Season finale of Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts on M-Net plunges 62% as show sheds thousands of DStv subscribers who couldn't keep up with disastrous scheduling moves.

by Thinus Ferreira

The latest season of Survivor South Africa on M-Net (DStv 101) was a ratings dud with a much lower viewership during the season, and the viewership of the Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts finale last week which plunged a shocking 62% from the season 8 finale a year ago.

The finale of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts on M-Net on Thursday 25 August pulled only 38 988 DStv subscribers to tune in to the linear TV broadcast conclusion of the season.

It means that the Afrokaans-produced reality competition series shed close to two-thirds of the overall audience which the series pulled for the season finale of Survivor SA: Immunity Island a year ago on 16 September 2021 when it still drew 102 290 viewers to the 19:30-timeslot.

According to the ratings supplied by the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA), the season finale of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts lost a shocking 63 302 linear TV viewers compared to the finale of Survivor SA: Immunity Island.

It's not just the finale of the latest local season of the Banijay-format show that had lacklustre ratings, with the show's viewership that tanked right from the get-go.

Survivor SA's viewership crumbled this season with M-Net's disastrous scheduling move to both a much earlier timeslot at 18:00, as well as stacking four episodes weekly. 

It gave Survivor SA a much smaller potential audience not yet home or not ready to watch TV for an hour.

Many DStv subscribers also quickly fell behind and couldn't keep up with the stacking of episodes for a serialised show with viewers reluctant to watch a new episode before having watched everything to date. 

Other viewers abandoned the show when they got the vote result as a spoiler before they had watched it, and with just 24 hours before yet a new episodes arrived - similar to a sport match's score, it is something that decreases the desire to watch the actual match content. 

The drop in ratings is exactly what TVwithThinus predicted would happen with Survivor SA months ago.

For its debut the viewership of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts also plummeted, losing 43% of its total viewers, with only 43 306 DStv subscribers who tuned in for the start on 18 July on M-Net according to the BRCSA, compared to the 75 770 viewers who watched the start of the previous season.

ALSO READ: TV ratings for Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts plummet 43% after M-Net's earlier and daily timeslot move.

ALSO READ: How season 9 of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts on M-Net got pirated for global free viewing faster than ever before. 

ALSO READ: M-Net dumps Survivor South Africa post-show press briefing for season 9's Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts. 

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. How M-Net's big mistake with season 9 of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts and the daily stacking of episodes will damage fan buzz, viewer retention, media coverage and ratings. 

ALSO READ: TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. How M-Net dropped the ball on PR for Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts and snuffed out publicity and media exposure for the ratings-tanked 9th season.

TV ratings for Survivor South Africa Return of the Outcasts plummet 43% after M-Net's earlier and daily timeslot move.

by Thinus Ferreira

The viewership of Survivor South Africa has plummeted, losing 43% of its total viewers with the debut of the latest 9th season, entitled Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts, after M-Net shunted the show to a much earlier timeslot and stacked the schedule with daily episodes making it more difficult for viewers to keep up.

DStv subscribers didn't return for Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts, produced by Afrokaans for M-Net (DStv 101), with the debut episode of the latest season - again filmed earlier this year in the Eastern Cape - shedding close to half of the audience who still watched and followed the previous season.

Only 43 306 viewers tuned in for the start of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts linear broadcast on 18 July in M-Net's 18:00 timeslot on DStv channel 101, compared to 75 770 DStv subscribers who watched the start of the previous season, according to viewership data compiled and provided by the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA). 

That's a loss of 42.8% in viewers for Survivor SA and M-Net this year, compared to the beginning of June a year ago.

Whereas the 8th season had one weekly episode screened at 19:30 in primetime on M-Net with a social media hashtag that trended for hours into the night, audience engagement for the new 9th season with episodes now earlier and daily at 18:00, appears ephemeral with much less social media buzz and a lot fewer DStv subscribers sticking around to watch.

Following its much lower debut in the ratings, subsequent Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts episodes all slumped even further in the TV ratings race, with M-Net stacking four episodes per week in the 18:00-timeslot.

