TV Broadcaster of the Year

The TV scene in Singapore has come a long way from the old days when the first TV station started on our shores. Radio and Television of Singapore (RTS) launched our TV service on 15 February 1963. Debbie Cai discovers how everything has changed and presents Marketing's top ranked local and cable TV channels by advertiser preference.

As a kid, Dad and Mum used to take me up to this cool resort in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, called Sebana Cove, to spend our weekends. My friends envied me for being able to breathe the fresh air, see skies full of stars, eat ridiculous amounts of fresh seafood and spend sunny days on the river on the jetski. But little did they know, aside from the few moments of bliss squeezing the life out of the throttle and going at top speed on the water, all I wanted to do afterwards was crash on the couch and watch Astro - not watch TV, mind you, watch Astro.

What's that, you ask? I know now it is a satellite direct-to-home TV subscription service, but back then, all I knew was I had access to 50 or so TV channels at the touch of a button, which was virtually unheard of in Singapore.

But in a few short years, Singapore has quickly turned around that situation and on top of the 100 plus cable channels on StarHub Cable TV, we now have SingTel's newly launched pay TV service, mio TV, which allows viewers to select a variety of content to watch on-demand.

In the past year, StarHub has launched 17 new cable channels including the most recent Football Channel, Sensasi, The History Channel and Crime & Investigation Network, while SingTel's offering includes seven free-to-air channels and 17 paid ones.

As the pool of TV players in Singapore increases over time we will notice the channels being introduced become ever more niche, as media owners realise the importance of targeting the ‘long tail' in both viewers and advertisers. And that will be when TV stops bring viewed as a ‘traditional' medium which is best for reaching the masses in one fell swoop as opposed to being a targeted marketing tool.

In this TV Broadcaster of the Year report, we asked you which local free-to-air channels and which cable TV channels you would put precious marketing dollars with, and broke down the results to discover what the different groups of marketing and advertising professionals prefer.

In last year's consolidated Singapore Top Media special annual edition, the top local channels were MediaCorp TV's Channel 5, Channel 8, Channel NewsAsia, Channel U and Arts Central - the same five which have topped our rankings again this year - no surprise there.

However, this year, in the cable TV category, AXN came from 2^nd place last year to narrowly trump 1^st placed Discovery Channel. The action and adventure channel received a mere 1% more points than Discover Channel to be crowned this year's top cable TV channel.

ESPN stayed firm at 3^rd place while Star World made a surprise entrance into the top five, replacing last year's 4^th place channel Discovery Travel and Living which moved to 5^th spot this year. Last year's 5^th placed CNN also moved down one rung in the ladder to 6^th place.

 

TOP 5 LOCAL FREE-TO-AIR CHANNELS RESULTS

Channel 5

MediaCorp TV's Channel 5 garnered the most votes and points in 2007's TV Broadcaster of the Year survey - 832 votes and 1777 points which is 33.71% of the total points - although more respondents voted it as their 2^nd choice than their 1^st or 3^rd.

Ch5 may have scored more points and votes than 2^nd placed Channel 8, but more respondents voted Ch8 1^st than the latter - although the difference was only seven votes.

By industry group, creative agencies and financial services companies prefer Ch5 more than other groups do, voting the channel in 1^st place more than the rest. By job function, agency creatives, account servicing professionals and marketing managers were most supportive of Ch5.

Channel 8

Ch8 would have clinched first place in this report if not for a mere 163 points - short of what Ch5 garnered. The most watched free-to-air channel in Singapore got 30.63% of the total points given, and was most highly supported by media agencies - which gave Ch8 a massive 76.56% of all 1^st votes for the top three channels. Consumer products and retail industries were also big supporters.

Channel NewsAsia

3^rd placed Channel NewsAsia (CNA) scored a total of 1192 points in the survey, and garnered nearly as many 1^st votes as Ch5 and Ch8 but lost in 2^nd and 3^rd votes to the channel next in rank - Channel U.

PR agencies gave CNA the most 1^st votes amongst the top three channels - 68.62%, and was closely followed by the IT & Telecoms, Property & Construction and Travel Transport & Transport industries.

