Eurovision 2011: Top viewing figures in Hungary

Corresponder: KLÉSZ Imre
Source: MTVA Press release

Every third television viewer chose to watch the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday evening, it means that the Grand Final was the most-watched television programme of the MTV Hungarian Television in this year. MTVA (Hungarian Media Support and Broadcasting Fund) is content with the viewing figures, but is not satisfied with the final result in the contest. Not only the Hungarian viewers but also international music experts, fans and bookmakers expected a higher ranking for Kati Wolf who reached the 22th place in the Grand Final.

The 56th Eurovision Song Contest reached 30,2% adult viewers on the public service channel m1, beating the commercial tv channels with the transmission of the 3 hours live show. The figures are even better in the commercial target group: 32,1% of the 18-49 years old watched MTV Hungarian Television. During the Grand Final on Saturday night almost 3 million viewers switched to the Eurovision Song Contest which means that every third Hungarian watched the show. Of course the peak was reached during Kati Wolf’s performance: 1 million 6 thousand viewers watched m1, which is a 38% reach in the commercial target group. In the latter even 50% were reached during the announcement of the votes. Probably the exceptional alliance of Hungarian public service and commercial broadcasters played a role in the good viewing results: besides the public service television also the most popular commercial channel called RTL Klub supported Kati Wolf’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

While the public service broadcaster is content with the viewing figures, it is not satisfied with the final result in the contest. As project manager Attila Várkonyi said, “We all expected a higher ranking for Kati, not only us, but also music experts and bookmakers expected her in the top 5. We have to draw the conclusions and decide how to go on in the future. One thing is for sure, there is an interest for Hungarian music across the borders, we already got offers from foreign countries to publish Kati’s song.” László Szabó, Director of Communications at the MTVA Media Support and Broadcasting Fund thinks that the Hungarian Television participated with a good song and a good performer in the Eurovision Song Contest. “We are proud of Kati and the whole team behind her and we are proud of the joint forces of viewers in Hungary and beyond the country borders. We also have to emphasize on the outstanding work of the Hungarian public service media system: besides m1 which broadcast the ESC also Duna TV, Hungarian Radio and the national news agency MTI participated actively in promoting our contestant at home and abroad. It is a fact that this contest is not only about songs because the final result is influenced by numerous other circumstances, however, Kati Wolf gave her best to promote Hungarian music abroad.”