Thinus Ferreira, a veteran broadcasting journalist, has raised concerns regarding the Broadcasting Research Council of South Africa’s (BRC) recent choice to withhold the nation’s declining linear television viewership statistics. Since November 2024, the BRC has ceased publishing its monthly Television Audience Measurement Survey (TAMS), which outlines the most-viewed broadcasts.
In defence of this decision, the BRC claimed it was essential to maintain the data’s “credibility” and prevent it from being misinterpreted or mishandled. BRC spokesperson Gary Whitaker explained, “Given that the BRC has no control over how data is derived from various industry software providers, the organisation conducted a risk assessment regarding the distribution of audience data to the market at no cost.”
While the TAMS data was limited compared to previous releases, Whitaker argued that offering it for free detracted from the value of paid memberships.
Ferreira contended that the BRC’s halt in data publication stems from broadcasters’ discomfort with the general public being aware of the declining viewership figures. He highlighted a consistent downward trend in linear TV ratings across South Africa over the past few years, noting particularly significant declines for SABC 2 and SABC 3. Ferreira emphasised that these trends reflect global patterns and should not be concealed, as doing so is ultimately pointless.
“Everyone involved in the industry—those planning and purchasing advertisements—knows about the decline,” said Ferreira.
Additionally, Ferreira criticised the BRC’s decision as inconsistent with practices from other countries’ broadcasting rating authorities, such as the UK’s BARB and Australia’s OzTAM. He likened the necessity of accessing TV ratings data to a weather forecast, stating, “Imagine if the temperature in Tembisa was a ‘secret’?”
Ferreira argued that the BRC’s actions serve broadcasters’ interests at the expense of the public, missing an opportunity to foster engagement in South Africa’s TAMS and the overall TV ratings system. He lamented the shift from weekly to monthly publication of TV ratings, culminating in their complete withdrawal, calling it “sad backsliding.”
The decision has sparked dissatisfaction among various sectors, including academia. Ferreira reported receiving feedback from media, film, and communication educators who struggle to direct their students to reliable data sources. Even government officials expressed the importance of TV and radio ratings for disseminating information effectively to the public.
The absence of such data leaves the public and media unable to verify broadcasters’ claims regarding popular TV shows. Ferreira remarked, “The BRC behaves like Gringotts; accessing information feels like a deep, dark quest for what should not be secret.”
Despite South Africa being among the few African nations with a credible TV ratings system, Ferreira is concerned about Nielsen’s impending exit. This data analytics firm has been instrumental in collecting broadcasting viewership and listenership ratings for decades, and Ferreira predicts that it could further undermine transparency and reliability in the sector.
