymru election showed that broadcasters continue to play a vital role in informing voters and supporting democratic debate in Wales.

“Television remains the most important source of election news for many people, demonstrating the value audiences place on trusted and accurate journalism at key moments.

“However, the longer-term trend is clear: younger viewers are increasingly consuming news and media through online and on-demand services rather than traditional television. As audiences continue to change, ensuring that trusted news is available wherever people choose to access it will remain a significant challenge for broadcasters.”

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