The debate between Pedro Nuno Santos (PS) and Andre Ventura (Chega), broadcast by TVI, was the most watched, with the last one expected to be a face-to-face one between the Socialist leader and Luis Montenegro (AD).
According to analysis by Universal McCann, a media agency part of the Mediabrands group, the debate “was the most watched program of the day and reached an average audience of one million 219 thousand viewers, corresponding to a ‘share’ of 26.3%.” .
In second place was the debate between the leader of the Democratic Alliance (AD) and Mariana Mortagua (Bloc de Esquerda), also broadcast on TVI, with an “average audience of one million and 52 thousand viewers, representing a “share” of 21.5% “
Rounding out the top three debates with the largest audience is the face-to-face debate broadcast on Sunday by SIC between Luis Montenegro and Ruy Rocha (Liberal Initiative).
The debate between the two parties, “which could form a new right-wing government after the March 10 elections,” recorded “an average audience of one million and 26 thousand viewers, reaching a ‘share’ of 20.5%.”
Regarding the debates broadcast on news channels (RTP3, SIC Notícias and CNN Portugal), those in which Andre Ventura participated “had the highest audience”.
According to Universal McCann, “the clash between President Chegi and Rui Rocha of the Liberal Initiative, broadcast by SIC Notícias, was the most watched (average audience 317 thousand viewers / “share” 7.3%), followed by the debate between Andre Ventura and Rui Tavares [Livre]SIC Notícias is also broadcast (average audience 262 thousand viewers/share 6.0%).”
The head-to-head meeting between Andre Ventura and Mariana Mortagua, broadcast on RTP3, “completes the podium of the most watched debates on news channels (average audience 246 thousand viewers / “share” 5.3%).”
If we exclude the debates of Andre Ventura on news channels from the confrontation, then the most viewed debates were between Mariana Mortagua and Ruy Tavares. It “ranked 6th out of 15, had an average audience of 141K viewers and a share of 3.7%.”
After two weeks of debates, “apart from the most anticipated clash between the Democratic Alliance and the Socialist Party, the viewership of debates broadcast on public channels is dwindling,” he says.
“In the last legislative period, in 2022, we had nine debates with an average audience of over a million viewers, whereas now we only had three debates,” Universal McCann highlights.
In the opposite direction, “we see debates broadcast on news channels, in which interest from the Portuguese has increased.”
In other words, in 2022, there were “no debates on news channels with an average audience of more than 200 thousand viewers,” and this year “we had four debates that managed to exceed this bar,” he points out.
“In the balance of two weeks of debate and monitoring the audience throughout the day between information channels, we can state an increase in the “share” of RTP3 (+0.1 p.p.) and SIC Notícias (+0.1 p.p.) compared to January.”
Legislative elections are scheduled for March 10.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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