BARB report reveals poor figures for Carlton channels

Carlton’s digital services have come under the spotlight, after a leaked analysis of viewing figures showed the Carlton Food Network and Carlton Cinema channels have failed to attract a viewer for the past five weeks.

Figures from the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB) show the two channels have recorded a zero share of viewing in the weeks to February 11, February 4, January 28, 21 and 14. However, Carlton disputes the figures, saying Carlton Food Network has doubled its percentage of shared viewing on cable television to 0.34 per cent. A spokesman says BARB does not measure Carlton’s channels in ONdigital homes.

Carlton Food Network is to rebrand as Taste this spring. The spokesman says: “things are going well, but we have got lots to do.”

One observer claims Carlton Food Network has attracted at most 2,500 viewers at any one time this year, while Carlton Cinema achieved half of this. “These small figures just don’t show up,” he says.

Last week, C4’s digital channel E4 defended itself after figures revealed four shows on one night had no viewers.

E4 says that it has a number of “appointment to view” programmes such as Friends, ER, Ally McBeal and Trigger Happy TV which have attracted at least 200,000 viewers. Its share of viewing for the week to February 11 was 0.4 per cent. This is less than Sky One’s 3.8 per cent and half BBC Choice’s 0.87 per cent.

E4 claims it beats Choice in the hours it broadcasts, but Choice has a higher rating as it broadcasts all day, while E4 offers an evening service.