Ratings Roundup: Western Europe Prime Time

PREMIUM: World Screen’s special projects editor, Jay Stuart, analyzes prime-time ratings for the major broadcasters in France, Germany, Italy and Spain this week.

France
On Monday, M6 again topped the ratings with the local version of Farmer Wants A Wife (L’amour est dans le pré) with 6.559 million viewers and a share of 27.7 percent. France 2 again was number two with the U.S. detective series Castle (5.574 million/21 percent). On Tuesday, football on TF1 was number one. The French national team’s World Cup qualifier against Belarus attracted 6.687 million viewers and a share of 28.6 percent. France 2 was the closest competition with factual Secrets d’histoire (Secrets Of History) with 4.719 million/18.7 percent. On Wednesday, Criminal Minds won the day for TF1 with 8.26 million viewers and a share of 31.7 percent. France 3 was second with long-running factual series Des Racines et Des Ailes (Roots and Wings) at 3.848 million/15.5 percent. On Thursday, TF1 won the day with the local version of MasterChef attracting 4.572 million viewers and a share of 21 percent. M6 was second with U.S. series Bones (5.03 million/19.3 percent.)

Germany
On Monday, RTL’s local version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire topped the ratings with 5.12 million viewers and a share of 17.7 percent. RTL also took second place as U.K. format Undercover Boss drew 4.73 million/16.7 percent. On Tuesday, Germany’s football qualifier versus Austria was a big winner for ARD 1, averaging 11.67 million viewers and a share of 38.1 percent. Against the match RTL put CSI: Miami (3.79 million /12.2 percent), followed by House (2.54 million/ 8.1 percent). On Wednesday, ARD 1 won with TV movies Der Hafenpastor (The Pastor) pulling 5.23 million viewers and a share of 17.4 percent. RTL’s reality show Raus aus den Schulden (Getting Out of Debt) was second (3.70 million) and ZDF’s Quizshow starring Jörg Pilawa (3.66 million) was close behind. On Thursday, ARD 1’s game show Das fantastische Quiz des Menschen (The Fantastic Men’s Quiz) won the day (4.29 million/14.4 percent). RTL’s long-running police series Alarm für Cobra 11 was second with 3.85 million viewers and share of 13.1 percent. RTL launched the U.S. series Person of Interest with two episodes, pulling 2.95 million / 14.5 percent for the earlier one starting at 21:15 p.m.

Italy
On Monday, Canale 5 led the ratings with the start of the fourth season of police series Squadra Antimafia—Palermo oggi (Anti-Mafia Squad) puling 5.021 million viewers and a share of 20.48 percent. RAI was second airing the Miss Italia with 4.944 million viewers and a 24.28 percent share. On Tuesday, football was an easy winner for RAI 1. Italy’s qualifier against Malta averaged 7.158 million viewers and a share of 26.83 percent. Canale 5 did well as the season started for series L’onore e il Rispetto (Honour and Respect) with 4.999 million/20.71 percent. RAI2 kicked off a new season of Criminal Minds (2.695 million/10.2 percent highest of two episodes). On Wednesday, Canale 5 won the night with the second part of Honour and Respect (5.710 million/24.46 percent). RAI 1 was second with a special edition of the Italian version of Endemol’s format Deal or No Deal (Affari Tuoi) with the preview earning 4.302 million viewers and a share of 16.48 percent (3.246 million/13.18 percent for the game). A repeat of CSI starting before prime-time on Italia 1 (1.887 million) just outscored the launch of U.S. series Once Upon a Time (1.873 million average for two episodes) on RAI 2. On Thursday, RAI 1 won the part with the second episode of police series Il Commissario Nardone (5.178 million/19.42 percent for part one and 4.553 million/19.97 percent for part two). Canale 5 was second with season premiere of Lo Show dei Record, live light-entertainment based on the Guinness Book of… (4.881 million / 21.5 percent). The seasons launch for The Mentalist on Rete 4 was next, averaging 1.885 million/7.55 percent for two episodes. In a face-off of U.S. features, Hitch on Italia1 (1.556 million) outscored GoldenEye on RAI 3 (1.133 million) among the also-rans.

Spain
On Monday, TVE1 took the top spot airing new historical drama series Isabel with 3.529 million viewers and share of 20.1 percent. The public channel’s earlier interview with Prime Minister Mariano Roy was number two (3.258 million/20.6 percent). On Tuesday, football on Telecinco won the day. Spain’s qualifier against Georgia, kicking off before local prime time, averaged 4.472 million viewers and a share of 39.2 percent. Antena 3 drew a very solid audience for U.S. series Once Upon A Time (3.481 million/21.4 percent). On Wednesday, Antena 3 won prime time with light-entertainment show El Hormiguero (The Anthill) drawing 1.932 million viewers and a share of 11.3 percent. TVE 1’s current-affairs show Comando Actualidad was close behind (1.898.000 million/10.9 percent). Antena 3’s historical drama series Imperium lost ground (1.581 million/10.2 percent). On Thursday, Antena 3 won prime-time with Spanish movie Que se mueran los feos (To Hell With The Ugly) drawing 3.023 million/20.8 percent. Telecinco was second with Las Vegas-set CSI (2.115 million/12.8 percent for the later of two episodes. Antena 3 came next with The Anthill (2.072 million/12.3 percent).