A closeish night with Nine outlasting Seven, but ABC1’s The Checkout managing its best ever figures last night (1.344 million national/ regional 912,000/ 432,000 regional) on the night when news of a defamation writ from one of the founders of Swisse vitamins became public — a sort of badge of honour for the program. (Swisse vitamins was the subject of two critical reports in earlier episodes of the program).

Seven’s Mrs Brown’s Boys (1.605 million national/ 993,000 metro/ 612,000 regional viewers) and then The Checkout were two of the top four non-news programs last night (Home and Away was second with 1.410 million national/ 950,000 metro/ 460,000 regional viewers and Seven’s Border International 1.345 million national/ 877,000 metro/ 468,000 regional viewers were the two others). 

The Checkout was the “serious” program for the night and was up to its usual standard, especially the good story on milk and permeate (which is milk, which Today Tonight, A Current Affair and the other scaremongers omitted to say last year). Mrs Brown’s Boys provided the laughs on what was a night pretty thin on humour. Nine’s Footy Shows (1.124 million national/849,000 metro/ 275,000 regional) were more obvious last night to viewers. Ten was average.

While Nine won the metros, in regional areas Seven was an easy winner through Prime/7Qld from Nine (WIN/NBN). The ABC beat Ten (SC Ten) as well. Seven leads the week in the regions, 33.8% to 32.0%, while in metro markets Nine is ahead, 32.0% to 31.6%. Had Nine broadcast The Voice on Wednesday night as originally programmed, Nine would be further ahead and on the way to winning “all People”, as well as the demographics where it won last night.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (28.6%)
  2. Seven (27.7%)
  3. ABC (19.2%)
  4. Ten (18.8%)
  5. SBS (5.7?%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (21.6%)
  2. Seven (20.7%)
  3. ABC1 (14.2%)
  4. Ten (12.7%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.9%)

Top five digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO  (4.5%)
  2. GO (4.2%)
  3. Eleven (3.5%)
  4. ABC2 (3.2%)
  5. Gem (2.8%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Nine News  – 1.922 million
  2. Seven News — 1.788 million
  3. Mrs Brown’s Boys (Seven) — 1.605 million
  4. ABC1 News – 1.472 million
  5. Home and Away  (Seven) — 1.410 million
  6. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.352 million
  7. Border International (Seven) — 1.345 million
  8. The Checkout (ABC1) — 1.344 million
  9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.200 million
  10. 7.30 (ABC1) — 1.169 million 

Top metro programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.277 million
  2. Seven News — 1.210 million
  3. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.083 million
  4. ABC1 News — 1.017 million 

Losers: A weak night with Ten its usually weak self, which was to be expected. 

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.277 million
  2. Seven News — 1.210 million
  3. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.083 million
  4. ABC1 News — 1.017 million
  5. A Current Affair  (Nine) – 979,000
  6. Ten News — 627,000
  7. The Project (Ten) — 528,000
  8. Lateline  (ABC1) – 199,000
  9. SBS ONE News — 197,000
  10. Ten Late News — 181,000 

Metro morning TV:

  1. Today (Seven) – 347,000
  2. Sunrise (Nine) – 325,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC1) – 52,000 + 36,000 on News 24 

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8 – 3.1%
  2. LifeStyle – 2.6%
  3. Discovery, TV1 – 2.0%e – 2.0%
  4. UKTV, Sky News – 1.6%.
  5. LifeStyle You – 1.5%

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 99,000
  2. The Simpsons  (Fox) – 95,000
  3. Dirty Jobs Downunder (Discovery) – 90,000
  4. Gold Rush (Discovery) – 87,000
  5. Family Guy (Fox 8) – 83,000

Tonight/ The Weekend: The usual AFL and NRL tonight, tomorrow and Sunday on Nine, Seven and Foxtel. Super Rugby on Foxtel as well. Tonight there’s also Better Homes and Gardens on Seven and then The King’s Speech in non-AFL markets. There’s big hair, big voice singing on American Idol on Ten (after The Living Room). And that’s about it apart from the weak Silent Witness on ABC1. Tomorrow brings Last Tango in Halifax on ABC1 at 7.30pm as the hightlight (and for the week. Nine is full of repeats of The Voice. Seven is full of boring movies. Ten has a fresh Bondi Vet. Sunday: The AM chats. ABC1 has Dr Who and Call The Midwife and the final Miranda for this season (more, please). Seven has a one-off Sunday Night and then the second episode of A Place To Call Home. Nine has The Voice. Ten has The Biggest Loser and Elementary.

*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.