Those holding job functions such as agency CEO/MD/GM, PR consultants, client CEO/MD/GM, client VP/director marketing and communications/PR/events manager were the most supportive of CNA. In addition, the total number of votes CNA got from males and females was very close even though the majority of respondents were female.

Channel U

Channel U scored an overall 9.64% of points but still managed to make it to 4^th place. It received a huge drop in 1^st votes compared to the leading three channels but made up in total votes by earning more than CNA in 2^nd votes and more than all three in 3^rd votes (198).

Arts Central

Rounding up the top five on the free-to-air ranking was Arts Central which pulled in 1.69% of all points - it only got 58 votes in total. While it didn't get any votes from those in Financial Services, Government & Community services and Motor Vehicles industries, it did beat ChU in garnering five foreign respondents votes - ChU got none.

TOP 10 CABLE TV CHANNELS RESULTS

AXN

AXN surpassed Discovery Channel by a hair's breadth to clinch the honour of being Singapore's top cable TV channel for advertisers - an apt time as the channel celebrates its 10^th anniversary this month (September 2007).

However, it is important to note all the three top free-to-air channels in this research got more points than AXN did, which was 677. This was because the number of players in the cable arena is markedly more than that in the free-to-air one, thus votes for cable channels were spread out more. The total number of respondents for the local TV survey and the cable TV one differed by 426 - 2577 for local and 2151 for cable.

AXN got more 1^st votes than 2^nd placed Discovery Channel but the latter got more 2^nd and 3^rd votes. While the difference in total number of votes for both was minimal, AXN scored 1% more points (44) which secured it the lead.

Those from the PR agency, Business Services, Consumer Products and IT & Telecommunications fields voted more strongly for AXN than the other channels, and those from local companies preferred AXN more than Discovery Channel. Comparatively, foreign company respondents were totally fair in voting both AXN and Discovery Channel at 312 points each.

Males prefer Discovery Channel (318 points) while females prefer AXN (407 points).

Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel pulled in 633 points and was most popular amongst agency respondents who voted it mainly in 1^st place. Clients, on the other hand, voted ESPN slightly more in 1^st place than Discovery Channel.

Those who voted Discovery Channel most in 1^st place include Creative and Media agencies and Property Construction & Utilities companies.

Creative professionals in particular ranked all three leaders equally by number of votes but Discovery Channel won in total points. Client-side heads also voted AXN and Discovery Channel equally although AXN surpassed the latter in total points.

ESPN

ESPN, which reaches about 11 million households in Asia, scored 12.64% of all points given, and nearly double the number of respondents who voted it 2^nd and 3^rd voted it 1^st.

It was ranked most in 1^st place by Government & Community Services and Travel Transport & Transport companies. Expectedly, males gave ESPN the most 1^st votes in the top 10 - 62 votes, although that wasn't enough to make up the highest total points.

Star World

Entertainment channel Star World got voted 2^nd most frequently, and it received a similar number of votes in 1^st and 3^rd place. It ranked very closely with Discovery Travel & Living (DTL), only surpassing it by a mere four points.

Client respondents prefer Star (193 points) to DTL (174 points) and they voted Star equally in 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place.

On the agency side, while overall agency respondents preferred 5^th placed DTL to Star, only PR agency consultants gave more points to Star - 42.11% more than DTL.

Discovery Travel & Living

Discovery Travel & Living, not to be confused with Discovery Channel, was more popular with agency respondents than Star World, pulling in 167 points to Star's 152.

On the client side, while overall client respondents preferred Star to DTL, Retail and Travel Transport & Transport respondents preferred DTL according to the total points scored. Sifting by job function, DTL got more points than Star World and 3^rd placed ESPN from agency heads, client VPs/directors of marketing, and media agency personnel.

CNN

The first news channel to be listed in this survey, CNN garnered 9.03% of all points. It got more 1^st placed votes than higher ranking DTL and Star World but lost out on total votes and points. It also got more support from clients than agency professionals - clients gave CNN more points than DTL except those in Retail and Travel Transport & Transport.

Even though agencies gave CNN less points than DTL, PR agencies in particular gave CNN more points (26.32% more) than DTL.

