TVM most popular channel

TVM, the state television channel, has retained its lead in audience share during peak viewing time, according to the latest survey conducted by the Broadcasting Authority.

TVM leads in the first time band, from 6 a.m. to noon, with 49.4 per cent of viewership, and in the third, 7 p.m. to midnight, with 33.2 per cent. The third time band has the largest audiences.

Super 1 TV has the largest audience share in the second time band (27.3 per cent) - from noon to 7 p.m. - and is judged the second best station.

Net TV lags behind with 9.2 per cent in the first time band, 8.9 per cent in the second and 12.3 per cent in the third, which is the time band with the largest audiences.

The door-to-door survey, run by Mario Vassallo, was carried out between October 26 and November 1.

Authority chairman Joseph Said Pullicino said the authority was legally bound to conduct surveys.

Giving a presentation on the survey, Prof. Vassallo said that TVM attracted large audiences with Xarabank, Bondi+, Dejjem Tieghek Becky and Tista' Tkun Int.

Super 1 TV's most popular programmes were Gideb u Mhabba and Bla Agenda; while Net TV attracted large audiences with It-Tfal Jigu bil-Vapuri.

In terms of programme segment preferences, news bulletins were the most popular, followed by discussions, weather, documentaries, feature films and serials, and soap operas, in that order.

In the case of radio, Super 1 has the highest daily average audience radio levels, with 22 per cent, followed by Radju Malta (13.6 per cent), Radio 101 (11.1 per cent) and RTK (10.7 per cent).

Super 1 Radio was voted best radio station by the largest portion of those interviewed, followed by RTK and Bay Radio.

The programme segments which generate most interest on radio are music, local news, foreign news, discussions on personal problems, and current affairs, in that order.

The survey showed that the main source for local news remains television (81.6. per cent). Radio and newspapers are considered the main source by only 8.7 per cent and 6.2 per cent of the population respectively.

This trend was similar for the preferred source of foreign news, with television retaining a high 82.5 per cent, radio 6.8 per cent and newspapers 4.3 per cent.

According to the survey, 99.3 per cent of the population watch TV, with 29.1 per cent watching for more than two hours and 27.4 per cent glued to their sets for more than three.

The majority of respondents (69.1 per cent) receive their TV signal via cable while 31.7 per cent have a roof antenna or a satellite (14 per cent).

The sitting room has remained the most common place where TV is watched (50.3 per cent), while 24.6 per cent of viewers are in their bedroom and 20.5 per cent in the kitchen.

Radio is mostly listened to at home (70.8 per cent) but also in the car (36 per cent) and at work (19.4 per cent).

As in previous surveys, the husband is once again the person who mostly decides on the choice of channel.