by SAARF & MarkLives (@marklives) A collaboration between the South African Audience Research Foundation (SAARF) and MarkLives, this SAARF/MarkLives #Top40TVratings column is a weekly roundup of South Africa’s TV audience viewership.
We reveal the best-watched shows of the week before (in this case, 15–21 September 2014), where they ran and how many South Africans tuned in to watch.
We offer two tables:
- The first covers all households — free-to-air viewing (the various SABC channels and e.tv), as well as the DStv platform
- The second charting the best-watched shows on the DStv network of channels only.
SAARF/MarkLives #Top40TVratings Charts: 15–21 September 2014
National
| Market | Target | Activity | |||||
| National | Total Indv (incl guests) | Live + VOSDAL | |||||
| Counter | Description (grouped) | Channel | Level 1 | Level 2\Variable | (r) AMR % | AMR | SHR % |
| 1 | GENERATIONS | SABC 1 | Soap opera | LOCAL | 23.7 | 10 148 519 | 71.90% |
| 2 | MFOLOZI STREET | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 17.3 | 7 442 103 | 55.36% |
| 3 | SOUL CITY | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 15.8 | 6 773 858 | 50.97% |
| 4 | SHREDS AND DREAMS | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 12.4 | 5 334 908 | 41.27% |
| 5 | STICKS AND STONES | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 12.1 | 5 198 304 | 38.45% |
| 6 | SES’TOP LA | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 12.1 | 5 176 823 | 38.24% |
| 7 | ZAZIWA | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 11.9 | 5 093 916 | 37.24% |
| 8 | MTN 8 KAIZER CHIEFS VS ORLANDO PIRATES | SABC 1 | Sport | FOOTBALL(SOCCER) | 11.8 | 5 062 400 | 47.92% |
| 9 | MUVHANGO | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 11.7 | 5 027 754 | 41.68% |
| 10 | SELIMATHUNZI | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 11.7 | 5 024 539 | 35.89% |
| 11 | IHAWU | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 11.2 | 4 802 638 | 37.99% |
| 12 | SKEEM SAAM | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 10.9 | 4 673 405 | 39.26% |
| 13 | 1’S AND 2’S SHOW | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 10.7 | 4 579 868 | 34.51% |
| 14 | ZULU NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 10.4 | 4 459 790 | 35.05% |
| 15 | XHOSA NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 8.7 | 3 725 002 | 30.87% |
| 16 | THE X FACTOR SOUTH AFRICA | SABC 1 | Reality | Reality | 8.0 | 3 428 859 | 32.05% |
| 17 | POWERBALL | SABC 2 | Variety | Variety | 7.8 | 3 354 812 | 33.56% |
| 18 | SUNDAY LIVE | SABC 1 | Actuality | Actuality | 7.2 | 3 088 862 | 24.89% |
| 19 | KHUMBUL’ EKHAYA | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 7.2 | 3 074 265 | 26.83% |
| 20 | FAN BASE | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 6.4 | 2 752 959 | 29.33% |
| 21 | SPEAK OUT | SABC 2 | Actuality | Actuality | 6.3 | 2 689 528 | 31.58% |
| 22 | SCANDAL | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 6.2 | 2 665 770 | 25.74% |
| 23 | SKEEM SAAM -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 6.2 | 2 651 623 | 56.36% |
| 24 | ISIDINGO:THE NEED | SABC 3 | Soap opera | LOCAL | 6.0 | 2 591 583 | 19.87% |
| 25 | REAL GOBOZA | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 6.0 | 2 569 027 | 24.42% |
| 26 | WWE WRESTLING RAW | e.tv | Sport | WRESTLING | 5.8 | 2 474 226 | 28.31% |
| 27 | SA’S GOT TALENT | e.tv | Variety | Variety | 5.7 | 2 456 218 | 23.68% |
| 28 | VELAPHI -R | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 5.7 | 2 449 670 | 50.98% |
| 29 | STUMBO STOMP AMAPANSTULA | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 5.6 | 2 420 947 | 27.39% |
| 30 | MUVHANGO -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.6 | 2 401 955 | 50.82% |
| 31 | MODERN FAMILY | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 5.4 | 2 337 509 | 18.83% |
| 32 | 100% YOUTH | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 5.4 | 2 320 852 | 23.99% |
| 33 | STAR TREK | e.tv | Movies | SCI-FI | 5.3 | 2 289 275 | 26.14% |
| 34 | BRING IT ON 4:IN IT TO WIN IT | SABC 2 | Movies | DRAMA | 5.3 | 2 283 722 | 26.51% |
| 35 | TAKE ME OUT SA | SABC 1 | Reality | Reality | 5.1 | 2 196 715 | 21.71% |
| 36 | THE LINK (MAGA) | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 5.1 | 2 167 518 | 23.58% |
| 37 | GENERATIONS -O | SABC 1 | Soap opera | LOCAL | 5.0 | 2 150 450 | 34.58% |
| 38 | EMZINI WEZINSIZWA -R | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 5.0 | 2 124 164 | 48.09% |
| 39 | GENERATIONS -R | SABC 1 | Soap opera | LOCAL | 4.9 | 2 122 222 | 48.40% |
| 40 | PREACHING TO THE CHOIR | SABC 1 | Movies | DRAMA | 4.9 | 2 086 398 | 20.81% |
DStv
| Market | Target | Activity | |||||
| DStv | Total Indv (incl guests) | Live + VOSDAL | |||||
| Counter | Description (grouped) | Channel | Level 1 | Level 2\Variable | (r) AMR % | AMR | SHR % |
| 1 | GENERATIONS | SABC 1 | Soap opera | LOCAL | 17.3 | 2 338 014 | 52.51% |
