I guess it’s indicative of the current sorry state of SBS World News . On last night’s 6.30 bulletin, during a story on the successful landing of the space shuttle “Endeavour”, the caption displayed on screen for teacher/astronaut Barbara Morgan read “Christa McAuliffe”. I didn’t record it, but it would be great if you guys could get hold of a copy and post it on the Crikey website.  

How times change . Back in 1967 Mick Jagger and Keef got into all sorts of trouble over drugs. Earlier this week, officials at London’s O2 Arena cautioned Keef and Ronnie Wood for… smoking. — Christian Kerr

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: Thank God jumped sharply last night to top the 2 million mark. It was number 1 with 2.05 million and lifted House into second to 1.70 million in its penultimate outing. Seven News was third with 1.515 million people, Nine’s Temptation was next with 1.359 million, Today Tonight was 5th with 1.322 million and Home and Away was 6th with 1.321 million. A Current Affair was next with 1.279 million and Nine News was 8th with 1.238 million. RPA finished with 1.217 million in 9th spot and Spicks and Specks was 10th for the ABC with 1.211 million. The 7pm ABC News was next with 1.092 million, Nine’s 9.30 program, Without A Trace averaged 1.088 million in 12th spot and McLeod’s Daughters averaged 1.072 million in 13th. 14th and last in the list of millionaire programs was Seven’s 7.30 program, Most Shocking with 1.055 million. The Chaser repeat at 9pm averaged 968,000.

The Losers: Well Seven from 7.30pm wasn’t really there. Most Shocking was the peak with just over a million viewers and The Force (827,000) and Murder Squad (676,000) are there but not making an impact. Only diehard Seven fans are watching those three programs. Air Crash Investigations at 9.30pm with 714,000 did better than Murder Squad .

News & CA: Seven News won nationally, as did Today Tonight . Today Tonight lost Sydney and Melbourne to ACA . Seven news won Sydney and Melbourne. 7am Sunrise , 374,000, 7am Today 284,000 (and within 100,000 viewers again). The 9am Morning Show on Seven, 181,000, KAK on Nine at 9am, 102,000, 9am With David & Kim , 121,000.

The Stats: Ten won the night with 30% (28.7% last Wednesday night) from Nine with 26.3% (unchanged), Seven with 23.8% (24.2%), the ABC with 15.8% (16.7%) and SBS unchanged on 4.0%. Seven leads the week 28.7% to 25.5% for Nine and 23.9% for Ten. In regional areas WIN/NBN won with 27.8% for Nine, from Southern Cross (Ten) with 27.5%, Prime/7Qld with 25.9%, the ABC with 14.2% and SBS with 4.5%

Glenn Dyer’s comments: It was a night when entertainment mattered and won through: specifically Thank God You’re Here . RPA on Nine at 8.30pm was as good as it has been. Far better than House which is now a confection of drama and pseudo-medicine. Last night was contrived, RPA was real (but why turn the theme by Borodin into something fruity. It isn’t. In its original version, the Steppes of Central Asia is an elegant piece of music and suited to the high emotions on screen.. And guess who chose it for the theme all those years ago at Nine?). Tonight its the Footy Shows and Sea Patrol on Nine versus not much else. More repeats on Ten from 7pm (and at 6pm) to 9.30pm. Seven has got rid of Las Vegas after That ’70s Show ended. Instead is a new Ghost Whisperer and the first of a new BBC series called Fight For Life . The ABC is a wasteland with Difference of Opinion , that’s if you haven’t fled at seeing what’s on at 8.30pm.