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Viceland UK experiences 'lacklustre' Sky TV launch clocking up several zero viewer ratings during peak times

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By Rebecca Stewart, Trends Editor

October 4, 2016 | 4 min read

It may have attracted a lot of buzz but Vice's UK TV network Viceland has failed to convert hype into viewers, with fresh analysis indicating a "lacklustre" launch.

viceland ratings

Viceland UK experiences 'lacklustre' Sky TV launch clocking up several zero viewer ratings during peak times

The UK arm of Viceland launched earlier this year and is exclusively available on Sky, while the US offering is broadcast across numerous cable providers including Time Warner, Bright House Networks and DirecTV.

Data from the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (Barb) studied by Enders Analysis indicates that the UK channel only managed to reach a peak audience of 14,000 during 9pm to 11pm in its first two weeks of broadcast.

Further research shows that during the same time on other nights, when Viceland launched new shows like Big Night Out, the network attracted the dreaded zero audience figure – meaning that less than 1,000 people tuned in to watch.

The data comes at a fairly early time in Viceland's lifespan, but the research has also indicated that its opening night achieved just an average of 5,500 viewers between 8pm and 2am.

Enders revealed that the millennial-centric channel's best result at attracting 16 to 34-year-olds was fewer than 10,000 viewers one night during the first two weeks of broadcast.

Tom Harrington, an analyst at Enders, told the Guardian that Viceland UK represented a "lacklustre launch", which followed on from a "similarly underwhelming" debut in the US earlier this year.

"It is surely early days, but despite strong content, the initial results were predictable, considering the challenges. The response by Vice, that viewing figures are essentially immaterial to its plans, was expected, but deviated from earlier bullish sentiment."

He continued: "Vice has paid for a home where browsing footfall is rapidly diminishing, surrounded by neighbours, which tellingly, create no original programming. Added to this is a marketing budget which is seemingly unable to stretch to anything outside the already enraptured Vice-sphere."

Commenting on the Enders' data, a Vice spokesperson said: "Judging a new channel on its ratings when it’s just out of the blocks is extremely premature. Looking at Viceland in the US after six months, the average audience age dropped by nearly 20 years, its audience is growing week by week, and our programming is Emmy nominated. In the coming months we expect to mirror the same success here in the UK as well."

Vice founder and chief executive Shane Smith said back in June that ad revenue potential for the US version of the youth-focused channel was "amazing."

"We are bringing millennials back to TV," he added at the time, as he talked up the company’s plans to "go after a premium audience". Many media owners have tired and failed with similar gambits, though the media executive said he believed the “revenue is coming because the demographic is there."

Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal reported that the cable channel was pulling in an average of 45,000 adult viewers under the age of 50 ifariln the States - the demographic most sought after by advertisers. According to Nielsen, however, the media owner has since grown its audience by 20 per cent from August to September to reach an average of 56,000 among what it has noted as its key audience, 18 to 49-year-olds.

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