MAFS Then And Now – How Have Viewing Habits Shifted Since MAFS First Aired In 2015?
Launched in 2015, Nine’s Married At First Sight – one of Australia’s most-watched TV shows – offers a valuable insight into the changing nature of the Australian viewer.
Key Takeaways
- The total viewing figure for MAFS has increased by 12% since the show aired in 2015
- In 2023, 31.37% of viewers watched the show via BVOD
- Despite the shift in viewing habits, 90% of industry-wide TV ad spend still goes on linear TV (based on numbers from Think TV)
In 2015, when the show first aired in an almost documentary-style format, the average viewing figures within seven days of the show stood at 1,694,537. This came from overnight linear views and from the audience who recorded the show on their digital devices and watched it within 7 days of the initial airing.
Fast forward 8 years, and the overall viewing figure is marginally higher at 1,900,444. What is markedly different, however, is where that viewing figure comes from.
Year | Season Average BVOD Views | Percentage Of Views From BVOD | Season Average Linear Views | Percentage Of Views From Linear | Season Average Total Views |
2023 | 596,202 | 31.37% | 1,304,242 | 68.63% | 1,900,444 |
2022 | 488,488 | 25.64% | 1,416,535 | 74.36% | 1,905,023 |
2021 | 391,923 | 21.02% | 1,472,792 | 78.98% | 1,864,715 |
2020 | 396,558 | 19.64% | 1,622,447 | 80.36% | 2,019,004 |
2019 | N/A | N/A | 1,918,162 | 100% | 1,918,162 |
2018 | N/A | N/A | 1,832,296 | 100% | 1,832,296 |
2017 | N/A | N/A | 1,674,218 | 100% | 1,674,218 |
2016 – 2 | N/A | N/A | 1,335,022 | 100% | 1,335,022 |
2016 – 1 | N/A | N/A | 1,367,481 | 100% | 1,367,481 |
2015 | N/A | N/A | 1,694,537 | 100% | 1,694,537 |
Source: Source: OzTAM Metro (5 City Metro) & RegTAM Regional (Combined Agg Markets), 2015 – 2023, Total People, Avg Aud, Overnight, Time Shift to 7, contains “Married at First Sight”, excludes “Encore”, ” Grand Reunion”, “Follow on
Of the total number of views, 68.6 per cent came from linear views (1,304,242) whilst 31.4 per cent (596,202) came from BVOD views.
Interestingly, the percentage that comes from BVOD views has increased year-on-year and seems to be accelerating.
In 2020, when OzTam first started including BVOD figures, a total of 19.6 per cent of views came from BVOD, this rose to 21.08 per cent in 2021, 25.7 per cent in 2022 and 31.4 per cent in 2023.
Whilst there was a 12.2 per cent increase in views in the 8 years between 2015 and 2023, there has also been an 11 per cent population growth in that time; the population of the country is now 26,439,111 vs 23,820,236 back in 2015.
For all metrics – including 2015 – figures include only the 7 days since the showed initially aired.
A change in tone
The way viewers look at the show is not the only thing that has changed since it first aired in 2015. Back in 2015, the original iteration of MAFS was much more like a documentary and largely unrecognisable from the reality TV show we know today.
Whilst this version was not unsuccessful with viewers (it pulled in an average of 1,674,218 viewers in 2015, 1,367,481 viewers in the first series of 2016, and 1,335,022 in the second series of 2022) the was an increase in views following 2017 when the writers and producers shifted the show to be more reality-TV-like.
As well as slightly steamier storylines, this also included adding significantly more episodes to the show. There were 29 episodes of the show in 2017, compared to the 8 in the years before it.
Combined with the lockdown, the show reached its highest viewership in 2020 when average views hit 2,019,004.
Advertising spending isn’t reflecting the shift
These figures come as the industry increasingly debates whether TV is on the decline. At the Future of TV Advertising event held earlier this month in Sydney, Nine’s chief sales officer Michael Stephenson was adamant that linear TV was not dying, but rather transforming.
Stephensen admitted that in five years’ time, Nine’s online platform 9Now is likely to usurp traditional free-to-air television.
