Ratings Roundup: European Saturday is Soft in Prime Time

PREMIUM: The top of the audience charts was a mixed bag on Saturday, December 15, with light entertainment, contests and feature films faring well.

Audience levels were not high relative to other nights of the week. TF1 pulled the biggest audience in France with long-running light entertainment show Les enfants de la télé (TV Kids), produced by Endemol France, with 4.715 million viewers and a share of 21.6 percent. Close behind on France 2 was nostalgia-based light entertainment show Les années bonheur (The Happy Years) 4.535 million/19.7 percent. France 3 was in third place with police TV movie Chambre 327 (Room 327) with 3.164 million/13.2 percent.

In Germany, the biggest audience (excluding the news) was for TV movie Die Abstauber (The Sponge) on ARD 1 with 5.23 million viewers and a share of 16.9 percent. The channel again built up its Saturday prime-time audience with the strongest access time entry, football league highlights program Sportschau with 5.14 million/21.6 percent. RTL was in second place in prime time with talent show Das Supertalent (4.35 million/14.6 percent), while Pro 7 took third place with game show Schlag den Rabb (Beat Raab, hosted by Stefan Raab) at 3.25 million/13.0 percent.

In Italy, the biggest audience in prime time was for RAI 1’s Penso che un sogno così (I Think a Dream Like This…), a music special dedicated to Domenico Modugno, who sang "Volare" (the title of the show is a line from the song). It pulled 4.608 million and a share of 20.72 percent. Second was Disney’s direct-to-video film The Search for Santa Paws on Italia 1 (3.037 million/12.4 percent), followed by Canale 5’s year-end best of wrap-up of human interest show C’e posta per te (You’ve Got Mail) in third place with 2.417 million/12.02 percent.

The biggest of the day in Italy on Saturday was in access time, for the same program as on most weekdays—Endemol’s format Deal or No Deal (Affari Tuoi) on RAI 1 with 5.023 million viewers and a share of 20.21 percent.

In Spain, where Saturday prime-time viewing levels were fairly weak, a talk show was number one. Telecinco’s El gran debate drew 1.849 million viewers and a share of 14.9 percent. Movies were second and third in prime time. Antena 3 averaged 1.694 million and a share of 10.8 percent for American film Troy while Cuatro drew 1.344 million/7.8 percent for French pic Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra. Audience levels were a bit higher earlier in the evening, led by Canadian TV movie The Perfect Roommate on Antena 3 with 2.244 million viewers and a share of 15.7 percent.