Multichannel boosts small-screen movie viewing


The growth of digital terrestrial and multichannel TV has led to an increase in the average daily viewing time of TV viewers worldwide, with movies the principal winners by category of programming.


France-based audience research company Mediametrie reports that worldwide, average daily viewing time has increased by six minutes in recent years, taking the 2010 total to three hours and ten minutes. The increase in viewing time among younger viewers is even sharper in countries including the UK, France and the US.


Mediametrie’s research shows that the popularity of feature films has increased. Last year, 15% of entries in national top-10 rankings were movies, which compares with 8% in 2008. While the main free-to-air channels still get the latest blockbusters, the advent of DTT and new digital channels provides new outlets for classic and library film titles.

Mediametrie cites the example of Lionsgate’s Dirty Dancing, which generated French DTT channel TMC’s highest-ever ratings, with an 8.3% audience share. 
By movie genre, thrillers and comedies are the most popular.

Mediametrie noted: “US blockbusters and local productions are the main drivers of this renaissance: strong movie brands like Pirates of the Caribbean or Harry Potter and the hugely successful French comedy Welcome to the Sticks attract the highest audiences.”