At the same event, Radha Subramanyam, president, and chief research and analytics officer at CBS in the US, questioned why we are even using the term “linear” at all.
Despite the shift in viewing habits, according to Think TV’s latest advertising spend report the vast majority of the $4.3 billion that the Australian advertising industry spends on TV, is still spent on linear TV.
Of the $ 4.3 billion spent in the 12 months up until the end of June 2022, just 9.9 percent of the total advertising spend was invested in BVOD, vs the 90.02 per cent that is invested in linear TV.
This could be due to outdated perceptions. Sources told B&T that there’s still a number of media buyers that still have a strong preference for linear TV, even if BVOD produces the same (or better) results.
This, at least, does seem to be a perception that is changing: BVOD spending was up 53.3 per cent year-on-year.
Either way, it looks like the marriage between advertisers and the TV industry is a LONG way from over.
Latest News
On The Menu Joins Forces With TBWA\Melbourne To Melt Freezer Shame
This campaign "fights misconceptions about frozen food". Ice-cream, pies, Sara Lee! What misconceptions, B&T asks?
IMAA Announces Digi-Byte Event Featuring Industry’s Top Talent Plus “Immersive” Gaming Competition
The indies fan group unveils plans for its newest event. Says anyone in a WPP running singlet will be refused entry.
Bowel Cancer Revealed As Australia’s Deadliest Creature In New Campaign, Via Ogilvy Health
Does your office have a secret & serial farter? Possibly lure them out with this important bowel cancer campaign.
Who’s In Charge? B&T Reveals The Best Of The Best Industry Association Chiefs!
B&T's acknowledging the 10 very best industry association bosses. Discover if your membership dues are worth it here.
TEDxSydney Splits Into Two; Check Its New Creative Program
TEDxSydney moves to Luna Park's Big Top in June. Get motivated & throw up on the Wild Mouse at the very same time.
TV Ratings 14/5/24: Punters More Interested In Farmer Wants A Wife Drama Than Jeremy Clarkson’s Agricultural Adventures
Think sheep husbandry programs are TV's missing link? You can't complain with Farmer Wants A Wife AND Clarkson's Farm.
Paper Moose and Innocean Australia launch Love Our Work Industry Charter
It's a top initiative fostering harmony in the creative space. Not to downplay the unbridled joy of destroying a rival.
IAB: Privacy Act Changes Might Lead To “Nonsensical Outcomes” For Digital Advertising As Industry Wrings Hands
B&T front row at the IAB's Data & Privacy Summit. So private, in fact, attendees were wearing fake moustaches.
Fortress Games Hits Play On Partnership With Havas Network’s Organic And One Green Bean
The games culture destination names local agency roster who'll hopefully explain what a games culture destination is.
Fabulate Launches New List Of Fastest Growing Aussie Creators, Including Leah Halton, Across Social Media
A list of who's hot in Australia's influencer/creator world's here. And it's bad news for foodies angling for a freebie.
Find Your Work-Life Balance: ‘Airbnb’ Your Next Job With ViewJobs
Farmer Wants A Wife piqued your interest in all things regional? See who's hiring with this regional job initiative.
Madeleine Hawcroft Joins Deadset Studios As Executive Producer
Madeleine Hawcroft has joined the Deadset Studios team. Confirms she is of no relation to Russel.
Zimmermann Opens An Immersive Brand Space At Iconic Paris Department Store Le Bon Marché With Amplify Paris
Zimmermann continues to pioneer Aussie fashion on the global stage. Not forgetting Tradies underpants in that comment.
Red Rooster And Four‘N Twenty Team Up To Rev Up “Aussie-ness” Ahead Of Footy Final Season
Australia's greatest culinary gifts to the world join as one. B&T unsure of the whereabouts of the lamington.
‘The Emperor’s New Clothes Are Going To Be Stripped Off’: News Corp’s Pippa Leary & Panel Of Industry Leaders Urge Advertisers To ‘Wake Up’
B&T goes one-on-one with News' MD of client product, Pippa Leary. Sadly, we got KO-d in the third.
