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, 13–19 October 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 charts the best-watched shows on the DStv network of channels only.
SAARF/MarkLives #Top40TVratings Charts: 13–19 October 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 | SKEEM SAAM | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 20.2 | 8 645 896 | 64.01% |
| 2 | KOWETHU | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 16.4 | 7 033 377 | 52.56% |
| 3 | SOUL CITY | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 15.5 | 6 632 130 | 49.34% |
| 4 | ORANGE AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS QUALIFIER:SOUTH AFRICA VS CONGO | SABC 1 | Sport | Football (soccer) | 13.5 | 5 794 907 | 47.02% |
| 5 | SES’TOP LA | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 11.6 | 4 970 951 | 36.45% |
| 6 | MUVHANGO | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 11.4 | 4 872 069 | 41.18% |
| 7 | ZAZIWA | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 11.3 | 4 844 579 | 37.87% |
| 8 | SELIMATHUNZI | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 11.2 | 4 812 259 | 35.11% |
| 9 | SHREDS AND DREAMS | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 11.2 | 4 786 517 | 39.12% |
| 10 | IHAWU | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 10.8 | 4 625 921 | 39.15% |
| 11 | ZULU NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 9.7 | 4 144 559 | 34.12% |
| 12 | 1’S AND 2’S SHOW | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 9.1 | 3 925 268 | 32.21% |
| 13 | POWERBALL | SABC 2 | Variety | Variety | 8.3 | 3 564 239 | 34.86% |
| 14 | REAL GOBOZA | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 8.2 | 3 519 096 | 28.85% |
| 15 | ABSA PREMIERSHIP ORLANDO PIRATES VS FREE STATE STARS | SABC 1 | Sport | Football (soccer) | 7.9 | 3 372 366 | 33.01% |
| 16 | SCANDAL | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 7.8 | 3 364 190 | 25.62% |
| 17 | NGEMPELA | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 7.8 | 3 355 790 | 30.83% |
| 18 | XHOSA NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 7.7 | 3 304 052 | 32.36% |
| 19 | MAX PAYNE | e.tv | Movies | Action/adventure | 7.0 | 3 018 184 | 28.81% |
| 20 | SUNDAY LIVE | SABC 1 | Actuality | Actuality | 6.7 | 2 875 037 | 23.01% |
| 21 | WIPEOUT | SABC 2 | Competition | Competition | 6.2 | 2 642 704 | 22.39% |
| 22 | SKEEM SAAM -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 6.0 | 2 583 382 | 52.61% |
| 23 | VELAPHI -R | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 6.0 | 2 559 367 | 51.01% |
| 24 | ISIDINGO:THE NEED | SABC 3 | Soap opera | Local | 5.9 | 2 533 321 | 20.65% |
| 25 | THE X FACTOR SOUTH AFRICA | SABC 1 | Reality | Reality | 5.8 | 2 483 626 | 25.80% |
| 26 | HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER | e.tv | Sitcom | Sitcom | 5.5 | 2 338 369 | 18.69% |
| 27 | WWE WRESTLING RAW | e.tv | Sport | Wrestling | 5.4 | 2 331 708 | 25.05% |
| 28 | SA’S GOT TALENT | e.tv | Variety | Variety | 5.4 | 2 330 750 | 22.65% |
| 29 | CUTTING EDGE -R | SABC 1 | Actuality | Actuality | 5.4 | 2 319 011 | 41.86% |
| 30 | MUVHANGO -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.3 | 2 294 734 | 48.16% |
| 31 | FAN BASE | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 5.3 | 2 291 431 | 26.42% |
| 32 | SPEAK OUT | SABC 2 | Actuality | Actuality | 5.3 | 2 261 755 | 28.00% |
| 33 | RHYTHM CITY | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 5.2 | 2 221 447 | 20.38% |
| 34 | 100% YOUTH | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 5.2 | 2 209 765 | 25.76% |
| 35 | MPONENG | SABC 2 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 5.1 | 2 201 324 | 17.81% |
| 36 | CUTTING EDGE | SABC 1 | Actuality | Actuality | 5.1 | 2 189 262 | 26.57% |
| 37 | MOHLOLOHADI 2 | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 4.9 | 2 122 936 | 23.22% |
| 38 | ABSA PREMIERSHIP BLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC VS POLOKWANE CITY | SABC 1 | Sport | Football (soccer) | 4.8 | 2 038 237 | 23.91% |
