"The show smells too much like a hospital".
Hans Jürg Deutsch on Corrections to Sat-1 Broadcasts
Hans Jürg Deutsch on corrections to Sat-1 broadcastsThe weekday Swiss Sat-1 program window has been on the air for eight weeks, but ratings are languishing at a meager two percent market share. Now Hans Jürg Deutsch, TV boss of Sat-1 partner Ringier, and the station's Swiss management want to restructure the health magazine "1 x tägl." and promote "täglich ran" more intensively. "1 x tägl." and "täglich ran" have too few viewers. How do you explain the unexpectedly low ratings?
Hans Jürg Deutsch: Eight weeks is a short time for new programs. Viewers need longer to get used to new programs. On the other hand, we underestimated the audience magnet "Tagesschau" on SF DRS. The attention
"1 x daily" depends very much on what's going on there at the moment: If there's a report about Chechnya, people switch over; if the "Tagesschau" reports about a plane crash, they stay.
Before the launch of the two programs, however, you said that the program window was not aimed at the "Tagesschau" audience at all, but at the million viewers who watched other stations.
German: We underestimated the loyalty of Swiss viewers to the station, saw viewers too much only as a number, and disregarded the sociodemographic structure and specific information needs of viewers. But as it now turns out, "1 x tägl." appeals to the same audience as the "Tagesschau.
Could it also be that a daily medical show is just too much of a good thing and viewers simply don't want to be confronted with illness and hospital smells on a daily basis?
Deutsch: The show actually smells a bit too much like a hospital, we've realized that. That's why we will no longer produce in the university hospital, but in the TV studio. Various formal changes are also planned. The program will be more TV-oriented and broader in terms of topics. In the new concept we are now working on, several topics will be covered instead of just one. This will also make the show longer. Instead of 15 minutes today, it will now last 25 minutes.
But a lack of viewers isn't just the problem with "1 x tägl."; "täglich ran" also has far too few viewers. The 8 p.m. time seems ideal: Once you've seen the "Tagesschau," you can zap over to Sat 1 and catch up on the sports news. But that doesn't work either.
German: "täglich ran" actually plays a kind of complementary role to the "Tagesschau. The fact that this is not yet reflected in viewer numbers has to do with the novelty of the offering. The majority of viewers haven't even noticed this show yet.
Why are you so sure that "ran daily" is on the right track?
German: Viewer numbers increase continuously during the show. For us, that means the show is basically catching on. But we need to invest more in program awareness. We're working on that now. We will certainly launch viewer campaigns and intensify our cooperation with the Ringier media.
Sat 1 generates fewer viewers with the Swiss window than without such a programming niche. Is there a danger that the German partner will lose patience?
Deutsch: Sat 1 was weak in Switzerland before 8 p.m. anyway. We would never have gotten in at a slot where viewer numbers were already sufficient beforehand.
Nevertheless, the audience figures for the program window still have to improve significantly if it is to survive in the longer term.
German: Absolute figures are not so important at the moment. But a positive trend must be visible, and that is the case. If, contrary to expectations, we find that we are still at 30000 spectators by the end of 2000, we would have to come up with new ideas.
What would you do differently today if you could start again with the Sat 1 program window for German-speaking Switzerland?
German: You shouldn't try to raise the Swiss flag at a German station. That was a mistake from the viewer's point of view. People who tune in to Sat 1 do so because they like the station and its programming, not because of Sat 1 Switzerland. Our goal for the future remains to offer Swiss viewers programming with a Swiss touch.
In other words, a further expansion with Swiss content?
German: We are thinking about various new magazines. For example, instead of the country magazine between 5:30 and 6 p.m., we could well imagine a program with Swiss content. Another avenue we're pursuing is to supply shows on Sat 1 with Swiss content.
Interview: Daniel Schifferle
Hans Jürg Deutsch: Eight weeks is a short time for new programs. Viewers need longer to get used to new programs. On the other hand, we underestimated the audience magnet "Tagesschau" on SF DRS. The attention
"1 x daily" depends very much on what's going on there at the moment: If there's a report about Chechnya, people switch over; if the "Tagesschau" reports about a plane crash, they stay.
Before the launch of the two programs, however, you said that the program window was not aimed at the "Tagesschau" audience at all, but at the million viewers who watched other stations.
German: We underestimated the loyalty of Swiss viewers to the station, saw viewers too much only as a number, and disregarded the sociodemographic structure and specific information needs of viewers. But as it now turns out, "1 x tägl." appeals to the same audience as the "Tagesschau.
Could it also be that a daily medical show is just too much of a good thing and viewers simply don't want to be confronted with illness and hospital smells on a daily basis?
Deutsch: The show actually smells a bit too much like a hospital, we've realized that. That's why we will no longer produce in the university hospital, but in the TV studio. Various formal changes are also planned. The program will be more TV-oriented and broader in terms of topics. In the new concept we are now working on, several topics will be covered instead of just one. This will also make the show longer. Instead of 15 minutes today, it will now last 25 minutes.
But a lack of viewers isn't just the problem with "1 x tägl."; "täglich ran" also has far too few viewers. The 8 p.m. time seems ideal: Once you've seen the "Tagesschau," you can zap over to Sat 1 and catch up on the sports news. But that doesn't work either.
German: "täglich ran" actually plays a kind of complementary role to the "Tagesschau. The fact that this is not yet reflected in viewer numbers has to do with the novelty of the offering. The majority of viewers haven't even noticed this show yet.
Why are you so sure that "ran daily" is on the right track?
German: Viewer numbers increase continuously during the show. For us, that means the show is basically catching on. But we need to invest more in program awareness. We're working on that now. We will certainly launch viewer campaigns and intensify our cooperation with the Ringier media.
Sat 1 generates fewer viewers with the Swiss window than without such a programming niche. Is there a danger that the German partner will lose patience?
Deutsch: Sat 1 was weak in Switzerland before 8 p.m. anyway. We would never have gotten in at a slot where viewer numbers were already sufficient beforehand.
Nevertheless, the audience figures for the program window still have to improve significantly if it is to survive in the longer term.
German: Absolute figures are not so important at the moment. But a positive trend must be visible, and that is the case. If, contrary to expectations, we find that we are still at 30000 spectators by the end of 2000, we would have to come up with new ideas.
What would you do differently today if you could start again with the Sat 1 program window for German-speaking Switzerland?
German: You shouldn't try to raise the Swiss flag at a German station. That was a mistake from the viewer's point of view. People who tune in to Sat 1 do so because they like the station and its programming, not because of Sat 1 Switzerland. Our goal for the future remains to offer Swiss viewers programming with a Swiss touch.
In other words, a further expansion with Swiss content?
German: We are thinking about various new magazines. For example, instead of the country magazine between 5:30 and 6 p.m., we could well imagine a program with Swiss content. Another avenue we're pursuing is to supply shows on Sat 1 with Swiss content.
Interview: Daniel Schifferle
