Record year for WBD in Italy
January 10, 2024
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) in Italy had a record-breaking year in 2023, achieving its highest ever audience share in the country.
The company ranked third among national broadcasters, with an 8.6 per cent share of the total audience and an 11.3 per cent share of the commercial target audience (aged 25-54). This represents an 8 per cent and 7 per cent increase, respectively, compared to 2022.
WBD’s success was driven by strong performance across all its TV channels. Nove, in particular, achieved record shares both in terms of total audience (2 per cent) and commercial target audience (2.8 per cent). This represents a 26 per cent increase in the prime time slot compared to the previous year. The channel’s success was driven by popular shows such as Che Tempo Che Fa, Fratelli di Crozza and Don’t Forget the Lyrics.
Real Time also had a strong year, with a 1.5 per cent share of the total audience, up 7 per cent from 2022. The month of December was the factual channel’s best since 2019, with a 1.6 per cent share of the total audience and a 2.8 per cent share of the female audience aged 15-54. Shows like Home at First Sight and Bake Off Italia contributed to the success.
All other channels in the WBD portfolio also saw growth in 2023. Dmax achieved a 1 per cent share of the total audience, growing 16 per cent in December. Food Network and Motor Trend had their best years ever, with growth of 8 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively. Among the kids channels, Frisbee saw the most significant growth, with a 19 per cent increase in 2023. Giallo had its best December since 2019, with a 1 per cent share of the total audience. Warner TV closed December with a 27 per cent increase compared to the previous year, and Eurosport grew by 17 per cent in the last month of 2023.