The 19th Junior Eurovision Song Contest (JESC) broadcast on Sunday 19 December, reached a total of 33 million viewers across 14 measured markets*, with the show recording its highest average viewing share (15.6%) since 2011.

4.5 million unique viewers also watched content around the event, including the Live Show, on the Contest’s YouTube Channel**. 

An average TV audience of 7.5 million saw the spectacular 2021 competition which saw 19 countries take to the stage of La Seine Musicale in Paris in a spectacular Christmas-themed show hosted by France Télévisions. EBU Members can view the full audience report here.

The hosts delivered the second largest audience with 1.6 million tuning in to France 2. A year-on-year increase of 400,000 viewers. 

Poland saw the biggest average TV audience for a third year in a row as 2.8 million watched their act Sara James finish 2nd in the competition. JESC 2021 attracted 4 times as many viewers than usual in the same slot to the 3 TVP channels it aired on.

Overall, 11 out 14 markets recorded saw larger audiences than are normally received by their broadcaster in that slot.

In the winning country, Armenia, on average 43% of all TV viewers watched JESC 2021 on AMPTV who will host the 20th Eurovision Song Contest later this year.

Iceland, who didn’t take part but aired the competition for the first time, recorded a share of 96%!

YOUNG AUDIENCE SHARE MORE THAN DOUBLES

The show’s appeal to young audiences was clear.

The Contest delivered an 12.6% viewing share among children aged 4 to 14, up 59% on the average normally achieved by the group of broadcast channels of 7.9%. 

And the 2.5-hour event also delivered an 11.2% viewing share among 15 – 24-year-olds, more than twice than the average number normally achieved by the same group of broadcast channels of 5%.

RECORD ONLINE ENGAGEMENT 

Those numbers were also reflected online. On social media the Contest saw its best year ever. 

There were 8.3 million video views on TikTok and 5.7 million video views and 23 million impressions on Instagram, the Contest’s most popular digital platforms.***

A record number saw content on Instagram with engagement up 166% year on year and up 728% on Facebook. On Twitter, engagement was up 64% with posts on the channel being seen 4.3 million times throughout the week of the event. 

The posts of winner Malena, who sang Qami Qami, were seen 2.2 million times across Facebook (1.5k), Twitter (395k) and Instagram (362k).

The 20th anniversary edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest will be held by 2021’s winning broadcaster AMPTV in Armenia later this year.

For more news about the event as it’s announced visit junioreurovision.tv and follow our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels. 

*Source: EBU based on Glance / Relevant Partners 
** Between 13-26 December 2021
*** Between 19 November and 26 December 2021