Summer Time Blues for Irish TV
Irish TV broadcasters retained their 42% share of the TV audience, however the share dwindled during the summer months, with February seeing a 49% share of the audience due in part to the General Election and the arrival of the Corona Virus. RTÉ average share of the audience was down 1% month-on-month, on an annual basis it was down 4% in August 2020. Virgin Media was also down 1% month-on-month, and up 1% year-on-year. Both services are limited by the number of new home-produced shows available to them, with RTÉ News taking a break in August meaning their main-evening news was cut to 30 minutes, with a number of 60 minute programmes due to breaking covid news. Virgin Media TWO and Sport seeing the bulk of any increase for Virgin Media.
TG4 had an audience share of 2.21%.
RTÉ ONE saw a monthly drop of 3%, it had an audience share of 17%, up 13% from this time last year, the reduced number of sporting events helped along with corona coverage.
RTÉ2 was up 4% since last month, with little or no news on the channel it had a 4% share, it was down by 44% from August 2019, the hemorrhage of viewers due to its lack of normal summer time sports coverage.
RTÉ ONE +1 and RTÉjr had 1.36% and 0.46% respectively. RTÉ2 +1 had 0.19% in August 2020.
Virgin Media one had an audience share of 10%, a 7% decrease from July, and a 5% drop from August 2019.
Virgin Media TWO has a 4% share, up 16% from last month. It was up 11% from July 2019, its gains due to increased sports on the channel over the month of August.
Meanwhile, Virgin Media THREE was at 1.52%, dow 8% from July and down 3% from August 2019. Virgin Media one +1 had an audience share of 0.28%.
eirSport1 and Virgin Media Sport both enjoyed gains, with 0.26% and 0.37% share of the audience, respectively.
English channels had 59% share of the audience in August 2020.
| Channel | August 2020 | Monthly Change | Yearly Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTÉ ONE | 17.34% | -3% | 13% |
| RTÉ ONE +1 | 1.36% | 12% | 26% |
| RTÉjr | 0.46% | 18% | -15% |
| RTÉ2 | 4.03% | 4% | -44% |
| RTÉ2 +1 | 0.19% | 0% | -14% |
| RTÉ Total | 23.38% | -1% | -4% |
| VMT one | 9.76% | -7% | -5% |
| VMT one +1 | 0.28% | -18% | 0% |
| VMT TWO | 4.00% | 16% | 11% |
| VMT THREE | 1.52% | -8% | -3% |
| VMT SPORT | 0.37% | 363% | - |
| VMT Total | 15.93% | -1% | 1% |
| TG4 | 2.21% | 36% | 0% |
| eir Sport 1 | 0.26% | 225% | 100% |
| Total | 41.78% | 1% | -2% |
| Other | 58.22% | -1% | 1% |