From December 30th onwards, Italian TV's viewership measurement is set to undergo a significant transformation. Auditel, the renowned TV audience measurement company, will commence measuring viewership across an extensive range of platforms, including linear TV, PCs, tablets, smartphones, and on-demand services. This move is expected to have a profound impact on the television landscape and the advertising revenue it generates.

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Impact on Total Audience Figures

The daily Total Audience figures are anticipated to witness a notable increase, with an average viewership boost of approximately 4 per cent. This could potentially raise the October average of 8.4 million viewers to 8.7 million. The implications of this growth are far-reaching and will likely reshape the way television viewership is measured and valued. 2: This upward trend in viewership is not uniform across all broadcasters and programmes. Those that have heavily invested in digital platforms are set to see considerably larger increases. For instance, Mediaset expects a 10 per cent to 36 per cent audience boost, depending on the nature of the content. This disparity highlights the importance of digital strategies in today's television market.

Value of Advertising Revenue

The expanded measurement is expected to enhance the value of advertising revenue for broadcasters. By aligning online viewership with higher-paying TV advertising rates, broadcasters can tap into a larger and more lucrative advertising market. This development presents a significant opportunity for broadcasters to increase their revenue streams and strengthen their financial positions. 2: Auditel's work since 2019 has been laying the foundation for this expansion. During this period, they have been monitoring digital viewership and gathering valuable data. After a rigorous year-long testing phase, which involved device tracking, stream counting, time spent viewing, demographic profiling, and deduplication with traditional TV data, they are now ready to launch on December 30th.

Future Developments

From the first half of 2025, the Total Audience figure will include pre-broadcast digital viewership, such as Rai's on its streaming platform Rai Play. This change is likely to encourage OTT platforms like Netflix and Prime Video to adopt more transparent and standardised audience measurement. It also signals a shift towards a more integrated and comprehensive approach to television viewership measurement. 2: In 2024, Mediaset is poised to surpass Rai in overall TV ratings, building on its 2023 performance. As of early November, Mediaset holds a slight lead (36.8 per cent share vs Rai's 36.7 per cent), despite Rai's broadcasting of major events like the European Football Championships and the Olympics. This achievement is a testament to Mediaset's strategic approach and its ability to maximise programming resources. 3: Mediaset's combination of main and thematic channels has played a crucial role in its overall success. While Rai often outperforms Canale 5 in primetime and pre-evening slots, Mediaset's strategy allows it to reach a wider audience and maintain a strong overall share. This demonstrates the importance of a diversified programming portfolio in today's competitive television market.