Local companies voted DTL and 6^th placed CNN quite equally, with the same number of 1^st votes but DTL beat CNN by a mere two points.

National Geographic Channel

National Geographic Channel scored 6.47% of all points and was more popular than DTL amongst respondents from Consumer Products and Property Construction & Utilities companies.

Local companies gave NGC the least 1^st place votes in the top 10, although in total points it beat the bottom three marginally. Foreign companies gave NGC the same number of points as 8^th placed CNBC although CNBC got five more 1^st votes.

Out of the five agency job functions surveyed, Account Servicing and PR voted more for NGC by points than 6^th placed CNN.

NGC only lost out marginally to CNN amongst those with Singapore responsibility, but those with regional responsibility gave much more support to CNN, giving it 90 more points than NGC. In fact, those with regional responsibility gave more points to 8^th placed CNBC than NGC.

CNBC

CNBC is 2^nd in the list of news sites in our top 10 but it loses to CNN by a whopping 100 points - it scored 225 points in all.

Clients showed their support for the channel in the survey, giving it more points than both NGC (7^th place) and MTV (9^th). However, in total votes, CNBC loses out to MTV.

That CNBC is less popular with agency types may not bother the broadcaster as clients are the ones making most advertising decisions, but it may be worrying that media agencies in particular did not support the channel. Only one vote was given to it by a media agency person. In comparison, PR agencies were the most supportive amongst the agency community, giving it more points than it even gave 1^st ranked AXN.

The channel scored the lowest points amongst the top 10 from those with Singapore responsibility but performed better than NGC amongst those with regional responsibility. It is also preferred by females.

MTV

If agency people had their way, the hip and cool MTV would be higher on the list of top 10 TV Broadcasters. Agency types gave it three points short of NGC (117) which sits at two ranks above, but clients gave it the least points of all channels (94).

Clients from Education & Training and Retail gave MTV the highest percentage of votes compared to other industry groups. Of the clients that preferred MTV, we see an interesting CEO/MD/GM band and the marketing manager band come up tops, contributing far more points than surprisingly VPs/directors of marketing and brand/product managers.

MTV scored more points from those with Singapore responsibility than even 6^th ranking CNN. Interestingly, males vote MTV slightly higher than CNBC.

HBO

Rounding up the top 10 list of cable TV broadcasters is HBO, which was a surprise inclusion considering this is a survey of advertising preference and HBO is commercial free - it operates on a subscription model.

Results-wise, agency professionals gave HBO almost exactly half the total points it gave MTV, perhaps not because of low popularity but because most of them know HBO does not accept advertising. However, three media agency persons do not know this which is shocking. Clients on the other hand gave 53 votes or 101 points to the channel, which is only slightly more than MTV.

It's obvious how I no longer go to Sebana Cove for the TV viewing. In fact, I hardly go nowadays because I'm usually holed up at home watching TV (don't shoot me). But when I do go, I enjoy it for what it really offers - sun, sand, sea, a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, and from not being able to decide what to watch thanks to the mindboggling selection available!

 

 

Box out 1

Respondents' breakdown

A survey universe of 11,077 professionals were invited to fill out an online survey, of which 11.6% or 1,285 responded. Of these, 1,189 surveys were valid. There were 759 client-side respondents and 430 agency-side ones – of which 292 were from creative agencies, 70 were from media planning and buying agencies and 68 were from public relations consultancies. Universe breakdowns were within a percent either way of the respondent breakdowns.

Responses on the agency and client-side were taken as a whole and split into company origin, region of responsibility (local or regional/international), and job function. Agency-side respondents were split by job function in terms of whether they held the CEO, managing director or general manager posts, or whether they were advertising creatives, advertising account servicing staff, media planning and buying professionals, and public relations consultants. Client-side job functions were split according to CEO, managing director, vice president, director of marketing or brand/public relations and events, and brand and product manager positions.

Aside from this, client-side responses were further split up by industry group. 10 groups were identified, namely – business services, consumer products, education and training, financial services, government and community services, IT and telecommunications, motor vehicles, property construction and utilities, retail, and travel transport and transport. Finally, all respondents were identified by gender and country of origin.

