John de Mol shoots himself in the foot with keeping the ratings a secret. The strict rules that go with it make the international sale of his formats more difficult, says Tina Nijkamp.
The NPO, RTL and Talpa are fed up with news media writing about their viewing figure flops and that is why they have decided to simply keep all those viewing figures a secret. Only after a week, when they have been able to add everything with delayed viewers, do they come out. Much less topical and therefore not so urgent for the media.
Viewing ban
Very nice that they try to keep their falling scores under their caps, but according to viewing figure professor Tina Nijkamp, there is one thing that Talpa boss John de Mol has not taken into account in any case. Keeping the viewing figures secret comes with a strict rule that makes it difficult to sell its formats abroad.
It is obvious that they want to keep viewing figures flops a secret for as long as possible, but TV channels naturally want to blow their heads off the next morning if something has scored. One problem: only an absolute number can be mentioned and no market shares, because with relative figures you reveal something about the competition.
Problem for John
It is precisely that rule that is very disadvantageous for John, Tina knows. She points to the authoritative international TV newsletter The Daily Wit, which has an influential section called ‘The Daily Hit’. It writes about which new TV format was a great success somewhere in the world the night before. Commercial market shares are leading in this.
And NPO, RTL and Talpa are therefore no longer allowed to announce them the next morning. “Just thinking: there can never be a Dutch TV program The Daily Hit again!!! Intense,” she writes on her ratings juice channel.
“Does he know?”
Tina thinks John has forgotten this in his drive to thwart the news media. “After all: as the only country in almost the entire world, we no longer publish the viewing figures here the day after. Oof.”
She continues: “Does John de Mol know this? Did he realize this? He won’t be happy about that at all. He is very dependent on The Wit. Because being ‘Daily Hit’ means format sales abroad.”
Parliamentary questions
VVD’s Pim van Strien has now asked parliamentary questions. He says in yesterday’s RTL Boulevard: “Because I also have a lot of questions. Can this just happen? We are the only European country that will soon do it this way. Are there no other ways possible? But as a solution, don’t just keep those numbers under the carpet for six days.”
BLVD host Luuk Ikink thinks it’s stupid. “As a station and as a broadcaster you shoot yourself in the foot a bit, don’t you? For example a Lice Mother… Would that ever have become such a great success if those viewing figures were not constantly discussed? About how good that was.”
‘Very naive’
It is really old-fashioned to hide everything, says Luuk. “If you watch on YouTube, you can also see how much has been watched at the bottom of the screen. And then suddenly we have to wait a week.”
He continues: “I also think it’s naive to think it’s really going to prevent the bad press. If the viewing figures are good and you don’t know it’s good, then there’s no talking about it at all. That’s too bad, isn’t it? Is linear television still relevant, you could almost say.”