Record breaking year for Virgin Media on demand TV

Virgin Media (NASDAQ, LSE: VMED) saw a record breaking 2009 with over 750 million on demand views, an increase of 50% on the previous 12 months. With hugely popular catch up content from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Virgin1 and LIVING, outstanding music success and blockbuster films, more people than ever are watching on demand. Over 59 per cent of Virgin Media’s 3.7 million TV customers are now regularly using the service, an increase of over a quarter of a million homes in a year.

Cindy Rose, executive director, digital entertainment, at Virgin Media, said: “Virgin Media was the first company to bring true TV on demand to the UK and in doing so, we’ve helped redefine the viewing habits of millions of people by freeing them from the TV schedule.”

With 76 million views in December alone, up 6% on the previous month, 2010 looks like being another record breaking success for Virgin Media.

Since BBC iPlayer launched on Virgin Media in May 2008, its first TV platform, it has received almost 300 million views(1). Viewing has accelerated from 10.5 million views in June 2008 to a record 20 million views in December 2009. ITV Player enjoyed an outstanding end of year performance with 25 million views over the last three months, thanks to The X Factor, I’m a Celebrity”¦ Get Me Out Of Here! and the enduring popularity of Coronation Street.

Over 11 million movies were watched on demand throughout 2009. December saw a 29% increase on November, driven by some great family favourites including Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince, shown on demand on the same day as the DVD release, and Monsters Vs Aliens as well as hit films Public Enemies, Moon, Bruno and The Hangover.

With a 17% increase in views in December, music on demand’s popularity continues to grow. Lady Gaga returned to the top of the charts with her Bad Romance video alongside new releases from N-Dubz, Cheryl Cole, Chipmunk and Rihanna.

Virgin Media also offers a hugely popular range of kids’ TV, with great Disney content, such as High School Musical, Camp Rock and Hannah Montana, series of Angelina Ballerina, Ben 10 and Dora the Explorer and programmes including Charlie and Lola and Postman Pat available as catch up TV. Kids programming generated almost 22 million views in 2009.

On demand TV enables viewers to watch what they want, when they want, at the touch of a button. Virgin Media offers a vast library of thousands of hours of TV shows, movies, music and kids programming, all of which can be watched on your television.

1. 291.3 million views of BBC iPlayer on Virgin Media’s TV platform May 2008 – December 2009