After the Logies, the Brownlow Medal is the longest, turgid example of TV in Australia each year. It resembles an old river as it meanders through 23 bends, with the odd diversion to the billabong where Mark of the Year and Goal of the Year reside, as well as visiting a few towns along the way (last night it was the town called Dangerfield, for example, population 1). Not only did it last for three and a half hours, it probably went a bit longer. I lost track of time. It had a Leagues Club/The Club feel to it. It is a reminder that for around four years on the Monday night before the AFL Grand Final, time stands still and was served up as entertainment in the 1970s, 80s and 90’s remains constant in these days of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, snarking and photobombing.
But viewers in AFL states, especially in Melbourne, love it. It is a viewing habit passed down from generation to generation, much like the club membership and supporter scarves are handed on down through the years. A recent innovation is the Red Carpet Arrivals, a chance to look at some of the AFL Players and their consorts. It is a sort of sporting version of The Bachelor, and The Bachelorette (or those two Ten meat market programs are a spin off intellectually from the Red Carpet arrivals).
The coverage had an average of 1.317 million nationally on Seven and 7mate and a further 246,000 on Fox Footy on Foxtel: that made the national audience more than 1.56 million. The Red Carpet had 901,000 nationally on Seven and 7mate and a further 116,000 on Fox Footy for a total national audience of 1.017 million people. The Block hacked away for Nine with a solid 1.254 million national viewers.
Naturally last night’s event dominated TV viewing and pushed Seven to a big win in the metros, regionals and nationally.
The most watched regional programs last night were: Seven News with 594,000, Home and Away, 476,000, Seven News/Today Tonight with 460,000, The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 420,000 and The Block was fifth with 369,000.The Brownlow telecast finished well down with just 277,000 viewers on Seven and 7mate. — Click here to read Glenn Dyer’s full TV Ratings.
I like the brownlows. No I love the brownlows. I so often disagree with you Glen Dyer. I think you’ve been there too long. – how long is it? Like as long as an old river meandering through 23 bends etc etc. You don’t watch what I do, or comment on lots of stuff that is not mainstream (but still on free to air TV). I’d like to hear what someone else says about TV. Ratings is one thing, opinion another. You’re so mainstream. Enough.