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November 2014 - Media and PR

Social media plays a crucial role in a live TV programme’s viewings as it reminds people to watch a programme at a later date if they missed it live.

In a recent study to understand Live +7* viewership of an episode, 11 different variables were included. The variables spanned across categories such as: measurements, episode, program and network characteristics. By studying these factors, the research provided an insight into which factors impact a viewer’s decision to watch a programme at a later date.

The factor which had the biggest influence on how many viewers watched later was the live audience tune in figure - which accounted for 42 per cent of the difference in +7 viewings. Despite this, reality programmes were 31 per cent more likely to be watched live than the premiere of a programme.

When Nielsen split two programmes, with identical characteristics, into high social media engagement and low social media engagement categories, it showed that high social categories, received 36 per cent more +7 viewings. The low social group received just 16 per cent more viewing. It can be drawn from this that shows with a higher social media ‘buzz’ surrounding it, gain more +7 views.

*+7 is the term used to describe the time period 7 days after a programme is aired live. This research was carried out by Nielsen.

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