News Corp Rolls Out Shoppable And Targeted In Time View Ad Formats
Accidentally doze off during the juicy bits at yesterday's D_Coded? No one will be any the wiser with these cheat tips.
Samsung Launches ‘Clash of Commuters’ with CHEP Network and Livewire
Look no further than this for the huge marketing potential of gaming. That & people willingly drinking Monster.
Fintech Disruptor Revolut Launches New Above-The-Line Campaign In Australia To Challenge Traditional Banking Conventions
Disruptor wants to "challenge traditional banking conventions". "We'll see about that," retorts Mr CBA, Westpac, et al.
Chris Freel: The Uncomplicated Complexity In OOH
Former UnLTD boss come oOh! sales director talks his love of outdoor (as in the ad medium, not hiking up a steep hill).
Cairns Crocodiles The Work: B2B Campaigns Sponsored By LinkedIn
B&T's shining a light on the B2B category for the coming Croc Awards. Well, more candle after the torch batteries died.
Expedia Launches Travel Shops Giving Influencers Tools To Shopify The Travel Content Experience
Travel's so popular they even have large conferences in Las Vegas dedicated to it. To prove it, B&T's there. Right now.
News Corp’s Lou Barrett On D_Coded: ‘The Penny Has Dropped… So We’ve Supercharged How Brands Plan, Book & Measure In One Place’
B&T chats with Lou Barrett post News' D_Coded event yesterday. Alas, we didn't talk the Tele's bikie gang fascination.
Advertisers Wasting 42% Of Digital Ad Spend – Next&Co report
With the cost of living crisis biting I think we can all agree that waste is rarely a positive thing...
Introducing New Podcast ‘MID’: Holly Wainwright Rebrands The Mid-Life Experience For Australian Women
The joys of midlife are celebrated in this new podcast. And play it loud if the old eardrums are starting to creak.
TV Ratings (13/05/2024): The Summit Brings In The Eyeballs For Nine
The Summit does the business on its return for Nine. Meanwhile, press photo confirms the importance of headwear.
Snap’s ANZ Agency Lead Ellie Rogers Steps Down Amid Restructure
Ellie Rogers says family was a big part in her next career move. Not so B&T, who only comes to work to avoid ours.
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s Awareness Drive ‘The Signs Are Everywhere’ Is B&T’s Campaign Of The Month for April 2024
B&T's ad of the month is both a worthy cause & worthy winner. Even if KFC's Zinger box can feel slightly hard done by.
iSelect Launches New Brand Campaign ‘Save More’ Via Howatson+Company
If there's an agency that's "so hot right now" it's Howatson+Co. And, yes, B&T's unnecessarily bigged-up this new work.
In The Making Expands Into Melbourne
Brisbane PR agency unveils its Melbourne plans. Still adjusting from the pineapple print to the mandatory all black.
It’s Off The Crisper Sale! Introducing KFC’s New Original Crispy Burger Series
This article contains the location to obtain free KFC burgers. Why not send the workie for real world office experience.
Spotlight On Sponsors: Rugby Australia Sign First Dedicated Female Retailer
Don't know your Storms from your Wallaroos? At least you'll be sports sponsor aware with B&T's ongoing series.
Mars Agency Rebrands As Mars United Commerce
Tired of fielding prank calls about nougat & caramel, Mars Agency rebrands to the more long-winded Mars United Commerce.
Azerion Expands Platform With Interactive Video Products
Did your last inter-team marketing brainstorm see 'interactive video' come up more often than not? Read on quickly here.
Inside NGEN: Seven’s Rachael Everett On What We Can Learn From Sport
Were you the wheezy kid that always wagged PE at school? Even more reason not to avoid this lessons-in-sport piece.
Cairns Crocodiles The Work: Changing the World Campaign Presented By Pinterest
Casual dress & motley beards aside, did you join adland to try and change the world? Get tips from those who did here.
Nine And Magnite Strengthen Partnership To Boost 9Now
Nine calls in Magnite to sort out its BVOD programmatic ads. Not before having to switch the plugs from a Type C to a I.