TV consumption is at its limit
According to the research service, SRG broadcasters lost market share in all parts of the country in 2000
According to the SRG research service, SRG broadcasters lost market share in all parts of the country in 2000By Daniel SchifferleDespite a constantly growing range of programs, Swiss viewers no longer increased their TV consumption in 2000. SRG stations felt the effects of this with losses in market share in all three parts of the country. The large local TV stations also went into decline for the first time after years of an upward trend.
In previous years, TV usage in Switzerland had still increased in five-minute increments. But in the year 2000, even this small growth has now shrunk to almost zero. In German-speaking Switzerland, exactly the same amount of television was watched as in the previous year, namely an average of 137 minutes per day. In Italian-speaking Switzerland, the situation was virtually stable at 171 minutes (1999: 170 minutes). And the most avid television viewers in Switzerland after the Ticino, the Romands, even watched less television than in the previous year, with an average daily viewing time of 159 minutes (1999: 161).
The amount of time spent watching SRG programs also fell in a very similar proportion to the total viewing time: in German-speaking Switzerland to 45 minutes (1999: 46), in French-speaking Switzerland to 55 minutes (58) and in Ticino to 58 minutes (61). It is mainly thanks to older viewers and their above-average television consumption that the figures are not even lower.
This is shown by a comparison between the age group of 3 to 14-year-olds and the over 65s. While kids in German-speaking Switzerland spend an average of 87 minutes in front of the television, senior citizens watch 208 minutes. In French-speaking Switzerland, the ratio is very similar, with 101 minutes compared to 251 minutes. In Ticino, on the other hand, there is an even more dramatic gap between the average viewing time of the youngest and oldest target groups: kids here spend just 91 minutes in front of the TV, while the over-65s hold the Swiss record with 266 minutes.
SRG stations in all three
Parts of the country in a crawl
In view of the stagnating TV viewing time, which is also being spread across more and more channels, it is logical that the individual channels were unable to maintain their market shares at the previous year's level. All SRG channels suffered losses last year, both in the all-day average and in prime time (6 p.m. to 11 p.m.) (see chart).
For SF DRS (SF 1 and SF 2), the market share in prime time fell by 1.1 points to 41.1 percent compared to 1999, while TSR (TSR 1 and TSR 2) lost 0.5 points and landed at 37.7 percent. TSI (TSI 1 and TSI 2) saw an even more marked decline, namely by a whole 1.5 points to a new market share of 38.2 percent.
However, the SRG channels were not the only losers; various foreign providers also lost market share. In German-speaking Switzerland, most of the larger German channels were in slight decline. Only RTL was able to improve by 0.2 market share points, while ZDF was at least able to maintain its previous year's level. Tele 24 stagnated at the previous year's level with a market share of 2.6 percent. TV 3, for which viewer figures are available for a whole year for the first time, achieved a market share of 3.5 percent.
TeleZüri and TeleBärn have lost some audience
Most of the various regional TV stations in Switzerland were able to further increase their audience last year, albeit only in small steps. In German-speaking Switzerland, TeleTell was able to increase its daily reach by 6000 viewers to 80,000, TeleBasel grew by 9,000 to 79,000 and Tele M1 still improved by 4,000 to 157,000 viewers.
However, the two largest local television stations in German-speaking Switzerland, TeleZüri and TeleBärn, lost a small audience for the first time in their history. The loss of around 10,000 viewers at TeleBärn (new daily reach: 216,000 viewers) was even more significant than at TeleZüri, which only lost 4,000 viewers (new: 45,000 viewers).
Figures are also already available for the other local TV stations in German-speaking Switzerland, but only for shorter periods, so that comparisons with the previous year are not possible. Intro-TV in Solothurn achieved a daily reach of 43,000 people. TeleTop reached an average of 51,000 people daily in the fourth quarter of 2000. For its competitor TeleOstschweiz, which was also only measured towards the end of the year, Telecontrol calculated only slightly fewer viewers at 47,000.
The regional TV stations in the other two parts of the country also failed to achieve an impressive performance. Léman Bleu in western Switzerland stagnated at 28,000 viewers, while TV Région Lausannoise (TVRL) was at least able to increase its audience by 2,000 to 21,000. In southern Switzerland, TeleTicino reached around 48,000 people. However, this channel is a special case among Swiss local television stations: It is licensed for the entire canton of Ticino, whereas the stations in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland only cover a geographically limited part of the respective language area.
