LOCAL dramas and reality shows are firm favourites on pay channel as Saints and Sinners, Lockdown and Isthunzi make it into top 10 most watched shows on the private broadcaster.
All three shows that air on Mzansi Magic, have been raved about on social media for their brilliant cast and storylines even though Isthunzi and Lockdown were on their first seasons, they managed to get 645698 and 756310 viewership figures respectively.
These figures which are released monthly by the Broadcasting Research Council of South Africa also reflected an impressive addition on the third spot with Sunday evening drama Saints and Sinners that raked 888459 viewers since launching their third season in January.
But the dramas still fell short from the usual favourites soapie Isibaya which had over 1,2million viewers and reality show Our Perfect Wedding which boasts 1183831 viewers.
Reality shows' viewership is also on a rise as Utatakho raked in on eighth spot with 553161 followed by The Ranakas in ninth place with 548872 viewers and Papa Penny Ahee only just missing the Top 10 leg at number 11 with 471292 viewers.
Although the shows are popular on social media as they trend on Twitter almost every time they air, realistically they are not the most watched shows. The numbers tally differently as there are only 7,4million Twitter users out of 56million South Africans, of which only over 6million are subscribers to the private broadcaster.
According to the viewership figures the public broadcaster continues to dominates when it comes to viewership numbers with soapies Uzalo, Generations: The Legacy and Skeem Saam dominating the SABC1 audience figures boasting audiences of 8116993, 7935512, 6238204 respectively. SABC2’s figures are also topped by a soapie Muvhango 6870919, while SABC3’s Isidingo only managed to get in second spot to Top Billing with 1372946 viewers.
Free to air, eTV also follows the same pattern as the public broadcasters with Scandal! taking top spot with 3949473 and Rhythm City sitting in third sport after drama Gold Diggers with 3091451. - ratings by BRCSA
