Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings: farewell Downton Abbey for another season

Nine’s night, but Seven was again close. In fact a look at the various markets shows Nine won because of very solid wins in just Sydney and Melbourne (in fact the win in Sydney was huge). Nine lost Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, even though The Voice (2.835 million  national/ 1.985 million metro/ 850,000 regional) was again the most watched program, followed by 60 Minutes (2.402 million national/ 1.652 million metro/ 750,000 regional). Nine won a close night in regional markets as well through WIN/NBN, with Seven second (Prime/7Qld) and Ten (SC Ten) beat the ABC into third spot.

Seven had My Kitchen Rules (2.298 million national/ 1.556 million metro/ 742,000 regional) and the season finale of Downton Abbey (1.953 million national/ 1.317 million metro/ 636,00 regional) (a sad ending, but Tom is off to Hollywood, from UK reports, so there’s a whole season and more to get Mary hitched again). Seven starts A Place Called Home next Sunday at 8.30pm, right after the grand final (I hope) of My Kitchen Rules. The ending of MKR this year is agonisingly slow, like a night that never ends!

Ten had a solid night, though it was very weak compared with its commercial rivals, and squeezed out the ABC, although The Biggest Loser with 803,000 national/ 535,000 metro/ 168,000 regional wasn’t at all solid. Elementary, which followed, was, with 1.069 million national/ 803,000 metro/ 263,000 regional viewers. Yesterday evening’s A-League grand final had 297,000 viewers on Fox Sports 1.

Last week Seven in the “all people” demographic, but Nine did very well in the individual demographics, especially the younger ones who still like The Voice. Ten was weak, again as The Biggest Loser lost ground and the ABC ended in front in all people. Nine and Seven shared the top 10 most watched programs, thanks mostly to The Voice and My Kitchen Rules. Seven had a narrow win in regional markets, but it was so close that you’d consider it a tie.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (34.0%)
2. Seven (32.6%)
3. Ten (16.5%)
4. ABC (12.8%)
5. SBS (4.2%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (28.1%)
2. Seven (25.3%)
3. Ten (12.0%)
4. ABC1 (9.2%)
5. SBS ONE (3.6%)

Top five digital channels:

1. 7TWO (3.7%)
2. 7mate (3.6%)
3. GO (3.6%)
4. ONE (2.5%)
5. Gem (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. The Voice (Nine) – 2.835 million
2. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 2.402 million
3. My Kitchen Rules (Seven) – 2.298 million
4. Seven News — 2.159 million
5. Nine News — 2.091 million
6. Downton Abbey — 1.953 million
7. ABC 1 News — 1.186 million
8. The Mentalist (Nine) — 1.086 million
9. Elementary (Ten) — 1.069 million
10. Dr Who (ABC1) — 1.008 million

Metro Top programs: 

1. The Voice (Nine) — 1.985 million.
2. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.652 million
3. My Kitchen Rules (Seven) — 1.556 million
4. Seven News — 1.457 million
5. Nine News — 1.398 million
6. Downton Abbey (Seven) — 1.317 million

Losers: No one, really — viewers of Nine after The Voice, which ended more than 10 minutes late, and viewers of Mrs Biggs on Seven after Downton Abbey, which ended around 10 minutes later. Viewers would have been especially upset if they were recording, but Nine and Seven just don’t care about them. Mrs Biggs (719,000 national/ 477,000 metro/ 242,000 regional) got what it deserved last night, even though it did well for Seven. Home and Away is more believable. Those overruns are a joke. 

News and current affairs:

1. 60 Minutes (Nine) 1.652 million
2. Seven News — 1.457 million
3. Nine News – 1.398 million
4. ABC1 News — 781,000
5. Ten News  – 507,000
6. SBS ONE News — 174,000

Morning TV:

1. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 339,000
2. Weekend Today (Nine) – 305,000
3. Landline (ABC1) – 209,000
4. Insiders (ABC1) 156,000 + 56,000 on News 24
5. The Bolt Report (Ten) — 138,000
6. Inside Business (ABC1) — 108,000
7. Meet The Press (Ten, repeat) — 107,000
8. Offsiders (ABC1) — 106,000
9. Meet The Press (Ten) — 77,000

Top five pay TV channels:

1. Fox Footy  – 5.5%
2. Fox Sports 1 – 4.0%
3. Fox 8 — 2.3%
4. Foxtel Movies , TV 1 —  1.9%
5. Fox Sports 3 – 1.7%.

Top five pay TV programs:

1. A-League: grand final (Fox Sports 1) – 297,000
2. AFL: Melbourne v GWS (Fox Footy) – 235,000
3. AFL: Nth Melbourne v Brisbane (Fox Footy ) – 177,000
4. AFL: Before The Bounce  (Fox Footy) – 115,000
5. AFL: After The Bounce (Fox Footy) – 101,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM. (All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight all people.) Plus network reports.