MEDIASTATS: Drama top TV fare for Asia's youth

Judging by their viewing habits, Asia's youth - those between 15

and 24 years - could almost pass for their parents.

Across seven markets, drama was cited as the most popular TV genre

favoured by the youth segment, according to a poll by NFO.

Youth in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Korea put drama

series as their top viewing choice on free-to-air TV, although it was

more of a mixed picture for pay-TV programming. Drama beat game and talk

shows, documentaries and news in the five markets.

The lure of drama series was strongest in Hong Kong and Korea, where 77

per cent of respondents in both markets cited it as their favourite

free-to-air viewing staple, according to the poll.

In contrast, youth in China - Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai - showed

the most interest in current affairs. Fifty-eight per cent of

respondents cited news as their top choice, followed by drama and

variety programmes.

This compares with a 26 per cent response rate for news by respondents

across the border.

Young viewers showed a wider range of viewing favourites on pay-TV.

Drama took the top vote in three pay-TV markets, with the remaining

choices split among movies (Singapore), sports (Hong Kong) and music

programmes (Korea), the poll found.

YOUTH VIEWING HABITS

FREE-TO-AIR TV

Malaysia Drama (53%) Documentary (12%) News (10%)

(Base: 156)

China News (58%) Drama (34%) Variety programme

(Base: 156) (22%)

Singapore Drama (46%) Game Show (13%) News (10%)

(Base: 96)

Taiwan Drama (26%) News (22%) Variety programme

(Base: 132) (19%)

Hong Kong Drama (77%) Game Show (38%) News (26%)

(Base: 95)

Korea Drama (77%) Entertainment Talk show (12%)

(Base: 121) programme (50%)

Japan Entertainment Drama (31%) News (18%)

(Base: 102) programme (42%)

PAY TV

Malaysia Drama (14%) Entertainment Music programme

(Base: 156) programme (7%) (6%)

China Drama (58%) Entertainment Sports (27%)

(Base: 156) programme (33%)

Singapore Movie (13%) Music programme Sports (11%)

(Base: 96) (11%)

Taiwan Drama (24%) Entertainment Sports (14%)

(Base: 132) programme (14%)

Hong Kong Sports (16%) Music programme News (10%)

(Base: 95) (10%)

Korea Music programme Movies (18%) Sports (12%)

(Base: 121) (28%)

Japan Drama (6%) Movie (5%) Sports (5%)

(Base: 102)