Despite the growing popularity of online video streaming services, traditional terrestrial and satellite broadcasting continue to reign supreme in South Africa. According to the 2019 State of the Broadcasting Industry Report, South Africa had 14.4 million TV homes and a 38.2 million-strong audience. According to the latest television audience data report published by the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA), the top three most-watched TV series during May were broadcast on SABC 1.
Pay-tv operator MultiChoice’s most recent financial figures revealed that the company had 8.9 million active DStv subscribers between January and March 2021. The BRCSA employs Nielsen’s sample-based People Meter technology from marketing research firm Nielsen to measure TV viewing habits. A paperback-sized box is connected to the TV sets of sample households in one variant of Nielsen’s solution. It comes with a remote control that has individual viewing buttons for each member of the family.
Data can then be captured and relayed by the People Meter, which is updated daily by Nielsen. According to the most recent data, dramas and soap operas remained the most popular forms of entertainment in South Africa between 17:30 and 22:00.
It’s worth noting that SABC 1 took home the entire podium. Uzalo, the channel’s popular drama, once again had the most significant peak viewership, with an episode airing on May 13, attracting more than 8.047 million viewers. Another SABC 1 production, Generations: The Legacy, was the second most-watched show, with a peak audience of 6.559 million on the same date. Skeem Saam rounded out the top three, with over 5.5 million viewers for its most-watched show of May. Scandal on Etv and Muvhango on SABC 2 got the fourth and fifth most peak viewers, with 4.943 million and 4.135 million people, respectively.