The earlier timeslot, as well as multiple weekly episodes for a show where viewers like to discuss the players' strategy and decisions for days on end, have made it difficult for DStv subscribers to keep up, or for viewers to return who have missed an episode due to Eskom electricy blackouts or family responsibilities and haven't yet watched a particular to see who got voted out before another one arrives.

The instant digital piracy of pristine, high-definition episodes, made available online as direct downloads and as torrents which popped up on the internet this season faster than ever before, is very likely also taking a bite out of M-Net and the show's linear TV ratings.

Nadine Moonsamy, M-Net publicity manager, in response to a media query about the Survivor SA ratings loss, told TVwithThinus that the 18:00-timeslot "affects absolute viewer numbers and our DStv Catch up service augments our viewer numbers, both of which are taken into consideration when scheduling".

M-Net didn't respond to questions as to why the Survivor SA frequency of episodes per week was changed or whether the show's much lower ratings will have an impact on whether the local version of the Banijay reality competition format is renewed for a next 10th season.

ALSO READ: How season 9 of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts on M-Net got pirated for global free viewing faster than ever before.

How season 9 of Survivor SA Return of the Outcasts on M-Net got pirated for global free viewing faster than ever before.

by Thinus Ferreira

Online TV pirates are outwitting, outplaying and outlasting the latest 9th season of Survivor South Africa on M-Net, after they instantly captured and have since been downloading and sharing episodes from right after the broadcast debut of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts last week as part of DStv's premium pay-TV content offering.

In June 2021 it still took just over a day but less than two, for the first episode of the 8th season, entitled Survivor SA: Immunity Island, to find its way to the internet through illegally uploaded copies, followed by the rest of the season's episodes.

This year - and as M-Net switched Survivor SA to 4 episodes per week - the pirating process was even quicker. 

The first episode of Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts made its pirate debut last week online on Monday night, mere hours after it started its premiere linear broadcast run on M-Net (DStv 101) on Monday evening. 

TVwithThinus won't mention any pirate sites offering the episodes but checked the validity and quality of the uploaded and shared episodes of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts online which pirates are making available for direct download as well as torrents.

These digital downloads of episodes and torrents of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts are of pristine quality - high-definition (HD) episodes, with clear video and audio, without any watermarks and without any M-Net or other corner channel marker logos. 

After less than 5 minutes of searching online, TVwithThinus last week found that a popular file-sharing site that hosts content and files as a free cloud storage service, already had the first episode of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts on offer to downloaders around the world within hours - and even quicker than last year.

The web address of this folder as well as the password is freely shared in online message boards for South African and global viewers who are now watching and following the show in droves online but who are bypassing DStv and M-Net. This is just one site and one cloud storage service folder containing the pirated content.

All of the other available episodes so far - produced by Afrokaans and meant for MultiChoice's DStv Premium subscribers who are paying the most for access to M-Net's content as its flagship pay-TV channel - have been uploaded and shared for download or torrenting.

Besides M-Net, Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts is also being shown simultaneously on Australia's 10play, the live-stream and catch-up service of that country's Network Ten commercial TV channel.

M-Net and Irdeto, MultiChoice's broadcast encryption technology division, say that pirating TV content damages the TV industry and they are now investigating the matter after being made aware of it.

M-Net was asked where pirates find the versions of Survivor SA episodes and if it is from South African or Australian sources, why Survivor SA is specifically targeted by pirates, and also what M-Net is doing, or able to do to prevent or remove pirated content online.

M-Net didn't answer any of the specific questions but in response to the media query sent TVwithThinus the same statement it did last year, saying "Survivor is a global phenomenon and in recent years the South African version has gained vast popularity among fans abroad".

"M-Net was made aware of the illegal downloading and sharing of the series and we are investigating the matter."

"M-Net strongly condemns our content being pirated in any format. Piracy negatively impacts the development of the local television and film industries and undermines the investment of broadcasters and sponsors. We encourage viewers to report illegal downloads or streaming to piracy@multichoice.co.za".

TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. How M-Net's big mistake with season 9 of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts and the daily stacking of episodes will damage fan buzz, viewer retension, media coverage and ratings.

by Thinus Ferreira

If you haven't had a chance yet to watch the first episode of the new 9th season of Survivor South Africa: Return of the Outcasts on M-Net (DStv 101) that aired on Monday night, I've got some bad news for you - M-Net and MultiChoice already have another episode on the way on Tuesday night. And another on Wednesday. And another on Thursday.

