It's official. Rhythm City has its mojo back.
Five months ago the soapie was suffocating in a ratings hell after plunging from its former glory. The final week of February (when it still aired at 18h30) saw the show nosedive to an average viewership of 790,000 viewers - a whopping
2,7 million viewers less than it used to get before Skeem Saam moved in to the 18h30 timeslot.
Skeem Saam literally ousted RC from its timeslot, it moved to 19h00 at the beginning of March and has now reclaimed over 2 million viewers as a result.
Viewership averaged 1,383,000 viewers in its first week in its new timeslot in March and by June it reached 2,5 million viewers. In the
latest available ratings it attracted 3,180,000 viewers and reached the No.2 spot on e.tv.
It is almost at it's 3.5 million peak - which it was getting before Skeem Saam moved in at 18h30. (In the final week of May
2014 it attracted an average of 3,514,000 viewers and was the No. 1 show on e.tv.)
The impact of the time change on Rhythm City has also impacted on Skeem Saam at 18h30 and Isidingo at 19h00. Skeem Saam has gone from strength to strength while it's had the opposite effect on Isidingo, which has suffered as a result.
Here's a viewership chart of all three over the past five months:
| Week |
Rhythm City
Average viewership |
Skeem Saam
Average viewership
|
Isidingo
Average viewership
|
Week 10
2 - 8 March, 2015
First week of RC at 19h00 |
1,383,000 |
3,786,000 |
1,218,000 |
|
Week 11
9 - 15 March, 2015.
|
1,646,000 |
4,016,000 |
1,086,000 |
Week 12
16 - 22 March, 2015 |
1,778,000 |
3,555,000 |
1,119,000 |
Week 13
23 - 29 March, 2015 |
1,843,000 |
4,477,000 |
1,086,000 |
Week 14
30 March - 5 April, 2015 |
1,778,000 |
4,839,000 |
1,119,000 |
Week 15
6 - 12 April, 2015 |
2,219,000 |
5,162,000 |
1,073,000 |
Week 16
13 - 19 April, 2015 |
1,810,000 |
4,530,000 |
961,000 |
Week 17
20 - 26 April, 2015 |
2,008,000 |
5,425,000 |
1,067,000 |
Week 18
27 April - 3 May, 2015 |
2,041,000 |
5,478,000 |
1,053,000 |
Week 19
11 - 17 May, 2015 |
1,909,000 |
4,865,000 |
862,000 |
Week 20
11 - 17 May, 2015 |
2,120,000 |
4,957,000 |
988,000 |
Week 21
18 - 24 May, 2015 |
2,140,000 |
4,944,000 |
922,000 |
Week 22
25 - 31 May, 2015 |
2,462,000 |
5,273,000 |
941,000 |
Week 23
1 - 7 June, 2015 |
2,568,000 |
5,596,000 |
882,000 |
Week 24
8 - 14 June, 2015 |
2,541,000 |
4,925,000 |
751,000 |
Week 25
15 - 21 June, 2015 |
2,818,000 |
5,866,000 |
823,000 |
Week 26
22 - 28 June, 2015 |
2,436,000 |
5,530,000 |
1,020,000 |
Week 27
29 June - 5 July, 2015 |
3,009,000 |
5,984,000 |
974,000 |
Week 28
6 - 12 July, 2015 |
3,147,000 |
6,281,000 |
1,001,000 |
Week 29
13 - 19 July, 2015 |
3,186,000 |
6,142,000 |
935,000 |
As you can see, Rhythm City's move has given Skeem Saam the space to thrive and flourish and it's had the very opposite effect on Isidingo, which is clearly being stifled by the competition with little to no room to grow.
All that's left for Rhythm City to do now is to oust Scandal! from the No. 1 spot on e.tv. Can it become the top show on e.tv again? Keep a watch on
the ratings which will reveal all.