Media & Marketing: The interminable TV3 sale process grinds on in the UK, but the latest market share figures for the Irish television industry put the station in third position after RTÉ 1 and 2.
According to figures from AGB Nielsen, RTÉ 1 had a market share in April among all individuals of 32.6 per cent, while RTÉ 2 achieved a market share of 12.7 per cent. This gave it a small lead over rival TV3 which posted a share of 12.3 per cent. Both stations tend to target the younger end of the market and the slippage in TV3's share occurs at an inauspicious moment. UTV and two private equity groups are sizing up TV3, and ITV is also waiting in the wings.
Last April things were very different. Then TV3 was very firmly in the second position with a share of 13.7 per cent, while RTÉ 2 was trailing with 10.7 per cent. The figures refer to all individuals at the peak time of 6pm-11.30pm. There is little doubt that TV3 has fallen victim to the Podge and Rodge effect - that programme was the most popular on RTÉ 2 in April with 440,000 mainly younger viewers.
The figures will not make for pleasant reading for Sky's various channels either. For example Sky One was down to 2 per cent in April 2006, compared to 2.5 per cent during the same time last year.
Sky News, which recently suffered the defection of anchor Gráinne Seoige, saw its share fall to 0.9 per cent, from 1.3 per cent in the equivalent period of 2005. Its various sports channels also suffered slippage, with Sky Sports One down from 1.1 per cent to 0.7 per cent.
It is difficult to say what caused this, but the growth of Setanta Sports may be a factor. Last April it could only boast a market share of 0.1 per cent, but this has now grown to 0.6 per cent. Apart from Podge and Rodge and general competition, one wonders what caused the slippage in the TV3 share. It is possible that the arrival of Channel 6 was a factor. It only has a 0.5 per cent share, but that tiny segment has more than likely been pinched from TV3.
TV3 tends not to get too worried about its market share among the population generally, but among the 15-34 age group things are also proving tough for the station, which is owned by ITV, CanWest Global and a small group of Irish investors. In this key segment, RTÉ 1 had 23.1 per cent share, RTÉ 2 had a 15.7 per cent share, while TV3 was back in third place with 15.2 per cent. Channel 6's position was slightly more encouraging in this segment, where it managed a share of 0.8 per cent
The figures once again illustrate the strong share of viewing achieved by UK channels like the BBC. For example BBC 1 and BBC 2 managed between them a share of 9.2 per cent. UTV was also a strong performer once again with a share of 6.4 per cent.
Sunday TV battles
Sunday nights are increasingly becoming the real battleground when it comes to reaching viewers among the main TV companies mentioned above. Sunday night has now become "staying in night" for thousands of households. The audience achieved by RTÉ's Celebrity Jigs'n'Reels programme demonstrates this changing Sunday night trend. In the final show, which took place during the recent May bank holiday, it attracted 612,000 viewers.
This was the second most watched programme in April, after the 9 o'clock news which notched up a 643,000 strong audience.
Ads on wheels
In this column I have written about advertisements on beer mats, above urinals, on sandwich wrappers, on the outside of bins and on the sides of lorries.
At one point a company even decided to place advertisements around the O'Connell monument on Dublin's main thoroughfare.
All of this activity is broadly referred to as "ambient" advertising, as opposed to traditional forms like press, television and radio. This ambient phenomenon is now sprouting wheels. A company called Promobikes is putting advertisements on the side of bicycles. Bank of Scotland recently used the bikes to promote its sponsorship of the Leinster rugby team.
With taxis, bikes, trucks and buses now all bearing advertisements, there are now millions of euro travelling the roads of Ireland each day.
Freesheet fray
The Irish and UK newspapers markets are already coping with several freesheet products. In Britain Rupert Murdoch's News International looks set to throw another title into the competitive fray. News International made a mistake a few years ago by not investing in a freesheet product, even though its rival Associated Newspapers (owner of the Daily Mail) was prepared to take the plunge.
Murdoch and fellow executives are determined not to miss the opportunity this time.
They are believed to be studying an afternoon freesheet aimed at commuters making their way home on the trains and tubes. The London underground will next month grant an afternoon distribution licence to one publisher and News International is expected to be among the frontrunners.
The main target of Murdoch's would be the Evening Standard, which is owned by Associated. As for Ireland, both of the freesheets, Metro and Herald AM, are morning products, but this may change in the future.