In previous years, TV usage in Switzerland had still increased in five-minute increments. But in the year 2000, even this small growth has now shrunk to almost zero. In German-speaking Switzerland, exactly the same amount of television was watched as in the previous year, namely an average of 137 minutes per day. In Italian-speaking Switzerland, the situation was virtually stable at 171 minutes (1999: 170 minutes). And the most avid television viewers in Switzerland after the Ticino, the Romands, even watched less television than in the previous year, with an average daily viewing time of 159 minutes (1999: 161).
The amount of time spent watching SRG programs also fell in a very similar proportion to the total viewing time: in German-speaking Switzerland to 45 minutes (1999: 46), in French-speaking Switzerland to 55 minutes (58) and in Ticino to 58 minutes (61). It is mainly thanks to older viewers and their above-average television consumption that the figures are not even lower.
This is shown by a comparison between the age group of 3 to 14-year-olds and the over 65s. While kids in German-speaking Switzerland spend an average of 87 minutes in front of the television, senior citizens watch 208 minutes. In French-speaking Switzerland, the ratio is very similar, with 101 minutes compared to 251 minutes. In Ticino, on the other hand, there is an even more dramatic gap between the average viewing time of the youngest and oldest target groups: kids here spend just 91 minutes in front of the TV, while the over-65s hold the Swiss record with 266 minutes.
SRG stations in all three
Parts of the country in a crawl
In view of the stagnating TV viewing time, which is also being spread across more and more channels, it is logical that the individual channels were unable to maintain their market shares at the previous year's level. All SRG channels suffered losses last year, both in the all-day average and in prime time (6 p.m. to 11 p.m.) (see chart).
For SF DRS (SF 1 and SF 2), the market share in prime time fell by 1.1 points to 41.1 percent compared to 1999, while TSR (TSR 1 and TSR 2) lost 0.5 points and landed at 37.7 percent. TSI (TSI 1 and TSI 2) saw an even more marked decline, namely by a whole 1.5 points to a new market share of 38.2 percent.
However, the SRG channels were not the only losers; various foreign providers also lost market share. In German-speaking Switzerland, most of the larger German channels were in slight decline. Only RTL was able to improve by 0.2 market share points, while ZDF was at least able to maintain its previous year's level. Tele 24 stagnated at the previous year's level with a market share of 2.6 percent. TV 3, for which viewer figures are available for a whole year for the first time, achieved a market share of 3.5 percent.
TeleZüri and TeleBärn have lost some audience
Most of the various regional TV stations in Switzerland were able to further increase their audience last year, albeit only in small steps. In German-speaking Switzerland, TeleTell was able to increase its daily reach by 6000 viewers to 80,000, TeleBasel grew by 9,000 to 79,000 and Tele M1 still improved by 4,000 to 157,000 viewers.
However, the two largest local television stations in German-speaking Switzerland, TeleZüri and TeleBärn, lost a small audience for the first time in their history. The loss of around 10,000 viewers at TeleBärn (new daily reach: 216,000 viewers) was even more significant than at TeleZüri, which only lost 4,000 viewers (new: 45,000 viewers).
Figures are also already available for the other local TV stations in German-speaking Switzerland, but only for shorter periods, so that comparisons with the previous year are not possible. Intro-TV in Solothurn achieved a daily reach of 43,000 people. TeleTop reached an average of 51,000 people daily in the fourth quarter of 2000. For its competitor TeleOstschweiz, which was also only measured towards the end of the year, Telecontrol calculated only slightly fewer viewers at 47,000.
The regional TV stations in the other two parts of the country also failed to achieve an impressive performance. Léman Bleu in western Switzerland stagnated at 28,000 viewers, while TV Région Lausannoise (TVRL) was at least able to increase its audience by 2,000 to 21,000. In southern Switzerland, TeleTicino reached around 48,000 people. However, this channel is a special case among Swiss local television stations: It is licensed for the entire canton of Ticino, whereas the stations in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland only cover a geographically limited part of the respective language area.