Box out 2

How top TV broadcasters were determined

 

We believe this research is as close as it gets to giving you an accurate indication of how much mindshare each TV channel possesses with media players and clients alike because of the unbiased way that it was conducted. Respondents of this survey were simply asked to list by descending order of preference, the three channels they would advertise with in two categories – local free-to-air and cable - with no prompts as to what their choices should be.

Ranking was determined by the number of points each channel chalked up. The channel ranked first received three points, the one ranked second received two points and the other ranked third received one point. These points were then eventually tallied and tabulated as a percentage of points within each category, then ranked overall by descending order.

While there were intricate differences in the way clients and agencies ranked the various channels, the rankings were determined by the number of votes each one garnered overall.

The survey was carried out by full service research firm BDM Intelligence (BDMi) using its database of media professionals, creative, public relations and media planning and buying agencies and clients from across all industries in Singapore. It was conducted between 5 and 16 March 2007, with the results delivered by BDMi on 13 April 2007.

 

Box out 3

Top Local Free-To-Air Channels

 

Rank	TV Channel	%age of points received
1	Channel 5	33.71%
2	Channel 8	30.62%
3	Channel News Asia	22.61%
4	Channel U	9.64%
5	Arts Central	1.69%

 
Box out 4

Top Cable TV Channels

 

Rank	TV Channel	%age of points received
1	AXN	18.81%
2	Discovery Channel	17.59%
3	ESPN	12.64%
4	Star World	9.59%
5	Discovery Travel & Living	9.47%
6	CNN	9.03%
7	National Geographic Channel	6.47%
8	CNBC	6.25%
9	MTV	5.78%
10	HBO	4.36%

 

Box out 5

Top Sports Channels (Cable)

 

Rank	TV Channel	%age of points received
3	ESPN	12.64%
15	Star Sports	1.08%
23	SuperSports	0.34%

 

Box out 6

Top News Channels (Cable)

 

Rank	TV Channel	%age of points received
6	CNN	9.03%
8	CNBC	6.25%
11	BBC World	3.45%
16	Bloomberg TV	0.88%
18	Channel NewsAsia	0.81%

 
Box out 7

Top 10 TV Advertisers	$
	1/1/2007 - 6/30/2007
Warner Music	9,364,973
Procter & Gamble	9,175,495
Unilever	7,028,025
Sony	5,303,770
McDonalds	5,297,156
Mitsubishi	5,026,009
SingTel	4,967,746
Tricon	4,553,032
Malaysia Dairies	4,360,107
Carlsberg	4,326,980
Source: Nielsen Media Research
Note: Nielsen Media Research monitors gross advertising expenditures in major media at published rate card values.
While discounts are made available from some media owners, rates are not openly available.
This list does not include Mediacorp as it is in-house advertising.

 

Box out 8

 

SingTel mio TV (paid channels)

Channel	Name
CH10	VOOM HD
CH11	Equator HD
CH12	Sling HD
CH20	Sony Entertainment Television
CH26	ETTV Yoyo
CH27	Luli -The Channel for Babies
CH28	CBeebies
CH30	BBC Knowledge
CH31	BBC Lifestyle
CH36	Dragon TV
CH37	CCTV-4
CH38	KBS World
CH39	Zee Channel
CH40	Zee Muzic
CH46	ETTV Asia News
CH47	CCTV-9
CH50	Mei Ah Movies Channel (Asia)

 

Box out 9

 

StarHub’s new cable channels launched since 1 August 2006

 

Channel	Name
Channel 8	The History Channel
Channel 27	Football Channel
Channel 28	Vijay
Channel 40	Sensasi
Channel 46	Star Chinese Channel
Channel 78	Crime & Investigation Network
Channel 79	Fashion TV
Channel 87	FX
Channel 93	CNN Headline News
Channel 101	Channel [V] Mainland China
Channel 102	Channel [V] Taiwan
Channel 103	TTV World
Channel 112	TVB Xing He Channel
Channel 302	Discovery HD
Channel 301	National Geographic Channel HD
Channel 400	Playin’TV Mini
Channel 401	Playin’TV