Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings: Seven romps it in, despite average programming

Seven’s night in metro and regional markets thanks to Home and Away, Dancing With The Stars and Body of Proof. But Million Dollar Minute took another whacking from Nine’s Hot Seat and the news and Today Tonight suffered as a result. Dancing With The Stars averaged 1.993 million national/ 1.240 million metro/ 753,000 regional viewers which was a touch lower than the long return episode last week. But the overwhelming majority of the audience returned. Body of Proof averaged 1.535 million national/ 976,000 metro/ 559,000 at 9.30pm in a strong night.  Home and Away at 7pm averaged 1.515 million national/ 944,000 metro/ 571,000 regional viewers which was also very solid.

There’s been a series of ructions inside Today which are now reaching the public arena. Standby for changes there in coming months. Hosts Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson do not get on on air. Former Sunday Telegraph editor Neil Breen is the executive producer for Today, but  on rocky ground.  Mel Doyle has surprised by revealing strong news reading cred on Seven and 7TWO. The lesson for the 6pm news is that don’t rule out Seven effecting hosting changes in Sydney and Melbourne for the new year — or going to an hour-long news program with a small amount of Today Tonight embedded.

Nine was weak last night and while Ten got up over the ABC in the battle for third in metro markets, the tables were turned in regional markets where Ten had another dismal night.

So strong has Seven’s performance been on Monday and Tuesday nights is that it has all but caught Nine in All People after Nine’s big grand final night on Sunday. In regional markets Seven has gone past Nine and will easily in the week. Nine though, still has a solid share in the demographics.

Network channel share:

1. Seven (34.7%)
2. Nine (24.9%)
3. Ten (18.3%)
4. ABC (16.6%)
5. SBS (5.4%)

Network main channels:

1. Seven (27.4%)
2. Nine (19.0%)
3. Ten (12.0%)
4. ABC1 (11.7%)
5. SBS ONE (4.4%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (4.9%)
2. Eleven (4.3%)
3. GO (3.9%)
4. ABC2 (3.7%)
5. ONE (3.3%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Dancing With The Stars (Seven) – 1.933 million
2. Nine News — 1.746 million
3. Seven News — 1.722 million
4. Body of Proof (Seven) – 1.535 million
5. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.515 million
6. ABC  News — 1.405 million
7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.226 million
8. Big Brother (Nine) — 1.182 million
9. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.177 million
10. 7.30 (ABC1) — 1.135 million

Top metro programs:

1. Dancing With The Stars (Seven) — 1.240 million
2. Nine News — 1.214 million
3. Seven News — 1.093 million
4. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.027 million

Losers:  Nine and Ten in patches — Nine’s Big School (807,000 national/ 581,000 metro/ 226,000 at 8.30 pm). Ten’s Recipe To Riches at 7.30pm (737,000 national/524,000 metro/ 213,000 regional viewers) and  Sleepy Hollow at 8.30pm (715,000 national/ 459,000 metro/ 256,000 regional viewers).Metro news and current affairs:

1. Nine News — 1.214 million
2. Seven News — 1.093 million
3. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.027 million
4. ABC News — 917,000
5. Today Tonight (Seven) — 905,000
6. 7.30 (ABC1) — 723,000
7. Foreign Correspondent (ABC1) — 598,000
8. The Project (Ten) — 573,000
9. Ten News — 523,000
10. Insight (SBS ONE) — 222,000

Metro morning TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) – 362,000
2. Today (Nine) – 318,000
3. News Breakfast (ABC1, 74,000 + 26,000 on News24) — 100,000

Top five pay TV channels:

1. TV1 (2.7%)
2. Fox 8 (2.4%)
3. LifeStyle  (2.2%)
4. UKTV (1.8%)
5. Fox Classics (1.6%)

Top five pay TV programs:

1. The Inspector Linley Mysteries (Thirteenth St) –  65,000
2. Coronation Street (UKTV) – 64,000
3. The Simpsons (Fox 8 ) – 55,000
4. The Simpsons (Fox 8 ) – 52,000
5. Seinfeld (TV1) – 51,000

*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.) and network reports.