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, 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: 25–31 August 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 | 20.8 | 8 910 589 | 70.50% |
| 2 | MFOLOZI STREET | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 16.6 | 7 130 654 | 54.78% |
| 3 | SOUL CITY | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 15.8 | 6 790 796 | 53.65% |
| 4 | ABSA PREMIERSHIP MAMELODI SUNDOWNS VS ORLANDO PIRATES | SABC 1 | Sport | Football(soccer) | 13.6 | 5 844 632 | 43.84% |
| 5 | SHREDS AND DREAMS | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 11.9 | 5 117 642 | 40.17% |
| 6 | SES’TOP LA | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 11.4 | 4 908 100 | 35.97% |
| 7 | ZAZIWA | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 11.4 | 4 873 358 | 37.19% |
| 8 | ZULU NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 10.8 | 4 639 729 | 35.62% |
| 9 | SELIMATHUNZI | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 10.8 | 4 637 257 | 34.15% |
| 10 | SKEEM SAAM | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 10.6 | 4 535 994 | 37.82% |
| 11 | MUVHANGO | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 10.5 | 4 521 723 | 38.34% |
| 12 | 1’S AND 2’S SHOW | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 10.4 | 4 480 180 | 34.39% |
| 13 | SCANDAL | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 9.6 | 4 134 541 | 30.78% |
| 14 | IHAWU | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 9.3 | 4 002 888 | 33.97% |
| 15 | XHOSA NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 9.0 | 3 861 506 | 33.55% |
| 16 | FRIENDS LIKE THESE | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 8.7 | 3 714 765 | 36.25% |
| 17 | REAL GOBOZA | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 8.3 | 3 568 498 | 29.83% |
| 18 | POWERBALL | SABC 2 | Variety | Variety | 8.1 | 3 482 843 | 35.91% |
| 19 | SUNDAY LIVE | SABC 1 | Actuality | Actuality | 6.8 | 2 895 882 | 22.45% |
| 20 | FAN BASE | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 6.5 | 2 788 884 | 27.70% |
| 21 | WWE WRESTLING RAW | e.tv | Sport | Wrestling | 6.4 | 2 749 703 | 30.50% |
| 22 | SKEEM SAAM -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 6.3 | 2 706 538 | 57.69% |
| 23 | SPEAK OUT | SABC 2 | Actuality | Actuality | 6.2 | 2 659 178 | 32.68% |
| 24 | STUMBO STOMP AMAPANSTULA | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 6.1 | 2 631 295 | 28.03% |
| 25 | NOTHING FOR MAHALA | SABC 1 | Movies | Movies | 6.1 | 2 597 640 | 24.97% |
| 26 | MODERN FAMILY | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 6.0 | 2 583 792 | 20.03% |
| 27 | ISIDINGO:THE NEED | SABC 3 | Soap opera | Local | 5.9 | 2 517 731 | 19.46% |
| 28 | K’SHUBILE | SABC 1 | Reality | Reality | 5.8 | 2 502 106 | 23.75% |
| 29 | MUVHANGO -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.8 | 2 483 562 | 52.91% |
| 30 | RHYTHM CITY | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 5.8 | 2 473 655 | 20.73% |
| 31 | WIPEOUT | SABC 2 | Competition | Competition | 5.8 | 2 469 849 | 20.79% |
| 32 | EMZINI WEZINSIZWA -R | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 5.7 | 2 438 857 | 52.09% |
| 33 | CUTTING EDGE -R | SABC 1 | Actuality | Actuality | 5.6 | 2 397 123 | 44.29% |
| 34 | 100% YOUTH | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 5.5 | 2 338 855 | 24.03% |
| 35 | MUVHANGO -R | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 5.3 | 2 263 233 | 35.15% |
| 36 | MPONENG | SABC 2 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 5.2 | 2 250 165 | 18.77% |
| 37 | GENERATIONS -R | SABC 1 | Soap opera | Local | 5.2 | 2 248 732 | 50.92% |
| 38 | THE LINK (MAGA) | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 5.1 | 2 184 686 | 22.95% |
| 39 | NEWS | e.tv | News | News | 4.9 | 2 086 838 | 16.42% |
| 40 | THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL | SABC 3 | Soap opera | International | 4.8 | 2 077 589 | 21.80% |
