Consumers from ethnic minority groups are among the most enthusiastic and technology aware consumers of communications services in the UK, according to research published by Ofcom today. They watch less TV – especially the biggest traditional channels - and those with internet are more likely to have broadband and to use and depend on a mobile phone than the rest of the population.

Ofcom’s Communications Market Special Report on ethnic minority groups (EMGs), which was based on a survey of adults from a range of different EMGs found that, when asked, 83% said that communications technology is important to them. This compares to the UK average of 69%. In addition some 72% of people from EMGs said that they keep up with technology compared to the UK average of 59%,and 63% said they could not happily live without a mobile phone (50% UK).

TELECOMS AND INTERNET

The report shows that take-up levels of telecoms and internet services among people from EMGs compare favourably to the overall UK population. Of all internet users in the UK, a higher proportion of people from EMGs have broadband (80%) than the UK average (74%). Some 86% of EMG households have a fixed-line telephone (89% UK) and mobile take-up was higher among EMGs (83% vs. 80% UK average).

Many more people from EMGs (44%) rely primarily on their mobile to receive calls than the UK population (31%). Also, a higher proportion of EMGs (43%) are on mobile phone contracts (as opposed to prepay) than the general UK population (33%).

EMG households spend more on fixed line telephone services. Some 32% of EMG households spend £71 per month or more on fixed line services, compared to just 25% of all UK households.

TELEVISION

EMG individuals watch less television per day (3 hrs 16 min) than the average person in the UK (3 hrs 37 min). Of the television they do watch they have a stronger preference for films (13.5% of total EMG viewing compared to a 9.6% UK average) and children’s programming (3.9% of EMG viewing, 2.3% UK average) than the wider UK population.

EMG adults spend less time (at 1.5 hours a day) watching television on channels run by public service broadcasters (PSBs) than the UK average of 2.5 hours per day. The PSB channels account for just under half (48%) of EMG viewing compared to 68% of the average UK viewer’s time spent watching television.

There are only small differences between EMGs and the overall population in viewing of Channel 4 and Five but there are bigger gaps on BBC1 and BBC2 (BBC1 UK average viewing share is 23% and 16% for EMGs. The UK average for BBC2 is 8.9% and 4.9% for EMGs). The largest gap exists with ITV which accounts for 20.3% of viewing time across the UK but 11.5% with EMG viewers.

EMG households are more likely to watch satellite or cable TV than Freeview. Just 12% of EMG adults said they had Freeview compared to a 29% UK average. In contrast, 60% of EMG households have a cable or satellite television service compared to a UK-wide average of 52%.

IMPORTANCE OF CHILDREN

The report also shows that, when choosing communications services, EMG adults are in many ways more likely to take their children’s needs into account. For example, when asked to value the benefits of digital television, 66% of parents from EMGs mentioned the ability to set parental controls compared to a UK average of 47%. Likewise, when asked the reasons for having the internet at home, some 74% of EMG adults mentioned their children’s education compared to a UK average of 47%.

Ofcom Chief Executive Ed Richards said “This latest research from Ofcom shows encouraging take-up of digital communications services among ethnic minority groups. However, the evidence suggests that Britain’s most watched broadcasters need to reflect on whether they are connecting sufficiently with minority ethnic groups“.

Click here to download a copy of the Ofcom survey (346kb, )