Local TV continues to gain ground
SRG Research Service Also Confirms Growth in Reach for Private Radio Stations
SRG research service also confirms growth in reach for private radio stationsBy Daniel Schifferle Private regional television continues to gain ground in Switzerland. This is shown by the latest viewer figures presented by the SRG research service last Friday. After the failure of Tele 24 and TV 3, this is good news for a change.
The TeleNewsCombi (TNC) channels - Tele Züri, Tele Bärn, Tele Basel, Tele M1, Tele Tell, Tele Top, Tele Ostschweiz and Tele Südostschweiz - achieved an average daily reach of 21.6% last year or were watched by around 1.1 million viewers. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 130000 people or more than 13%. A nice increase. The average viewing time was 14.5 minutes per day.
The growing interest in local television stations is also reflected in an increased market share. Overall, the eight TNC stations improved by 0.3 percentage points to 2.3 percentage points.
Tele Züri has maintained its reach after the Tele 24 broadcasting deadline
However, the strength and development of the individual stations varies greatly from region to region. Tele Züri's market share for the whole of 2001 fell to 4.7% (2000: 5.1%), meaning that the station reached around 31% of the Zurich population. More interesting, however, are the figures following the closure of Tele 24 and the departure of Roger Schawinski. Contrary to widespread fears, viewer numbers did not fall in the first few months after the closure.
The situation is also encouraging for Tele Tell, which has been able to steadily increase its audience from year to year. In 2001, the Central Swiss station increased its audience by a further 4,000, reaching 84,000 people or 16% of the population over the age of three in the concession area. Tele Basel achieved exactly the same figure, but was ahead in terms of reach with 18%. In contrast, Tele M1 saw a slight decline in viewer numbers, falling back to 18% reach (2000: 19%). However, Tele M1 was able to maintain its market share, which is made up of viewer numbers and average viewing time, at 1%. This means that although slightly fewer people tuned in to the station, they stayed tuned for longer.
Less use of local channels in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino
Tele Top also recorded increases, expanding its reach by 12,000 viewers to 63,000. Its competitor Tele Ostschweiz was also able to increase its audience by 6,000 viewers, but with 53,000 daily viewers it remains well behind Top.
The local TV stations in French-speaking Switzerland achieved far lower audience figures. Léman bleu achieved a daily reach of 5.7% or 26,000 viewers, which represents a decrease of 2,000 viewers compared to the previous year. TV Région Lausanne (TVRL) stagnated at a reach of 7.2% or 21,000 daily viewers. At 5.5 minutes, the average viewing time per day in French-speaking Switzerland also lagged behind the comparable figures for German-speaking Switzerland.
Tele Ticino, the still young local television station in Ticino, is doing much better. It was able to increase its reach by 9,000 to 57,000 viewers last year. This corresponds to 18% of the population - a figure that is only a good 3% behind the average of the TNC partners. With its average viewing time of around 10 minutes, Tele Ticino also leaves the French-speaking Swiss far behind, but still has potential to catch up with the TNC stations (14.5 minutes).
Gaining ground thanks to new measuring method
The TeleNewsCombi (TNC) channels - Tele Züri, Tele Bärn, Tele Basel, Tele M1, Tele Tell, Tele Top, Tele Ostschweiz and Tele Südostschweiz - achieved an average daily reach of 21.6% last year or were watched by around 1.1 million viewers. Compared to the previous year, this represents an increase of 130000 people or more than 13%. A nice increase. The average viewing time was 14.5 minutes per day.
The growing interest in local television stations is also reflected in an increased market share. Overall, the eight TNC stations improved by 0.3 percentage points to 2.3 percentage points.
Tele Züri has maintained its reach after the Tele 24 broadcasting deadline
However, the strength and development of the individual stations varies greatly from region to region. Tele Züri's market share for the whole of 2001 fell to 4.7% (2000: 5.1%), meaning that the station reached around 31% of the Zurich population. More interesting, however, are the figures following the closure of Tele 24 and the departure of Roger Schawinski. Contrary to widespread fears, viewer numbers did not fall in the first few months after the closure.
The situation is also encouraging for Tele Tell, which has been able to steadily increase its audience from year to year. In 2001, the Central Swiss station increased its audience by a further 4,000, reaching 84,000 people or 16% of the population over the age of three in the concession area. Tele Basel achieved exactly the same figure, but was ahead in terms of reach with 18%. In contrast, Tele M1 saw a slight decline in viewer numbers, falling back to 18% reach (2000: 19%). However, Tele M1 was able to maintain its market share, which is made up of viewer numbers and average viewing time, at 1%. This means that although slightly fewer people tuned in to the station, they stayed tuned for longer.
Less use of local channels in French-speaking Switzerland and Ticino
Tele Top also recorded increases, expanding its reach by 12,000 viewers to 63,000. Its competitor Tele Ostschweiz was also able to increase its audience by 6,000 viewers, but with 53,000 daily viewers it remains well behind Top.
The local TV stations in French-speaking Switzerland achieved far lower audience figures. Léman bleu achieved a daily reach of 5.7% or 26,000 viewers, which represents a decrease of 2,000 viewers compared to the previous year. TV Région Lausanne (TVRL) stagnated at a reach of 7.2% or 21,000 daily viewers. At 5.5 minutes, the average viewing time per day in French-speaking Switzerland also lagged behind the comparable figures for German-speaking Switzerland.
Tele Ticino, the still young local television station in Ticino, is doing much better. It was able to increase its reach by 9,000 to 57,000 viewers last year. This corresponds to 18% of the population - a figure that is only a good 3% behind the average of the TNC partners. With its average viewing time of around 10 minutes, Tele Ticino also leaves the French-speaking Swiss far behind, but still has potential to catch up with the TNC stations (14.5 minutes).
Gaining ground thanks to new measuring method
Thanks to the new Radiocontrol measurement method, the gap between private radio stations and SRG-operated radio stations narrowed last year. Private radio stations in German-speaking Switzerland have a net reach of 57.6%, while all DRS stations together have a net reach of 62.8%. Compared to the previous SRG media study, whose figures are not comparable with Radiocontrol, the distance has been reduced by around half, emphasizes Martin Muerner, Vice President of the Association of Swiss Private Radio Stations.
The ranking of private radio stations also does not allow comparisons with the previous year. For this reason, only the current year 2001 is shown in the chart this time as an exception.
