Data: Italian TV sees audience growth
April 2, 2024
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
Despite a rapidly changing landscape with more screens and platforms, Italian broadcasters managed to grow their audience by 1.4 per cent in the 2022-2023 season compared to the year before, according to ratings company Auditel.
Italians are watching more than ever, with over 90 per cent tuning in daily on both traditional TVs and newer digital screens.
There are now 120 million digital screens in Italy, with over 97 million connected to the internet. The content itself is also evolving, offering a richer and more diverse experience.
Italian broadcasters have embraced this change by offering content on multiple platforms. They’ve also managed to keep viewers engaged for over 90 per cent of days and capture 82 per cent of the total TV viewing time. Viewing on digital screens has grown by over 20 per cent in terms of views and 25 per cent in terms of time spent.
There are now an average of five screens per family and over two screens per person. This number has jumped 2.2 per cent in the last year and 9.6 per cent since 2017.
The number of Smart TVs has tripled in the past seven years, from 7 million to 21 million units in Italian homes, while traditional TV sets have decreased by 12.1 million.
In a major shift that began in 2012 with the analogue TV switchoff, the number of TV channels monitored by Auditel skyrocketed. 373 new channels joined the existing 7 public and private broadcasters, bringing the total to 380.
Streaming services on the global market have exploded from just Netflix in 2012 to 27 different platforms today and Auditel predicts consolidation in this crowded market.