Viewership targets1 for (funded and locally produced) PSB programmes were set by television channel and genre based on each channel’s target demographic group.
Across the channels, the average percentage of targets2 met was 104%.The total reach of PSB programmes in FY2015 was 90.6% (4.735 million) of viewers aged four and above.
PSB programmes3 were also made available for catch-up viewing online via the “Toggle” platform. The platform garnered a total of 6.1 million unique viewers drawing over 93 million views in FY15.
A summary of the average viewership of PSB programmes across FTA TV channels in FY20154 is as follows:
Channel | Target Demographic | Channel Descriptions/Prime Time5 Ratings in FY2015 | Average Prime Time Ratings of Local PSB Programmes Across Genres | Total Reach6 of Local PSB Programmes (by Channel) |
Channel 5 | P4+7 | 24-hour English entertainment channel targeting a mass audience with local productions, including news and foreign acquired programmes. Average prime time rating of 2.0% (103,000). | 1.7% (87,000) | 59.3% (3,100,000) |
Channel 8 | P4+ | 24-hour Mandarin general entertainment channel targeting a mass audience with local productions, including news and foreign acquired programmes.Average prime time rating of 9.7% (507,000). | 9.5% (498,000) | 70.4% (3,679,000) |
Channel U | CUME 15+8 | Mandarin entertainment channel targeting youth and working professionals with local productions, including news and foreign acquired programmes.Average prime time rating of 3.8% (174,000). | 4.3% (196,000) | 40.3% (1,837,000) |
Channel NewsAsia (Singapore) | CUME PMEB9 (above $5k) and P15+ | Special interest news and information channel targeting working professionals with the provision of primarily locally produced content.Average prime time rating of 1.2% (5,600) for CUME PMEB (above $5k) and 0.6% (29,000) for CUME P15+. | PMEB - 2.4% (11,000) P15+ - 1.6% (71,000) |
PMEB - 63.2% (284,000) P15+ - 52.2% (2,378,000) |
okto | P4-1210 and P15+ | Special interest channel with daytime and early evening timebelts for children and evening timebelt for youths and the local arts community. Offers a mix of locally produced and foreign acquired children’s, information and arts/culture programmes. Average prime time rating of 2.0% (11,000) for the children’s belt and 0.2% (11,000) for the arts/culture belt. | P4-12 -2.0% (11,000) P15+ -0.2% (11,000) |
P4-12 -36.3% (196,000) P15+ -10.8% (491,000) |
Suria | M4+11 | Malay language general entertainment channel catering to the community with local productions and acquired programmes from the region.Average prime time rating of 12.6% (92,000). | 14.6% (107,000) | 93.0% (680,000) |
Vasantham | Ind4+12 | Tamil language general entertainment channel catering to the Indian community with local and acquired productions from Indian markets.Average prime time rating of 9.0% (53,000). | 10.2% (60,000) | 81.8% (483,000) |
To further gauge viewers’ responses to PSB programmes, MDA conducts an annual PSB public satisfaction survey13 which measures public satisfaction levels with attributes such as programme quality, engagement and informative value, and public service value. In FY15, 71% of respondents indicated that their satisfaction level with PSB was high, compared to 70% in FY14 and 69% in CY13.
The PSB reserves accumulated over the period FY2003 to FY2015 from unutilised RTV licence fees amounts to S$48.7million as at 31 March 2016.