Media Release
October 29 2007
How viewers learn about new TV programs
We
all watch TV. But exactly what drives our choice of program? Is it word
of mouth, watching promos, seeing ads on buses, articles in magazines?
And today, with more options than ever, how is it changing?
Researchers from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute at UniSA have been awarded Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project funding, in partnership with Network Ten, to study how viewers learn about new TV programs.
Senior Research Fellow Dr Jenni Romaniuk said while most people have probably never bothered to think about it, it is an area of interest to broadcasters.
“With ever-increasing costs and increased competition it's never been more important to deliver ratings,” Dr Romaniuk said.
“The nightmare for programmers is the show that could have been a hit, but flops, not because it isn't a great show, but simply because people didn't know about it.”
Australians on average watch three hours of television a day, but with free-to-air TV and many pay-TV channels all vying for viewers, audiences are being spread more thinly across many channels, and it is more complicated for viewers to find good programs that suit them.
Professor of Marketing Science, Byron Sharp said the research is looking at improving the marketing of TV programs, “so that we all get to hear about and watch the programs that we will like”.
“We all miss quality programs because we fail to hear about them, and end up watching some programs we wish we hadn’t,” Prof Sharp said.
"If networks can crack this problem it would mean a better chance of getting more programs viewers really want to watch on-air, which would be a win-win for viewers and broadcasters alike."
High quality local productions on free-to-view television account for more than $100 million annually in exports for Australia, and the local and overseas success of programs like Neighbours and Kath and Kim show what can be achieved.
“Marketing local programs more efficiently not only improves the return for investors but also Australia’s export potential because ratings from local programs are used by overseas buyers as an indicator of a program’s likely success in their countries,” Dr Romaniuk said.
Congratulating the grant recipients UniSA Vice Chancellor, Professor Peter Høj and Pro Vice Chancellor Research, Professor Caroline McMillen, said the University was continuing to build its research capacity across a range of key research strengths including health and public health, particles science and surface chemistry, biomedical engineering, advanced manufacturing, sociology, psychology and IT development.
"In the past three years we have seen UniSA grow in research strength" Prof Høj said. "It is always exciting to see this kind of growth in research capacity, not only because it rewards the ongoing efforts of individual researchers and their teams, but because it is great for the innovative capacity and quality of life in Australia.”
Contact for interview
- Professor Byron Sharp office 08 8302 0715 mobile 0419 819 427 email byron.sharp@unisa.edu.au
Media contact
- Vincent Ciccarello office 08 8302 0578 mobile 0434 603 457 email vincent.ciccarello@unisa.edu.au