Besides your daily work and chores, and you know - living - including Eskom electricity blackouts in the evening and all your other must-do's and must-give-attention-to's, M-Net now expects you to watch Survivor South Africa daily... and if you don't ... well, sorry for you.

No more getting a breather to discuss - you know - castaways' strategies, potential power rankings, foolish and accidental mistakes, germinating alliances, would-be-could-be alliances, alliances, backstabbings and betrayals, and what actually happened in an episode for a few days. 

M-Net and MultiChoice are now giving you just 24 hours to watch a Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts episode - or you fall behind. 

And even worse: Perhaps getting last night's Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts episode spoilt through things like who-got-voted-out spoilers or other details which all make you less, not more inclined to watch an episode, or to keep following and watching the season.

It's not clear what exactly whoever at M-Net was thinking, but a show like Survivor - just like the torch of the final winner - is a slow-burn.

Survivor SA is not a show like MasterChef with M-Net that also switched that show to a daily programming schedule on its linear TV channel line-up earlier this year. 

For a show like MasterChef South Africa daily episodes are fine. MasterChef is about individual chefs competing against each other, yes, but much more competing against themselves. 

They don't huddle in whispers, they don't disappear two-two to a beach or secluded spot to gossip, create alliances or fight for their chance to remain in the show at a Tribal Council.

M-Net doesn't seem to fundamentally grasp the difference.

With Survivor SA, M-Net seems to now want to mindlessly burn off Survivor SA episodes like Netflix dropping a stacked full season of a show, to be binge-watched and be done over a weekend. 

The approach of Disney+, dropping an episode of Star Wars: The Mandalorian per week works much, much better - letting the audience congregate around a single episode, letting all viewers get up to speed with the narrative-building story and enjoying the single-episode release buzz together.

For a week viewers get to buzz, speculate and TV commune together about Baby Yoda, possible easter eggs and clues, foreshadowing symbolism, characters and the story. 

With some shows, what happens after the broadcast or release of an episode is often as important and as integral to building and growing audience retention as the episode itself. 

When exactly are DStv subscribers supposed to talk about an episode of Survivor South Africa: The Return of the Outcasts? On the night after broadcast when not everybody has yet seen it? The next morning? The next afternoon? The weekend when there are already the four episodes of that week in existence?

M-Net and Survivor SA made a big mistake this season by diluting the value of the potential community and buzz around the show by deciding to apparently burn through it roughshod with little or no thought of how the South African and global community following Survivor SA consumes episodes.

Even very ordinary viewers will struggle to keep up as casual or moderately interested DStv subscribers. And if you've missed Wednesday evening's episode, will you be less or more likely to tune in on Thursday if you haven't yet had any chance to watch Wednesday's episode?

M-Net and MultiChoice will also be getting way less press and coverage for Survivor SA. Show me the journalist that's going to sit and do exit interviews every single day, instead of trying to fit in weekly interviews with whoever left Survivor SA (which was already a tall order) like before in previous seasons?

Who wants to hear from Contestant C, voted out Tuesday, in an interview on Wednesday when Contestant D and Contestant E have also been already voted out on Wednesday and Thursday irrevocably altering the balance of power dynamics throughout the whole game? It's old news.

How many journalists covering television and TV critics are going to simply be able to fit in yet another hourlong daily show into their already packed schedule of watching and reporting about TV? Even the most ardent, hard-working journos simply don't have the time, even if they have the willingness.

M-Net really shortchanged Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts by making it a Days of Our Lives Beach Life daily show, reducing its potential traction under fans, the ability of ordinary viewers and DStv subscribers to keep up, and the media.

A TV show - any show - shouldn't make the viewer or the fan like it's homework and a type of "you better watch this now because you're going to fall behind". It's supposed to be something to enjoy, to treasure and to savour. To get a chance to talk about with friends or fans who are also watching it.

Maybe if there's a 10th season from Afrokaans sanity will prevail and Survivor SA will be turned back into a weekly show the way it's supposed to be - with time to breathe and discuss the intricacies, strategies, alliances and blindsides of a wonderful and genius TV show.

