Loadshedding pause leads to TV viewership rise, but challenges remain

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Johann Koster, CEO of the Marketing Research Foundation (MRF) says they are encouraged by TV viewership in South Africa.

“The numbers from the Maps survey indicate an upward move for the first quarter of 2024 after loadshedding was called off at the beginning of the year.”

Numbers still down

The Maps quarterly data paints an interesting picture of TV's performance over the past few years.

While the numbers are still down from an average of 73% in 2021 to 54% in 2023 the quarterly views show an increase of 6% from Q4 2023 (54%) to Q1 2024 (60%).

“Our upcoming Maps release (fieldwork period of July 2023 to June 2024) will show whether TV can maintain the gains following the pause in load shedding,” comments Koster.

Digital migration havoc

While loadshedding caused havoc, not only in the consumer space but the media industry too, the digital migration process has also impacted TV viewership.

Numerous households were cut off when the analogue signals were switched off in a number of provinces. Without the necessary equipment to receive the replacement digital signals, many households were left without the means of receiving TV transmissions.

The major provinces are yet to be switched off - towards the end of this year - possibly impacting TV numbers again.

Although households that report they have adopted the DDT boxes have shown a steady increase, there is a clear lag in adoption and TV is potentially facing another watershed moment.

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The rise of streaming

Maps data also sheds light on the streaming landscape and the rise in streaming across all platforms from 2021:

• Netflix leads the pack with a 12-month average in 2023 of 14.6% of the population having access, followed by Showmax at 8.3% in 2023. Netflix is up by 4%. 10.6% in 2021 to 14.6% in 2023. Showmax is up by 3.9%. 4.4% in 2021 to 8.3% in 2023.

• However, taking a quarter-on-quarter view Netflix shows a slight dip in Q1 of 2024 while Showmax had a slight increase, suggesting that Showmax may be making some inroads.

• Amazon Prime, Apple TV and Disney+ have all shown small but steady increases over the three years, albeit from a much smaller base.

"An interesting point in the streaming numbers is that only about half of the people, that access Netflix and Showmax, do so with their own login indicating that the sharing of login details is clearly prevalent," Koster observes.

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Quarterly insights

One of the most exciting aspects of the Maps data is its quarterly release schedule. Koster explains the significance, "Annual data is valuable, but in today's fast-paced media landscape, it's not enough.

“Our quarterly updates give marketers and advertisers a better understanding of viewer behaviour, allowing them to adapt strategies."

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TV and social media

TV remains a potent platform for advertisers and still packs a punch. It's not just about reach, TV creates emotional connections and builds brand trust in ways that digital platforms and other traditional media often struggle to match.

“However, there is a close relationship with social media. Maps suggests that close to 40% of TV viewers report that they are on social media while watching TV which could indicate a clear opportunity for cross-platform engagement with audiences,” adds Koster.

It is this type of insight into the data that helps advertisers strategically define the macro strategies of media planning.

More insights

"The next major Maps release will be released soon and will include the fieldwork period of July 2023 to June 2024.

Together with research partners, Plus94, we will be inviting the industry to participate in a webinar to discuss the latest MAPS data,” says Koster.

Invitations will be sent by email and social media