TV since 1981

Events in this year Top 10 programmes 280 reported channels
2020s
2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
2010s
2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010
2000s
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
1990s
1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990
1980s
1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981

2025

January
Barb launches prototype phase for Barb Panel Plus
February
Barb appoints MediaSense and Snowflake for new Barb Data Hub
Barb announces initiative to start reporting TV-set viewing to YouTube channels
March
Barb appoints RSMB to build a single interface for Advanced Campaign Hub and CFlight
Barb adds Disney+ to Advanced Campaign Hub
The first episode of Netflix’s Adolescence attracted a seven-day audience of 6.5m viewers on TV sets. This placed it first in our weekly top 50 shows list, the first time a streamer’s title had topped the list since we started reporting viewing to content on streaming services in November 2021.
April
Barb launches overnight commercial reporting in beta
May
The May edition of What People Watch looked at the success of LOL:UK for Amazon
June
Barb hosts Barb Briefing, In The Loop: A Barb Roadmap Update
Barb invites tenders for third phase of its API
July
Barb’s Chief Executive, Justin Sampson, looked at how joint industry standards enable informed choice and fair competition in The Media Leader
The Women’s Euro Final 2025, in which England’s Lionesses beat Spain, was the most-watched sporting event of the year with 9.8m viewers on BBC and ITV
Barb starts reporting TV-set viewing to YouTube channels in a world-first initiative
August
Barb invites tenders for its Establishment Survey
September
Barb hosts The Next Episode: A Barb Briefing Event
October
Channel 4’s Dispatches became the first British TV programme to use an AI presenter
November
The final episode of the BBC’s Celebrity Traitors was the most-watched programme of the year, with an audience of 14.9m.
Barb begins search for Chief Executive
December
Barb’s Chief Operating Officer, Caroline Baxter, introduced the Barb Data Hub and where it fits within the ecosystem for The Media Leader
Barb launches the Barb Data Hub