Kan 11 Faces Challenge to Sustain High Viewership After World Cup Ends
Kan 11, Israel's public broadcasting channel, experiences a significant surge in viewership every four years during the FIFA World Cup, attracting millions of viewers with minimal effort. The 2023 tournament's opening match between Mexico and South Africa drew a 13.3% rating with 423,000 viewers, slightly surpassing the 2022 World Cup opener in Qatar. The highest ratings were recorded during the Round of 16 match between Spain and Portugal at 18.9%, while the Argentina vs. Egypt game reached 16.7% with 536,000 viewers. Additionally, the Argentina-Egypt match set a digital viewing record for Kan 11, with 3.6 million views across Kan BOX, the website, and the app.
Despite this boost, Kan 11 faces the recurring challenge of converting these temporary World Cup viewers into regular audience members. After the 2022 tournament, many viewers returned to commercial channels such as Keshet, Reshet, and Channel 14. Dr. Alina Bernstein, a media and sports researcher at Tel Aviv University and the College of Management, noted that viewers primarily tune in for the World Cup and tend to revert to their usual entertainment channels afterward.
Kan 11 emphasizes strategic promotion of original content, notably the new series "HaPashuta," aiming to engage younger audiences who prefer binge-watching. The channel also sees digital platforms like Kan BOX and its app as key assets to maintain audience interest beyond traditional prime-time ratings. However, success depends on producing additional "blockbuster" content to retain viewers.
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