Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings: cricket no match for the Doctor

Nine’s night in metro markets on what was another weak Sunday night. Seven won in regional markets. In both metro and regional markets, the ABC beat Ten, especially in the regions where Ten was again very weak. It is going to be a tough summer at times for Ten.

The late end to the First Ashes Cricket Test from Brisbane (delays because of storms and rain in Brisbane) boosted Nine News and Nine’s audience. There was “perv” appeal in watching Michael Jackson’s horrible doctor, Conrad Murray, on 60 Minutes. That was about all, except for Dr Who.

The test cricket was solid after the hesitant start, and Australian captain Michael Clarke and the rest of the team delivered.  Thanks to the rain and storms in Brisbane, the broadcast of the closing two wickets yesterday was confused,  first Nine then Gem, but we got there. Million plus metro audiences over the weekend. On Saturday the coverage from start to end (around 6.30pm) averaged 1.493 million people nationally, with the peak of 1.865 million for the second session. Yesterday, the day’s coverage averaged 1.295 million viewers from go to whoa, although the final figures will probably be higher because of the confused coverage at the end as Nine struggled to show the finish and the news at the last minute. Nine will be pleased and gives thanks to the great god of sports performance and comebacks. Does this now augur well for the Nine float?

But as solid as the cricket was, the day’s winner was the Dr Who: The Day of the Doctor 50th anniversary episode yesterday. It pulled in a massive 1.949 million viewers nationally — 1.360 million at 7.30pm on ABC1 and a further 589,000 at 6.50am yesterday live from London, also on ABC1. An Adventure in Time and Space, which followed The Day of the Doctor at 8.50 pm on ABC1 had a further 935,000 viewers. Adding the two together it was the second most-watched program yesterday, after the 60 Minutes story on Michael Jackson’s doctor.

Metro network channel share:

1. Nine (30.2%)
2. Seven (29.3%)
3. ABC (18.7%)
4. Ten  (16.9%)
5. SBS (4.9%)

Metro network main channels:

1. Nine (23.3%)
2. Seven (20.3%)
3. ABC1 (14.4%)
4. Ten (11.8%)
5. SBS ONE (4.3%)

Metro top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7mate (5.0%)
2. 7TWO (4.0%)
3. GO (3.5%)
4. Gem (3.4%)
5. ONE (3.2%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.972 million
2. Nine News — 1.821 million
3. Sunday Night (Seven) — 1.709 million
4. Seven News — 1.662 million
5. Wild India (Nine) — 1.655 million
6. First Ashes Test Cricket: Session 2 (Nine) — 1.461 million
7. Dr Who (ABC1) — 1.360 million
8. First Ashes Test Cricket: Session 1 (Nine) — 1.360 million
9. ABC News — 1.254 million
10. Bones (Seven) — 1.223 million

Top metro programs:

1. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.380 million
2. Nine News — 1.315 million
3. Wild India (Nine) — 1.149 million
4. Seven News — 1.124 million
5. Sunday Night (Seven) — 1.111 million
6. First Ashes Test Cricket: Session 3 (Nine) — 1.064 million
7. First Ashes Test Cricket: Session 1 (Nine) — 1.002 million

Losers:  It was weak night with official ratings all but ending. So the offerings were bibs and bobs of things that didn’t quite make it during the more competitive time of the year, or repeats, or fading favourites.Metro news and current affairs:

1. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.380 million
2. Nine News — 1.315 million
3. Seven News — 1.124 million
4. Sunday Night (Seven) — 1.111 million
5. ABC News — 853,000
6. Ten Eyewitness News — 484,000
7. SBS World News — 138,000

Metro morning TV:

1. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 55,000
2. Weekend Today (Nine) – 284,000
3. Insiders (ABC1 – 173,000 + 93,000 on News 24) — 266,000
4. Financial Review Sunday (Nine) — 198,000
5. The Bolt Report (Ten) — 134,000
6. Inside Business (ABC1) — 118,000
7. Offsiders (ABC1) — 94,000
8. Meet The Press (Ten) — 93,000)

Top pay TV channels:

1. TV1 – (2.2%)
2. Fox 8 – (2.0%)
3. Foxtel Movies (1.9%)
4. LifeStyle, Fox Sports 1, 111 hits  – (1.6%)
5. UKTV – (1.5%)

Top five pay TV programs:

1. Modern Family (Fox 8 ) – 182,000
2. Rise Of The Guardians (Foxtel Movies) – 68,000
3. This Is 40 (Foxtel Movies) — 65,000
4. The Crazy Ones (Fox 8) – 63,000
5. Keeping Up Appearances (UKTV) – 59,000

*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.