SABC Concerned About SABC3 Decline In Viewership
SABC3, which is the only commercial TV channel for the SABC, has been declining in ratings for a while now but you wouldn't have known because our groupie entertainment media have not been reporting on it, choosing instead to sell the false illusion that faces on SABC3 have influence. Just days after the channel's Head of Programming abandoned ship, The SABC has finally openly admitted to parliament that the channel is in trouble.
Of course the "revelation" by the acting CEO, Tian Olivier, came as no surprise to me as I check tv viewership regularly and have shared on this platform that, while shows like 3Talk, Top Billing and Isidingo, are treated like gold by the media, in reality -- the people are just not watching them anymore.
3Talk with Noeleen averages a measly 470 000 while Top Billing hovers around 360 000 in viewership ratings, as indicated by the latest available TAMS numbers.
Tian Olivier the acting SABC CEO told parliament's portfolio committee on communications on Friday;
"We are concerned about the decrease in audiences in SABC television, especially on SABC3,"
"There are some schedule changes planned in the new financial year to strengthen the product offering specifically in local content on SABC3, but also to strengthen some of the other content areas on SABC1 and SABC2 to continue to grow our audiences and to deliver better value to our audiences and higher audience ratings for our advertiser."
"We're investing a lot more in local content," said Tian Olivier
"Also important for us in operations is the stability of our broadcast schedule. It is a challenge for us to deliver all the content on three television channels".
"We are able to invest more into TV content which is a major gain for us. We are in the financial position again to put back into TV content".Well, now that the broadcaster has finally identified and openly talked about the problem, let us hope that they will now do something effective about.
Here's a start:
- INTRODUCE MORE NEW TALENT ON SCREEN and stop recycling talent across all three stations. Let each channel have its stand alone identity and content generation.
- Do not only look at big production companies for content. Allow small production companies and independent producers to pitch shows.
Maybe ... just maybe, the tide might turn and viewers maybe return to watch the channel.
