Most-watched TV shows in South Africa
The top three most-watched TV shows in South Africa in May were all broadcast on SABC 1, the latest television audience measurements published by the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA) revealed.
While online video streaming services have been growing in popularity, conventional terrestrial and satellite broadcasting still reign supreme in South Africa.
The State of the Broadcasting Industry Report of 2019 showed South Africa had 14.4 million TV households, with an audience of 38.2 million people.
Pay-TV provider MultiChoice’s latest financial results revealed that it alone had 8.9 million DStv subscribers who had been active between January and March 2021.
The BRCSA uses marketing research firm Nielsen’s sample-based People Meter technology to measure the viewing habits of TV audiences.
One version of Nielsen’s solution comprises a paperback-sized box which is hooked up to the TV sets of sample households.
It is accompanied by a remote control with assigned personal viewing buttons for each member of the household.
The People Meter can then capture and relay this information, which is updated by Nielsen on a daily basis.
The latest data showed that dramas and soapies remained the most popular types of shows in South Africa during the prime time hours between 17:30 and 22:00.
Notably, SABC 1 claimed the entire podium.
The channel’s highly popular drama Uzalo once again recorded the highest number of peak viewers, with an episode aired on 13 May hitting more than 8.047 million viewers.
Generations: The Legacy, another SABC 1 production, was the second most-watched show, with its peak viewership reaching 6.559 million on the same date.
Rounding out the top 3 was Skeem Saam, which had over 5.5 million viewers for its most-watched episode of May.
Etv’s Scandal and SABC 2’s Muvhango had the fourth and fifth-highest number of peak viewers, with 4.943 million and 4.135 million, respectively.
Cast of SABC 1’s Uzalo.
The table below shows the top 5 overall TV shows with the highest number of peak viewers, as well as the top 3 on SABC 1, SABC 2, SABC 3, Etv, and DStv.
| Most-Watched TV Shows | ||
|---|---|---|
| Channel | Show | Peak Viewers |
|
Top 5 overall
|
||
| SABC 1 | Uzalo | 8,047,254 |
| SABC 1 | Generations: The Legacy | 6,559,974 |
| SABC 1 | Skeem Saam | 5,500,172 |
| Etv | Scandal | 4,942,858 |
| SABC 2 | Muvhango | 4,134,974 |
|
Top 3 per channel
|
||
| SABC 1 | Uzalo | 8,047,254 |
| Generations: The Legacy | 6,559,974 | |
| Skeem Saam | 5,500,172 | |
| SABC 2 | Muvhango | 4,134,974 |
| 7de Laan | 1,328,633 | |
| Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions | 1,153,955 | |
| SABC 3 | Wild Metropolis | 680,196 |
| Emirates FA Cup Chelsea vs Leicester City | 678,485 | |
| Sport Arena | 648,065 | |
| Etv | Scandal | 4,942,858 |
| Rhythm City | 3,822,242 | |
| Ican with Absa Drive | 3,801,261 | |
| DStv | Gomora | 1,649,561 |
| The Queen | 1,325,865 | |
| The River | 1,145,792 | |
Loading ...