11-03-2009

TVM increase lead in Malta

By FNE Staff
    The release of the fourth quarter Malta Broadcasting Authority's report shows station TVM increasing its lead to 35% of viewers.

    Results of the study (at www.ba-malta.org/audience) showed a significant rise for TVM from the 2008 third quarter results (24%) and fourth quarter results from 2007 (27%). Second spot station One TV stayed stable in the 20-21% range. Net TV continued its decline, dropping from 12% in fourth quarter 2007, to 8% in third quarter 2008, and falling to fourth place with 6%, just a fraction of a percentage behind Canale 5. Italia TV dropped out of the top four rankings, with only 4% of viewers, down from 7% one year earlier. Both Canale 5 and Italia TV are foreign stations.

    The number of average TV daily viewing hours remained stable at 2.4 hours per person. Digital TV reception rose from low single digits in mid-2007 to over 40% by the end of 2008. Cable analogue dropped by half, from 70% to 35% during the same period.