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 | 15.5 | 2 099 293 | 50.04% |
| 2 | MUVHANGO | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 8.2 | 1 103 327 | 27.60% |
| 3 | ZAZIWA | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 6.9 | 935 697 | 20.88% |
| 4 | ISIBAYA | Mzansi Magic | Variety | Variety | 6.7 | 906 589 | 21.02% |
| 5 | SCANDAL | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 6.7 | 902 812 | 20.41% |
| 6 | SES’TOP LA | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 6.0 | 816 063 | 18.55% |
| 7 | ABSA PREMIERSHIP MAMELODI SUNDOWNS VS ORLANDO PIRATES | SABC 1 | Sport | Football(soccer) | 6.0 | 807 788 | 18.95% |
| 8 | 1’S AND 2’S SHOW | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 6.0 | 806 400 | 18.39% |
| 9 | MFOLOZI STREET | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.9 | 797 404 | 18.60% |
| 10 | SELIMATHUNZI | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 5.8 | 788 904 | 17.90% |
| 11 | ZULU NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 5.8 | 784 004 | 18.28% |
| 12 | POWERBALL | SABC 2 | Variety | Variety | 5.7 | 772 717 | 22.17% |
| 13 | SOUL CITY | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.6 | 756 263 | 17.66% |
| 14 | SPEAK OUT | SABC 2 | Actuality | Actuality | 5.4 | 723 698 | 23.69% |
| 15 | SHREDS AND DREAMS | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.3 | 715 520 | 15.99% |
| 16 | SKEEM SAAM | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.3 | 709 576 | 17.42% |
| 17 | RHYTHM CITY | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 4.8 | 653 673 | 16.10% |
| 18 | XHOSA NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 4.4 | 594 177 | 14.65% |
| 19 | 7DE LAAN | SABC 2 | Soap opera | Local | 4.2 | 561 975 | 13.88% |
| 20 | REAL GOBOZA | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 4.1 | 560 630 | 13.72% |
| 21 | NEWS | e.tv | News | News | 4.0 | 544 077 | 12.59% |
| 22 | ISIDINGO:THE NEED | SABC 3 | Soap opera | Local | 4.0 | 540 483 | 12.55% |
| 23 | ABSA PREMIERSHIP KAIZER CHIEFS VS SUPERSPORT UNITED | SuperSport 4 | Sport | Football(soccer) | 3.9 | 522 885 | 14.81% |
| 24 | SAINTS AND SINNERS[DRAMA] | Mzansi Magic | Drama | Drama | 3.8 | 516 787 | 12.74% |
| 25 | SKEEM SAAM -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.8 | 512 206 | 31.27% |
| 26 | FRIENDS LIKE THESE | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 3.8 | 511 868 | 13.83% |
| 27 | WWE WRESTLING RAW | e.tv | Sport | Wrestling | 3.6 | 491 557 | 13.61% |
| 28 | MUVHANGO -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.5 | 477 766 | 29.11% |
| 29 | OUR PERFECT WEDDING (MAG) | Mzansi Magic | Magazine | Magazine | 3.5 | 474 515 | 11.10% |
| 30 | ABSA CURRIE CUP 2014:BLUE BULLS VS W PROVINCE | SuperSport 1 | Sport | Rugby(all) | 3.3 | 449 433 | 12.78% |
| 31 | GENERATIONS -R | SABC 1 | Soap opera | Local | 3.3 | 442 246 | 28.94% |
| 32 | IHAWU | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.2 | 429 544 | 10.58% |
| 33 | THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL | SABC 3 | Soap opera | International | 3.0 | 410 630 | 11.67% |
| 34 | EMZINI WEZINSIZWA -R | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 3.0 | 401 401 | 24.55% |
| 35 | GA BOSE GANGWE | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 2.8 | 374 096 | 11.94% |
| 36 | CUTTING EDGE | SABC 1 | Actuality | Actuality | 2.6 | 353 955 | 11.54% |
| 37 | CARTE BLANCHE | M-Net | Actuality | Actuality | 2.6 | 350 114 | 7.67% |
| 38 | ABSA CURRIE CUP 2014:EASTERN PROVINCE KINGS VS GOLDEN LIONS | SuperSport 1 | Sport | Rugby(all) | 2.5 | 342 757 | 8.34% |
| 39 | ABSA PREMIERSHIP MAMELODI SUNDOWNS VS ORLANDO PIRATES | SuperSport 4 | Sport | Football(soccer) | 2.5 | 332 689 | 8.00% |
| 40 | VODACOM MILLIONAIRES | e.tv | Competition | Competition | 2.5 | 331 437 | 8.92% |
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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