"Tatort's" Steady Slide: Germany's Favorite Series Loses Some Luster
In a concerning development for fans of Germany's longest-running TV show, the popular detective series "Tatort" has seen a drop in viewership. According to data from the German Press Agency, the average number of viewers tuning in to each first broadcast of "Tatort" in 2023 has decreased compared to the previous year, with around 8.6 million tuning in between New Year's Day and the second Advent.
This drop marks a noticeable decline, with the last time the show saw lower numbers being all the way back in 2011. However, despite this drop, ARD, the public broadcaster behind "Tatort," still maintains a healthy market share of around 28.6 percent for each new episode.
The fluctuating viewership of "Tatort" throughout 2023 has been anything but predictable. Almost 14 million viewers tuned in to the Münster crime thriller on March 5, but viewership plummeted to around 6 million for the Viennese "Tatort" on Whit Monday (May 29) and the experimental "Tatort" with Ulrich Tukur in October (October 22).
In fact, seven previous "Tatort" crime thrillers landed below the 7 million mark, while only three episodes soared above the 10 million mark. Despite this turbulent year in viewership, Münster's episodes remained popular, with the second Münster crime thriller of the year attracting almost three million fewer viewers than the first film last Sunday, the second Advent. However, there were still over 11 million viewers.
"Tatort" continues to dominate as Germany's most popular TV series, with around 20 different teams and an impressive 1253 films with the label broadcast since 1970. The series experienced a slight decline in viewers in 2022, with the average audience shrinking to just under 9 million, but it remains the country's favorite by a considerable margin.
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The decline in viewership might be attributed to several factors, such as the broader trends in the television industry, changes in viewer behavior, competition from streaming services, and shifts in content preferences. For example, private stations in the industry are facing declining revenues, while public broadcasters are grappling with stagnating funding. Moreover, the rise of streaming services can draw viewers away from traditional television, even if the show remains popular among its loyal audience.
Despite the shift in viewership, "Tatort" continues to deliver high-quality content with a loyal following. Fans can look forward to the Frankfurt case "Kontrollverlust" on Boxing Day (December 26) and the Crime thriller "Polizeiruf 110" on the first channel in Munich on the third Sunday of Advent.
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