KUALA LUMPUR: The recently-concluded 'Salam Baitullah 2024', produced by RTM for this year's pilgrimage season, recorded a double increase in rating compared to last year's edition.
In a news report today, Season 16 of the show, comprised of 17 episodes, had been viewed 3.4 million times on social media, compared to 1.5 million views recorded in 2023.
The deputy director of RTM's current news division, Md Shahri Saripan, was quoted in the report as saying that while the ratings for TV viewership remain similar to last year's, the social media platforms recorded a significant increase.
"When we started having a quiz segment, we saw an encouraging response. The majority of viewers who took part in the quiz were those below 40, which was a good development as the show had attracted younger viewers," he said.
Asked whether the recent controversy involving one of this season's hosts, Ustaz Don Daniyal, had contributed to the increased viewership, Md Shahri did not deny the possibility.
"Maybe. But on the other hand, the content featured had also been interesting.
"And this season also saw the show broadcast from the Putra Mosque in Putrajaya, which was outside the usual studio setting," he said.