The Winners: Seven News continued on its merry way with 1.628 million viewers (it beat Nine News in Sydney by 85,000, 162,000 in Melbourne and 160,000 in Brisbane). Today Tonight was second with 1.417 million. Getaway was 3rd for Nine at 7.30 pm with 1.330 million and MasterChef Australia was 4th with 1.219 million for Ten at 7pm. A Current Affair was 5th with 1.201 million and 20 to 1 at 8.30pm on Nine was 6th with 1.188 million. Nine News was 7th with 1.184 million and Two and a Half Men averaged 1.140 million at 7pm for Nine. Home and Away averaged 1.106 million people. Seven’s Ghost Whisperer averaged 1.102 million at 7.30pm and Grey’s Anatomy averaged 1.091 million for 11th spot. The AFL and NRL Footy Shows were a combined 12th for Nine from 9.30pm with 1.006 million. Ten’s Law and Order CI averaged 932,000 at 8.30pm. Deal or No Deal at 5.30 pm, 841,000, Hot Seat on Nine, 590,000 (the first time under 600,000 for three weeks). Ten News won the 5pm to 6pm slot with 982,000.

The Losers: Ten’s Worst Week at 8pm: 620,000 viewers. Medium at 9.30pm, 720,000. Poor all round. Private Practice on Seven at 9.30pm, 786,000. Rules of Engagement rose to 884,000 at 7.30pm for Ten. It’s still a poor program.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market as did Today Tonight. The 7.30 Report averaged 825,000, Lateline, 321,000, Lateline Business, 186,000. Ten’s late News/Sports Tonight, 329,000. SBS News at 6.30pm, 174,000, 160,000 at 9.30pm. 7am Sunrise, 384,000, 7am Today up to 324,000.

The Stats: Nine won with a 6pm to midnight All People share of 2930.5% (30.1%) from Seven with 26.5% (26.9%), Ten with 21.1% (20.8%), the ABC with 17.0% (17.3%) and SBS with 4.9% (5.3%). Seven won Sydney narrowly from Nine. Nine won Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Seven leads the week, 27.5% to 26.3% for Nine and 25.1% for Ten. In regional areas a win for WIN/NBN with 31.1% from Prime/7Qld with 27.7%, Southern Cross (Ten) on 18.9%, the ABC on 16.7% and SBS on 5.5%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: Not much last night except the Ascent of Money on the ABC, Inspector Rex (375,000) and Madmen on SBS (230,000). The rest was fair to average TV. Q&A 591,000 (edging up towards 600,000). The NRL Footy Show had more viewers again last night. But I still want to see a week when there’s no politics. It doesn’t have to be so slavishly modelled on the BBC’s Question Time program to the exclusion of other ideas for discussion.

TONIGHT: AFL, NRL, movies, Better Homes and Gardens, News. Silent Witness on the ABC, Law and Order on Ten. MasterChef.

SATURDAY NIGHT: Football, football, football — that’s at midnight on SBS — Chelsea vs. Everton in the FA Cup Final, and some kick and giggle on Ten and some big booffy bloke stuff on Foxtel and earlier, on the ABC.

New Tricks on the ABC at 7.30pm. Jaws 2 is on Ten in some markets at 8.30pm — it’s not as good as the original. Movies on Nine and Seven. Nine has the excellent Mystic River at 9.55pm with Clint Eastwood directing. Movie of the week.

SUNDAY NIGHT: Lots of NRL and AFL during the day and evening on Seven. Nine and Foxtel. Sunday Night, Border Security USA/The Force, Bones on Seven. 60 Minutes, Home Made, CSI on Nine. Merlin, MasterChef Australia and Rove on Ten (Ten wins).

The ABC has the Mary Whitehouse story on at 8.30pm. She campaigned against immorality on the BBC. She was ahead of her times in some respects, a prude and cave dweller in others. Make your mind up by watching. At 7.30pm on the ABC, Doctor Who is back (for a short while anyway).

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports