Never so close. The difference between the publishers Rai and Mediaset in 2022 was one share point on an average day, in favor of public TV, against 4.2 in 2021 and 3.2 in 2020. Looking at the audience figure, the 3.184 million of Rai are compared with 3,096 of Mediaset for a difference that drops between 2021 and 2022 from 422 thousand to 87 thousand people. Even in prime time, Rai’s 37.85% share compares with Mediaset’s 36.2%; in 2021 they were at 37.9% against 32.18%. Thus ended, with a head-to-head, a 2022 which for TV was a harbinger of significant changes.
The year of the “total audience”
It was the year of the entry into the scene of the “total audience”: a single datum for measuring TV consumption through all available devices. It was also the year of the launch of the “unrecognized listening” – which is worth 12.94% of the listeners at the end of 2022 – with which to measure everything that, although passing through the TV, does not concern traditional TV: streaming, gaming , Internet. But it was also the year that these very changes in metrics signaled how much non-traditional TV use is on the rise. So: on the one hand, the web represents an important outlet for broadcasters with video streams that measure how much television content has a following even beyond TV. On the other hand, we have to deal with centrifugal forces that away from traditional TV.
The sense of the Biscione for experiments
In this context, the Auditel data processed by Studio Frasi for The sun 24 hours return this unprecedented head-to-head result of «a different strategy, a different ability and different objectives. Mediaset – explains Francesco Siliato, media analyst of Studio Frasi – has experimented more than Rai, has implemented new free thematic channels». Rai’s last native digital channel is twelve years old: Rai 5. The public service edits 13 channels; Mediaset has 16. In the last period, the Cologno group has added a channel every two years: the «20» in 2018, «Cine34» in 2020, «Twentyseven» in January 2022. «Over the years – underlines Siliato – Rai has closed six of them and seems more intent on closing than opening. It has not even produced and produced that English-language channel to which the Service Agreement also committed it ». Siliato’s observation point is therefore that “without a leap of pride and a change of vision on the part of the public service, the overtaking of the private incumbent appears inevitable”.
Discovery third pole (with the Sky variable)
Going into the details of the publishers, after Rai and Mediaset the highest audiences on an average day are Discovery (663,693 viewers with a 7.66% share); Sky (592,018; 6.83%) and La7 (360,148; 4.16%). In prime time Sky (with an average of 1,337,318 viewers and a 6.71% share) is ahead of Discovery (1.310 million; 6.58%) and Cairo (1.035 million; 5.19%).
Argentina-France most watched event of 2022
Be careful though. Rai brings with it some important firsts. The most watched program of the year for example: Argentina-France of the World Cup with 13.5 million viewers from total audience, 12.9 million in front of TV for a share of 68.17% and 529,000 connected via PC, smartphone or tablet. Viale Mazzini with Rai 1 also has almost all of the top 70 most watched programs of 2022, apart from 3 “rings” of Canale 5 with two Coppa Italia matches and the Italian Super Cup. Evidence that basically confirms how the event is increasingly central to viewers’ choices, but also that in addition to the event’s strategy, day-by-day is needed.