|
7de Laan pops soapie's bubble
02/07/2007 09:40 - (SA)
Gavin Prins, Rapport
Johannesburg - Egoli, M-Net's big soapie, is losing out to the SABC2's 7de Laan, which is now nearing two million viewers.
The decision by the Independent Communications Authority of South (Icasa) that the pay channel had to end its open time in March this year has dealt a serious blow to Egoli.
Since April, Egoli had lost more than half its viewers while its rival, SABC2's 7de Laan gained considerably.
Research by the South African Advertising Research Foundation (SAARF) shows that the number of Egoli viewers declined by 52%.
Of the 758 000 viewers who watched the soapie during open time, only 358 000 remain.
Cliff-hanger episode
It means that people who watched Egoli and other programmes in open time but can't afford a pay channel, now depend on the SABC and e.tv.
Egoli tried pepping up its plot and the last free episode on open time was a dramatic cliff-hanger.
Although rows of people were reported to have queued at M-Net offices to buy decoders, many were not prepared to take on the extra financial burden.
Egoli is not the only soapie that suffered.
Binnelanders, the hospital series, saw its viewership decline by 22%.
Low-income viewers
The soapie 7de Laan meanwhile gained 205 000 new viewers, bringing its total to 1.9m people.
Paul Haupt, executive chief of SAARF said their research indicated that low-income viewers, including people in townships and poorer areas, had switched to Days of Our Lives.
"Days of Our Lives is a very popular programme and so is Isidingo, which has gained many additional lower-income viewers.
"The SABC can be very pleased that it has also captured these viewers.
"But naturally the higher-income groups who have M-Net and DStv decoders aren't concerned about the disappearance of the open time slot.
"So M-Net's bosses can (rightfully) say that they've lost viewers, but the smaller audience that remains is high income.
"This higher income audience is prepared to pay for the high-quality programmes that M-Net offers its viewers," Haupt said.
|
South Africa
