TVB ratings slip further as rival ViuTV gains momentum
ViuTV has challenged TVB’s market dominance with popular Korean drama series Descendants of the Sun and much-hyped reality show Travel with Rivals during prime time
Hong Kong’s long-time television market leader TVB experienced a sharper dip in its ratings for prime time programmes last week amid growing momentum of new entrant ViuTV, which went on air earlier this month.
According to TV rating firm Nielsen, all TVB’s weekday programmes – except Wednesday’s News Magazine – were watched by fewer people compared with a week ago, losing another 78,000 viewers – this is after it lost 13,000 a week earlier.
Weekend programmes suffered an even greater loss with the TV station’s market share sliding 5 to 10 per cent compared to last week.
Although TVB’s spokesman attributed the accelerating ratings decline to the airing of new shows, which usually take time to gain popularity, media analysts said it was most likely affected by ViuTV’s popular dramas.
The city’s first free-to-air TV station in 37 years has challenged TVB’s dominance with offerings of popular Korean drama series Descendants of the Sun and much-hyped reality show Travel with Rivals during prime time.
