Local TV stations are losing reach
A five-year comparison of TV viewership shows that local television stations in German-speaking Switzerland have fallen far behind in terms of performance and must start almost from scratch. This is a poor starting point for the launch of the new local TV regulations.
The positive news first: the German-speaking Swiss population as a whole watched local TV on average half a minute longer in 2008 than in 2004. Among 14 to 49-year-olds, usage even increased by 1.1 minutes. But that is already the end of the good news. According to Mediapulse data, the eight largest stations that are part of Telenewscombi (TNC) have lost a massive amount of reach and market share in a five-year comparison. The TNC now has 117,000 fewer viewers than in 2004, 100,000 of them in the younger target group alone. The TNC market share in 2008 also reached its lowest level in the last five years in both target groups. Yet 2004 was not even the best year for TNC to date: in 2005, the combined station set its reach record with 1.3 million viewers - not to mention without Tele Südostschweiz as a member.
Among the individual stations, the Tamedia stations Tele Züri and Tele Bärn were hit the hardest: they now have a quarter fewer young viewers than in 2004. The other stations did not fare much better. The only ray of hope is Tele Ostschweiz: It was able to gain 13.5 percent of young viewers in 2008, but remains below the best value of 2004.
Ultimately, no one can conclusively explain the losses. Is it because more and more people are switching to satellite instead of cable? Because local TVs cannot be received via satellite, they would lose viewers as a result. However, Swisscable, the association of cable network companies, has not recorded a slump in cable subscriptions, only a slight decrease of 0.8 percent in 2007 - and that for the first time.
The expansion of the TV offering is also cited as an argument for the decline in viewers: A new channel, 3+, has been able to establish itself. The change in media usage among young people also has an influence: they are increasingly consuming TV via the Internet or digital Bluewin TV. However, Mediapulse does not yet report on either form of usage.
The latter is only partially true. Manuel Dähler, CEO of Mediapulse, confirms that internet streaming via Zattoo or Wilmaa, for example, is not yet reported. Bluewin TV, on the other hand, is measured and the usage of local TVs there is also included in the total usage of the respective channel.
Presumably, the industry is therefore primarily challenged in terms of program quality. It remains to be seen whether the fees it will soon receive will bring about a turnaround in this respect. In any case, other developments are in the foreground: the broadcasters, especially the unlicensed Tele Züri, will expand their broadcasting area, in some cases considerably from February onwards, and will eat over each other's fences. New areas such as Upper Valais will be opened up, others such as Central Switzerland will probably be duplicated. However, the expansion of services and technical reach alone will hardly help the industry in the long term. Especially as there is a risk that it will fall out.
The situation is different in French-speaking Switzerland: once all licensed TV stations there are on air, the whole of French-speaking Switzerland can finally be covered by local TV. This will consolidate the scene there. Thanks to larger distribution areas, the individual stations will also be easier to measure. Nevertheless, the explosive development of Geneva's Léman Bleu already shows that investments in programming are paying off and that there is still huge potential in French-speaking Switzerland. The same can be said of the situation in Ticino.
Among the individual stations, the Tamedia stations Tele Züri and Tele Bärn were hit the hardest: they now have a quarter fewer young viewers than in 2004. The other stations did not fare much better. The only ray of hope is Tele Ostschweiz: It was able to gain 13.5 percent of young viewers in 2008, but remains below the best value of 2004.
Ultimately, no one can conclusively explain the losses. Is it because more and more people are switching to satellite instead of cable? Because local TVs cannot be received via satellite, they would lose viewers as a result. However, Swisscable, the association of cable network companies, has not recorded a slump in cable subscriptions, only a slight decrease of 0.8 percent in 2007 - and that for the first time.
The expansion of the TV offering is also cited as an argument for the decline in viewers: A new channel, 3+, has been able to establish itself. The change in media usage among young people also has an influence: they are increasingly consuming TV via the Internet or digital Bluewin TV. However, Mediapulse does not yet report on either form of usage.
The latter is only partially true. Manuel Dähler, CEO of Mediapulse, confirms that internet streaming via Zattoo or Wilmaa, for example, is not yet reported. Bluewin TV, on the other hand, is measured and the usage of local TVs there is also included in the total usage of the respective channel.
Presumably, the industry is therefore primarily challenged in terms of program quality. It remains to be seen whether the fees it will soon receive will bring about a turnaround in this respect. In any case, other developments are in the foreground: the broadcasters, especially the unlicensed Tele Züri, will expand their broadcasting area, in some cases considerably from February onwards, and will eat over each other's fences. New areas such as Upper Valais will be opened up, others such as Central Switzerland will probably be duplicated. However, the expansion of services and technical reach alone will hardly help the industry in the long term. Especially as there is a risk that it will fall out.
The situation is different in French-speaking Switzerland: once all licensed TV stations there are on air, the whole of French-speaking Switzerland can finally be covered by local TV. This will consolidate the scene there. Thanks to larger distribution areas, the individual stations will also be easier to measure. Nevertheless, the explosive development of Geneva's Léman Bleu already shows that investments in programming are paying off and that there is still huge potential in French-speaking Switzerland. The same can be said of the situation in Ticino.
Markus Knöpfli
> To the table: Local TV figures in a five-year comparison (2004-2008)