| 39 | NGEMPELA -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 4.8 | 2 037 856 | 45.56% |
| 40 | NOW OR NEVER | SABC 1 | Documentary | Documentary | 4.7 | 2 030 984 | 22.59% |
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 | SKEEM SAAM | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 13.7 | 1 844 733 | 41.37% |
| 2 | ORANGE AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS QUALIFIER:SOUTH AFRICA VS CONGO | SABC 1 | Sport | Football (soccer) | 8.5 | 1 143 979 | 27.77% |
| 3 | MUVHANGO | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 8.3 | 1 120 414 | 28.05% |
| 4 | SES’TOP LA | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 6.7 | 907 069 | 19.65% |
| 5 | ISIBAYA | Mzansi Magic | Variety | Variety | 6.5 | 881 481 | 20.36% |
| 6 | SELIMATHUNZI | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 6.2 | 838 748 | 18.63% |
| 7 | ZAZIWA | SABC 1 | Variety | Variety | 6.0 | 809 381 | 18.67% |
| 8 | SCANDAL | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 5.6 | 761 222 | 17.24% |
| 9 | POWERBALL | SABC 2 | Variety | Variety | 5.4 | 726 529 | 20.91% |
| 10 | SOUL CITY | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.2 | 703 484 | 15.67% |
| 11 | ZULU NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 5.1 | 691 456 | 16.19% |
| 12 | KOWETHU | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 5.1 | 682 538 | 15.23% |
| 13 | 1’S AND 2’S SHOW | SABC 1 | Music | Music | 4.6 | 619 407 | 15.17% |
| 14 | SPEAK OUT | SABC 2 | Actuality | Actuality | 4.6 | 617 816 | 21.25% |
| 15 | SHREDS AND DREAMS | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 4.3 | 584 742 | 14.28% |
| 16 | ABSA CURRIE CUP 2014:WESTERN PROVINCE VS BLUE BULLS | SuperSport 1 | Sport | Rugby (all) | 4.3 | 584 116 | 15.85% |
| 17 | OUR PERFECT WEDDING (MAG) | Mzansi Magic | Magazine | Magazine | 4.2 | 571 541 | 13.13% |
| 18 | RHYTHM CITY | e.tv | Drama | Drama | 4.1 | 552 968 | 14.25% |
| 19 | 7DE LAAN | SABC 2 | Soap opera | Local | 4.1 | 551 993 | 14.25% |
| 20 | IHAWU | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.9 | 524 393 | 13.05% |
| 21 | XHOSA NEWS | SABC 1 | News | News | 3.8 | 519 967 | 14.49% |
| 22 | ISIDINGO:THE NEED | SABC 3 | Soap opera | Local | 3.7 | 504 254 | 11.97% |
| 23 | ABSA PREMIERSHIP AJAX CAPE TOWN VS KAIZER CHIEFS | SuperSport 4 | Sport | Football (soccer) | 3.5 | 476 849 | 13.30% |
| 24 | ABSA CURRIE CUP 2014:GOLDEN LIONS VS SHARKS | SuperSport 1 | Sport | Rugby (all) | 3.4 | 454 861 | 14.31% |
| 25 | SKEEM SAAM -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.2 | 437 569 | 24.40% |
| 26 | REAL GOBOZA | SABC 1 | Magazine | Magazine | 3.2 | 426 886 | 9.97% |
| 27 | SAINTS AND SINNERS[DRAMA] | Mzansi Magic | Drama | Drama | 3.1 | 423 065 | 10.24% |
| 28 | NGEMPELA | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 3.1 | 417 713 | 10.77% |
| 29 | MUVHANGO -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 2.9 | 389 600 | 22.67% |
| 30 | MOHLOLOHADI 2 | SABC 2 | Drama | Drama | 2.8 | 383 369 | 12.39% |
| 31 | VELAPHI -R | SABC 1 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 2.8 | 373 886 | 20.27% |
| 32 | WWE WRESTLING RAW | e.tv | Sport | Wrestling | 2.7 | 367 556 | 9.75% |
| 33 | ABSA PREMIERSHIP ORLANDO PIRATES VS FREE STATE STARS | SABC 1 | Sport | Football (soccer) | 2.7 | 365 382 | 10.13% |
| 34 | NEWS | e.tv | News | News | 2.6 | 353 352 | 9.72% |
| 35 | CUTTING EDGE | SABC 1 | Actuality | Actuality | 2.6 | 353 172 | 11.94% |
| 36 | MPONENG | SABC 2 | Sitcom | Sitcom | 2.5 | 342 541 | 7.99% |
| 37 | NGEMPELA -R | SABC 1 | Drama | Drama | 2.5 | 339 841 | 20.89% |
| 38 | THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL | SABC 3 | Soap opera | International | 2.5 | 337 753 | 9.90% |
| 39 | BOER SOEK ‘N VROU 7 | kykNET | Reality | Reality | 2.5 | 335 151 | 8.28% |
| 40 | ORANGE AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS QUALIFIER:CONGO VS SOUTH AFRICA | SuperSport 3 | Sport | Football (soccer) | 2.4 | 326 334 | 8.45% |
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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