| 2 | MUVHANGO | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 9.3 | 1 260 276 | 32.39% |
| 3 | ISIBAYA | Mzansi Magic | Variety | Variety | 7.2 | 979 179 | 23.10% |
| 4 | MFOLOZI STREET | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 6.9 | 931 181 | 21.73% |
| 5 | ZAZIWA | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 6.8 | 923 432 | 20.46% |
| 6 | MTN 8 KAIZER CHIEFS VS ORLANDO PIRATES | SABC 1 | Sport | FOOTBALL(SOCCER) | 5.9 | 799 952 | 21.86% |
| 7 | SuperSport 4 | Sport | FOOTBALL(SOCCER) | 5.9 | 797 893 | 22.72% | |
| 8 | SELIMATHUNZI | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 5.8 | 786 700 | 17.87% |
| 9 | SOUL CITY | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.8 | 786 026 | 18.55% |
| 10 | SES’TOP LA | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 5.6 | 762 585 | 17.80% |
| 11 | SKEEM SAAM | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.6 | 758 720 | 19.02% |
| 12 | POWERBALL | SABC 2 | Variety | Variety | 5.5 | 738 059 | 21.23% |
| 13 | 1’S AND 2’S SHOW | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 5.4 | 733 813 | 16.57% |
| 14 | ZULU NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 5.2 | 697 649 | 16.34% |
| 15 | XHOSA NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 5.0 | 678 843 | 16.29% |
| 16 | SHREDS AND DREAMS | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 4.9 | 666 715 | 15.91% |
| 17 | SPEAK OUT | SABC 2 | Actuality | Actuality | 4.9 | 655 544 | 21.91% |
| 18 | STICKS AND STONES | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 4.7 | 634 467 | 15.02% |
| 19 | KHUMBUL’ EKHAYA | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 4.5 | 605 945 | 16.90% |
| 20 | 7DE LAAN | SABC 2 | Soap opera | LOCAL | 4.2 | 567 400 | 14.25% |
| 21 | SCANDAL | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 4.0 | 546 221 | 15.50% |
| 22 | ISIDINGO:THE NEED | SABC 3 | Soap opera | LOCAL | 3.8 | 509 281 | 11.90% |
| 23 | RHYTHM CITY | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 3.7 | 501 085 | 12.56% |
| 24 | SKEEM SAAM -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.7 | 499 265 | 30.96% |
| 25 | NEWS | e.tv | News | News | 3.6 | 483 285 | 12.20% |
| 26 | MUVHANGO -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.5 | 470 208 | 29.45% |
| 27 | OUR PERFECT WEDDING (MAG) | Mzansi Magic | Magazine | Magazine | 3.5 | 470 103 | 11.54% |
| 28 | SOCCER BUILD- UP | SuperSport 4 | Sport | FOOTBALL(SOCCER) | 3.2 | 432 360 | 11.10% |
| 29 | REAL GOBOZA | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 3.2 | 429 259 | 10.99% |
| 30 | IHAWU | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.1 | 423 843 | 10.34% |
| 31 | WWE WRESTLING RAW | e.tv | Sport | WRESTLING | 3.1 | 422 248 | 11.69% |
| 32 | GENERATIONS -R | SABC 1 | Soap opera | LOCAL | 3.1 | 419 718 | 27.89% |
| 33 | THE X FACTOR SOUTH AFRICA | SABC 1 | Reality | Reality | 3.1 | 412 571 | 11.28% |
| 34 | TAKE ME OUT SA | SABC 1 | Reality | Reality | 3.0 | 407 620 | 11.90% |
| 35 | MOHLOLAHADI | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 3.0 | 405 111 | 13.12% |
| 36 | THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL | SABC 3 | Soap opera | INTERNATIONAL | 2.9 | 386 905 | 11.52% |
| 37 | VELAPHI -R | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 2.8 | 384 728 | 23.11% |
| 38 | ABSA CURRIE CUP 2014:BLUE BULLS VS SHARKS | SuperSport 1 | Sport | RUGBY(ALL) | 2.8 | 379 000 | 10.85% |
| 39 | SAINTS AND SINNERS[DRAMA] | Mzansi Magic | Drama | Drama | 2.7 | 367 802 | 10.80% |
| 40 | EMZINI WEZINSIZWA -R | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 2.7 | 364 019 | 23.85% |
How to read the tables:
AMR% refers to the number of people in a target market who were watching an event ie programme, expressed as a percentage of the population for that demographic: “On average, 16.3% of adults aged 15+ who watched TV from 28 Jan-3 Feb 2014 watched Society on SABC 1”.
AMR is the number of people in a target market watching a specific event ie programme per minute, expressed in absolute figures: “On average, 1, 541, 066 adults aged 15+ who watched TV from from28 Jan-3 Feb 2014 watched Society on SABC 1”.
Share % (SHR %) is the share or proportion of the available audience (people watching TV at that time) that a specific channel/programme has achieved at that time: “Society achieved a share % of 52.59% from 28 Jan- 3 Feb 2014 on SABC 1″.
SAARF is the name by which the South African Audience Research Foundation is familiarly known. SAARF’s main objective is to direct and publish media audience and product/brand research for the benefit of its stake-holders, thereby providing data for target marketing and a common currency for the buying and selling of media space and time. SAARF has thus the responsibility to measure the audiences of all traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television, cinema and out of home media.
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