SF-1 viewers are loyal
Publisuisse's Channel-Surfing Study Backs SRG TV Programs
Although the volume of advertising spots on SRG and foreign TV channels has more than doubled in the last five years, the percentage of viewers who zap away when TV commercials are broadcast has not increased. As was the case five years ago, the advertising blocks on SRG programs are viewed almost in their entirety; advertising usage amounts to around 80 percent.
Older viewers zap less often during advertising
On German commercial channels, however, viewers changed channels somewhat more quickly, namely after around 70 percent of the block duration. Although this also roughly corresponds to the figures from 1995, zapping rates have increased, especially for those channels where the length of the advertising blocks has increased significantly. One exception is RTL, which now has a somewhat more loyal audience when it comes to advertising.
On average, older viewers zap less quickly than younger viewers when it comes to advertising. In addition, women generally watch more advertising than men. And finally, according to the study, the use of advertising decreases with higher education. In the high-consumption target group of 15 to 49-year-olds, SF 1 has the highest advertising usage, while RTL has the second-highest. SF 2 and the Tamedia channel TV 3 then follow in third place. In contrast, the strong increase in the number of channels on offer has no influence on advertising zapping behavior.
What is nevertheless striking is that SF 1 viewers remain loyal to their channel the longest, even during a "normal" commercial break (for 80% of the broadcasting time). However, RTL, SF 2 and TV 3 follow in second place with around 68 percent each. The rest are at 60 percent or below, with Tele 24 falling far behind with less than 50 percent advertising usage (see chart).
Caution is advised when dealing with the figures in the study
What is even more thought-provoking, however: Even with interstitial advertising, no commercial station achieves the usage figures of the hinge advertising on SF 1. RTL comes closest to the Swiss figures, performing slightly better than SF 2.
The figures in the study should be treated with a certain amount of caution, as usage was measured using Telecontrol (see box). As is well known, however, this data says nothing about how often a TV set continues to run during a commercial break with the channel on, but the viewer or viewers briefly switch off.
The zapping study
After 1995, Publisuisse, which markets TV programs for the SRG, once again had the zapping behaviour of the television audience investigated last year. The study was carried out by the Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research at the University of Hamburg. Telecontrol data was evaluated and 3854 people throughout Switzerland were interviewed between March 13 and April 9, 2000 between 5 and 11 pm.
Comment
Shavinkis
TV Waterloo?
In the combative tones that Schawinski, Stäheli and Wanner uttered in Bern on May 4, one sentence was lost in the shuffle, the content of which is tantamount to a Waterloo for the three TV producers: "In Switzerland, serious television cannot be financed by advertising alone." The three gentlemen admitted that they had miscalculated. Yet they were still talking recently about how soon they wanted to bring their stations to break-even with advertising alone.
When the TV makers blame the Federal Council, Bakom, RTVG and SRG, this can only be understood as a rearguard action. Their analysis is not wrong, but it is incomplete. Swiss private TVs are indeed restricted. But this is nothing new. And no one has promised that this will change quickly.
The three omitted two points from their analysis: 1. viewers wanted professional TV, which is why additional investment was necessary.
2 Considering that the advertising blocks on Tele 24 have the highest zapping rate (see page 25), the financial problems of private broadcasters are understandable. Alcohol and political advertising would do little to change this.
It is therefore not appropriate to violate the democratic rules of the game, especially not for commercial reasons. Not even in the name of advertising. Markus Knöpfli
