The Winners: Seven News was tops with 1.406 million, Getaway second with 1.346 million and Today Tonight next with 1.279 million. Today Tonight was third with 1.279 million and Nine’s repeat of Two and a Half Men averaged 1.248 million at 7pm. Seven’s Bones won the 8.30pm slot with 1.208 million viewers and How I Met Your Mother averaged 1.194 million at 7.30pm for Seven. My Name Is Earl averaged 1.191 million at 8pm. Both finish next week and are replaced by Ghost Whisperer. Nine’s Celebrity Singing Bee averaged 1.188 million. It’s losing steam despite its appeal. Home and Away averaged 1.177 million and the 7pm ABC News averaged 1.130 million, in front of Nine News in 11th spot with 1.112 million. Law And Order SVU averaged 1.048 million and A Current Affair was 13th and last in the million viewer club with 1.035 million.

The Losers: Big Brother: 807,000. Neighbours on Ten at 6.30pm, 859,000 has more viewers: that says something about how BB has been ignored by its core audience this year. The Amazing Race on Seven at 9.30pm: 858,000. Picking up ground but still weak. Ten’s Futurama repeats from 7.30pm to 8.30pm: 677,000 and 647,000 at 8pm. Not the best. Inspector Rex, the repeat at 7.30pm on SBS, 403,000. So sad.

News & CA: Seven News and Today Tonight won everywhere and of course nationally. It was a big drop in ACA‘s share last night that ruined what had been a good week so far. Being Thursday Nine falls in a hole from 6pm to 7pm, but last night it was especially low. So much so that the 7pm ABC News ran second in Sydney and Melbourne to Seven and in front of Nine in the news rankings. That’s besides finishing just in front of Nine News nationally in the overall rankings. Ten News averaged 834,000, the late News/Sports Tonight, 384,000. The 7.30 Report 878,000. Lateline Business, 167,000. Nine’s Nightline, 372,000. 6.30pm SBS News, 237,000, the 9.30pm edition, 189,000. 7am Sunrise, 350,000, 7am Today, 257,000. Q&A on the ABC at 9.30pm, 524,000.

The Stats: Nine won 6pm to midnight All People with a share of 28.1% (27.8% a week ago) from Seven with 28.0% (26.5%), Ten with 19.9% (22.5%), the ABC with 17.0% (17.1%) and SBS with 6.9% (6.1%). Nine won Sydney and Melbourne, Seven won Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Seven leads the week 27.5% to 27.2%. The AFL and Better Homes and Gardens will push Seven in front after tonight by a bit more and its whether Nine’s movies tomorrow night give it enough punch to win. It will be close. The Rugby at 7.30pm will hurt Seven. In regional areas a win for WIN/NBN with 29.2% from Prime/7Qld with 26.8%, Southern Cross (Ten) with 20.5%, the ABC with 15.7% and SBS with 7.8%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: An average night. How I Met Your Mother and My Name Is Earl again dominated all the demos up to the over 55’s. If Anna Coren does depart from Seven’s Today Tonight, ACA will pick up next year, or rather, it has a chance to pick up. Tonight and this weekend: Golf for those who liked watching people walk; bike riding for those who like watching people sweat their way through the French countryside, AFL, NRL and Rugby Union. Make your choice, consult your guides, it’s winter, but for me the Springboks vs Australia from Perth around 7.30pm on the east coast could be the highlight. AFL and NRL: fans should watch it for a brutal game of football.

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports