Thinking TV: SAâ€™s most popular reality TV shows ~ The unveiling of a man the soul of a woman

Date posted: August 27, 2014

by Inge Hansen (@mecnotabene) Showing no signs of slowing down, reality TV in all its forms is available to South African viewers at the touch of a button, extracting various emotions from the viewer as the unscripted stories unfold.

This type of voyeuristic programming found popularity internationally before it hit our shores in 2001, with Survivor Borneo, and later when the first season of Big Brother South Africa was aired.

TV test pattern Dominated talk and viewing time

Suddenly, overnight, our water-cooler talk and viewing time were dominated by housemate antics, confessionals and the infamous 'Shower Hour'.

Captivating news stories have also played into this space: cast your memory back to the 'event' that was the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981, which drew a global TV audience of 750 million people.

More recently, in 2010, viewers around the world were glued to the live rescue updates of the Chilean miners who were trapped underground and ultimately rescued.

Local top 10 reality TV shows

If we look at our local top 10 reality-TV shows (excluding game shows) for July 2014, against Adults, we see a mix of interests, which, aside from Idols, are all broadcast on free-to-air channels.

The no. 1 spot in July is held by the first season of SA's Kitchen Queens, a show with high community engagement, as the contestants are both voted into the show and voted for as the eventual winner.

Overall, positive themes dominate the Top 10, revealing that viewers are enjoying shows which are aspirational. Pay-TV programming reveals a top three which is headed up by Idols Season 10, Kokkedoor and The Bachelor — The Women Tell All, the latter two shows achieving an average reach in excess of 100 000 adult viewers.

Global audiences demanding more

In global terms, the interest in reality TV remains constant but audiences are demanding more and more. As a result, some extreme versions of reality TV are preparing to air in the US, eg 'Born in the Wild', which follows expectant parents into the wild as they give birth in nature, without medical intervention.

Closer to home, from 2006 to July 2014, the average annual ratings for the reality-TV genre (by all Adults, 15+ years) as a whole, has seen a steady decline in interest. We do, however, need to take into account the audience fragmentation that is taking place, as well as that a large portion of the reality programming that we have access to is aired on pay-TV channels.

This effect can be seen if we isolate the show America's Got Talent, which on DStv has not traditionally achieved high TVRs. Yet, when the show is aired on free-to-air channels, it achieves significantly higher ratings which are more comparable to our local version, SA's Got Talent.

Relating better to local

Interest in reality TV, where the show has been adapted locally, tends to gain traction quickly due to viewers relating better to a local superstar than a relatively unknown foreign celebrity. It will be interesting to see how this develops with two new locally adapted reality TV shows premiering in September, X Factor SA (6 September on SABC 1) and Dragon's Den SA (23 September on Mzansi Magic).

Looking at Idols SA, which began broadcasting its 10th season in July 2014, the show continues to steadily increase its following and the volume of content available to viewers. In terms of ratings, the first episode of Idols Season 6 (18 July 2010) saw an average audience rating during the show on MNET of 1.5 TVRs, with a reach of 390 907 (all Adults, 15+ years). In 2014, while the launch show on MNET shows a slight decline in viewership, the Idols show on Mzansi Magic reached 613 673 adults (1.9 TVRs), which is a near 60% increase on the MNET 2010 audience, with DStv having opened up this show to its compact viewers.

The problem now for viewers (and advertisers) is what to choose, as there is literally something for everyone, from Dance Moms and Don't Tell the Bride to Ultimate Survival Alaska and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Audience fragmentation and the constant availability of 'something new' mean that loyalty is hard won in this genre.

Interaction and engagement increasingly crucial

Therefore, both locally and internationally, interaction and engagement are becoming increasingly crucial for reality TV. The rise of second screening continues to impact upon this, as more viewers watch their favourite shows while using their mobile phones, whether as a distraction, or to engage with the show they are watching.

To illustrate this, on an international level, producers are looking to take reality-TV voting systems to a live model, enabling viewers to see the immediate impact of their vote as they watch the show, which has them invested in the outcome of the full programme. This would, however, mean heightened chances of receiving the spoilers of a series' conclusion in another country, when in SA we are barely half-way through the season.

Going forward, the integration of multiplatform channels will be significant for viewers. This will allow them to access additional or unseen content, foster engagement and, hopefully, increase the volume of positive brand noise created.

Significant implications for marketers

Implications for marketers will also be significant, as immersing your brand into a relevant reality property will no longer be about promo spots or stings but about an omni-channel offering to viewers, where they can experience your brand across multiple devices and platforms. This will require adaptation for some brands, and a focus on thinking mobile and digital in relation to their TV planning will be essential.

While television may be the platform, in order to differentiate and to succeed, the campaign idea needs to be rooted in digital in order for opportunities to thrive.

Source: Arianna Programmes

Following two years at Media24 scrubbing for insights within the magazine division, Inge Hansen joined Nota Bene as an A&I analyst in March 2013. Working across multiple clients, including FMCG, alcohol and petroleum, she has the luxury of working with teams to develop robust insights that drive strategy while keeping abreast of media trends the world over. Inge loves having her pulse on the media landscape but far prefers raising her pulse mountain-biking on weekends. She contributes Thinking TV, a monthly analysis of South African TV viewership figures, to MarkLives. Follow @mecnotabene for regular media updates.