Ratings: Digital Focus: BBC3
- Published: 13 August 2008 16:18
- Author: Philip Reevell
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 14 August 2008 09:26
- Reader Responses
The holy grail for producers is to create such a strong show that they can overcome editor scepticism and pitch an improbable spin-off which imitates the success of the original - such is the case with Spooks: Code 9.
The series debuted with a two-parter and achieved third and fourth places in the digital programmes table. Episode one at 9pm on Sunday attracted 800,000/4% share at 9pm on Sunday, while episode two at 9.50pm had 700,000/4%.
As I was reminded by BBC3 a few weeks ago, the channel's target audience is 16 to 34-year-olds - among this group the opening Code 9 programme had a 4.1% share. Among 16 to 24-year-olds it had 3.5% and it performed more strongly among 25 to 34-year-olds, where it had a 4.4% share. However, the drama did even better among the 35 to 44 and 45 to 54 age groups, delivering respectively a 4.7% and 5.7% share. In fact the 45 to 54s accounted for 26% of the show's audience.
A programme which is a spin-off from one of BBC1's most successful dramas is likely to have a profile more in keeping with BBC1 than BBC3, highlighting a problem for the youth channel. Young people are already well catered for by Sky One, ITV2 and E4.
Thanks to Code 9, BBC3 had a 3.3% share of individuals in Sunday's primetime (7pm-11pm) - beating Sky 1's 2% share. Sky 1 benefited from the Gladiators semi-finals which had 670,000/4% at 7pm. BBC3's 16 to 34-year-old share is even stronger - it had a 4.2% of this group watching at this time compared to 3.1% for Sky 1.
However, to compete for the 16 to 34-year-old audience, BBC3 has to depend on terrestrial repeats, spin-offs such as Code 9 and Torchwood, quasi-commercial programming such as movies - Lara Croft: Tomb Raider on Sunday at 7.30pm had 650,000/3% - and acquisitions such as Family Guy. On Wednesday at 10.55pm, this show attracted 680,000/7%, and had a 14% share among 16 to 34-year-olds.
Unsurprisingly, the BBC Trust has promised to look at the role of BBC3 as part of a general review of services for young people.
BBC4 has no problems defining itself - it knows where its older viewers hang out - The Thirties in Colour on Wednesday at 9pm was that channel's highest rated show this week with 560,000/3%.
