The viewership of individual television channels is increasingly swayed by local content. Atmedia, the commercial representative of 25 measured thematic television channels on the Czech market, does highlight a growing interest in local production across all age demographics. Notably, movies, series, and entertainment shows emerge as the most favoured television genres.
‘Local content continues to enjoy an enduring popularity among Czech viewers, demonstrating a consistent upward trend in interest year after year,’ explains Pavel Müller, Head of Research & Marketing at Atmedia. ‘While in 2018, local shows did account for 52% of total viewership across all measured television channels, last year saw this figure surge to 58%,’ Pavel Müller further elaborates, noting that one contributing factor to the uptick in local shows’ viewership is their expanded presence within the channels’ programming schedules.[1] Last year, Czech viewers aged 15 and above did spend an average of 3 hours and 39 minutes in front of their TV screens per day, which is slightly fewer minutes compared to 2018.[2]
Local television content garners favour among viewers of all age demographics, with its slice of total viewership expanding in tandem with age progression. While Generation Y representatives, aged 25–34, split their television viewing time evenly dedicating half to the Czech and Czechoslovak programs, viewers aged 35–44 do allocate 53% of their time to local content. This percentage increases further among viewers aged 45 and above, reaching as high as 59%. ‘This clearly underscores the high popularity of local production among Czech viewers, capable of captivating even the youngest age groups and drawing them to their television screens,’ emphasises Pavel Müller, while adding that local shows are more favoured by female viewers than their male counterparts.[3]
Local Content Often Serves as the Driving Force of Audience Viewership
Unsurprisingly, local content is at the forefront of news programs, but it also holds its ground in the realm of movies, series, and entertainment shows like reality TV. These genres consistently attract the highest viewership, demonstrating the enduring appeal of local productions. ‘Movies, series, and entertainment shows do claim almost three-fifths of television viewing time among the Czech viewers, with a notable inclination towards local programs being a common trend,’ points out Pavel Müller. He highlights that, for instance, local productions make up over four-fifths of the overall viewership for entertainment programs, underscoring their significant influence in this genre. ‘Nearly half of viewers’ time spent watching series and sitcoms is attributed to local productions, whereas local content comprises more than two-fifths of the total viewership for movies and television dramas,’ continues Pavel Müller. He further notes that local series enjoy the highest popularity among viewers aged 45–54.[4]
Local productions typically maintain a significant presence on major Free-to-Air television channels, constituting approximately 60% of the total television viewership. However, in recent years, they have also secured their place on Pay-TV channels, expanding their reach to a broader audience. ‘An example of this trend is the FilmBox movie and series channel, which experienced a doubling of its viewership share upon including Czech and Czechoslovak films. Presently, it not only stands as the most-watched movie Pay-TV channel but also the top-performing Pay-TV channel overall,’ Pavel Müller provides a specific case in point. The substantial interest in local content is further exemplified by the consistent second position in the ranking of the most-watched Pay-TV channels in our country, a spot consistently held by CS Film, a channel exclusively dedicated to Czech and Czechoslovak cinema.
[1] ATO – Nielsen, Live + TS0–7, 2018, 2023, ATS, TG 15+
[2] ATO – Nielsen, Live + TS0–7, 2023, ATS / Day, TG 15+
[3] ATO – Nielsen, Live + TS0–7, 2023, ATS
[4] ATO – Nielsen, Live + TS0–7, 2023, ATS, TG 15+