Afrokaans wraps filming on Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts with the upcoming 9th season on M-Net once again shot in South Africa's Eastern Cape province.

by Thinus Ferreira

The latest season of Survivor South Africa, Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts, has wrapped filming with the upcoming 9th season that was once again filmed in South Africa - apparently close to Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape province and eyeing a broadcast date of mid-2022 winter broadcast date on M-Net (DStv 101).

Once again produced by Afrokaans with principal photography that took place during February and March, M-Net has remained tight-lipped about this season's filming and didn't want to comment for a report that filming has completed.

With the global Covid-19 pandemic receding but not gone and international travel and filming logistics still problematic, Afrokaans once again opted to film Survivor SA in South Africa and again chose the Eastern Cape for season 9, according to several insiders.

The 9th season will see several returning players, with Martin Holmes from the Inside Survivor site who revealed a rumoured Survivor SA season 9 castaway list last month which has not been confirmed or denied by M-Net.

Inside Survivor said the upcoming season was filmed along the Great Fish River - something that insiders also told TVwithThinus, although insiders didn't mention any castaway names.

Nico Panagio will once again be back as Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts host that will feature castaways "who haven't made it to the the final Tribal Council of their season and all will have a score to settle".

Season 9 of Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts on M-Net to film in early-2022 with new twists, casting process ongoing with all previous seasons' players eligible who didn't make final Tribal Council.

by Thinus Ferreira

Filming of M-Net's upcoming 9th season of Survivor South Africa will take place early in 2022 with new and unexpected twists - very likely once again somewhere in South Africa due to the ongoing global Covid-19 pandemic - with players from all previous South African seasons who are being considered for the new "all-stars" season who never made it to the final Tribal Council.

At the MultiChoice Showcase 2021 M-Net confirmed a media query first made by TVwithThinus earlier that Survivor SA has been renewed for a 9th season that will be broadcast on the channel from July 2022.

M-Net (DStv 101) tells TVwithThinus in response to another media query this week that M-Net can't disclose the specific location of the 9th season of Survivor SA that is subtitled "Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts".

This is likely due to the production company Afrokaans - with Handrie Basson as executive producer and Leroux Botha as creative producer and series director of the South African version of the reality competition series - that wants to keep prying eyes away during filming.

M-Net and the production company also don't want to disclose the exact dates and duration period of filming to maintain the confidentiality of the production, although filming will likely again take place over about a month and a half of on-location shooting somewhere in South Africa with Nico Panagio back as the host of the local version of the Banijay format reality competition.

According to Afrokaans, all previous Survivor SA seasons' players are eligible to make a comeback in Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts, and are being considered for the new season.

"The casting process has not yet been completed but all previous seasons' players are eligible and being considered for the new season," says M-Net.

As to which players specifically are eligible, Afrokaans says "none of the players eligible for the 9th season would have made it to the final Tribal Council of their season and all will have a score to settle".

Survivor South Africa season 9 will once again be filmed within a tightly-controlled Covid-19 safe production bubble with potential cast and crew screened with PCR tests. M-Net says that all Covid-19 safety protocols will once more be in place for the production.  

As to why Afrokaans and M-Net went for an "all-stars" 9th season? "After Survivor SA season 8 and calls from viewers to see previous players return to the game, it was decided that the time was right for a returning players season," M-Net says.

Will the 9th season - that will clearly be as gruelling and mentally and physically exhausting as previous seasons of Survivor SA - be even more difficult, with more difficult challenges since it's returning players who know a bit more and already have first-hand experience of the game?

"As Survivor SA fans have become accustomed to, the new season will include new and exciting twists and turns that are unexpected - even for returning players," Afrokaans says. "However, with a bunch of contestants who have already played this game once, they are all better equipped to Outwit, Outplay and Outlast."

A preliminary title card for Survivor SA: Return of the Outcasts yields a tantalising first clue: micromaze symbols in the shape of an upside-down red triangle (nabla), a blue hexagon and a yellow square.

ALSO READ: M-Net renews Survivor South Africa for an all-stars 9th season to be broadcast in July 2022.

ALSO READ: INTERVIEW. Will there be a Survivor SA season 9? M-Net's local content boss on the reality show's future and its eye-popping 8th season.