Ratings Roundup: Winning Formula on Wednesday Differs Around Europe

PREMIUM: Wednesday prime time around big Western European countries showed an eclectic mix of audience winners, with local drama, current affairs, a U.S. series and an imported format all topping the ratings in various markets on November 28.

In Germany, there was a dead heat at the top this week as two shows on public channels scored 15.7 percent shares in the main prime-time slot (starting at about 8:15 p.m.). ARD 1’s original TV movie Sechzehneichen (Sixteen Oaks) pulled 5.01 million viewers and ZDF’s Aktenzeichen XY… ungelöst (File Reference XY … Unsolved) averaged 4.99 million. The latter is the original series that gave birth to America’s Most Wanted and Crimewatch in the U.K. In the same time slot, RTL was in third place with reality show Die 10 unglaublichsten Verwandlungen (The 10 Most Incredible Transformations) averaging 3.36 million viewers and a share of 10.5 percent. Against this strong competition, Pro 7 ran Grey’s Anatomy from ABC (1.66 million/5.2 percent).

In France, Criminal Minds from CBS on TF1 was an easy winner as the top audience of the day had 7.113 million viewers and a share of 25.3 percent. However, competition for second place was very close between three channels. France 3 pulled 3.994 million/14.9 percent for long-running factual series Des Racines et Des Ailes (Roots and Wings), while France 2 had 3.990 million/14.2 percent for sitcom Fais pas ci, fais pas ça (Don’t Do This. Don’t Do That). M6 averaged 3.843 million/13.7 percent for Desperate Housewives.

In Spain, the winner Wednesday was the local version of John de Mol’s format The Voice on Telecinco with 4.840 million and a share of 33 percent. In second place was a current affairs show on TVE 1 (Comand Actualidad) at 1.913 million/9.3 percent, closely followed by ITV’s Downton Abbey on Antena 3 (1.837 million/9.5 percent), and La Sexta’s satirical news show El intermedio (1.687 million/8.2 percent).

Politics ruled the day in Italy as RAI 1 led viewing with a political debate between Matteo Ricci and Pierluigi Bersani, the centre-left rivals for prime minister. The special event pulled 6.584 million viewers and a share of 22.85 percent. Canale 5 was in second place with police series RIS Roma 3 (4.669 million/16.98 percent) and RAI 3 was third with missing persons reality show Chi l’ha visto (Who’s Seen Them?) with 3.739 million/13.2 percent.