Glenn Dyer's TV ratings: people love Midsomer Murders

Another bad night for Seven. It was close. Seven had a bigger share than Nine overall and in the main channels in the metros. But it was close and Nine grabbed the demos thanks to Married At First Sight, which pipped MKR in the metros, and came within 4000 viewers (within the margin of error) in toppling MKR nationally. MKR managed 1.54 million national viewers, Married, 1.54 million. In the metros it was Married with 1.11 million ahead of MKR with 1.10 million.

Ten was pushed back to fourth for yet another Sunday night as Celebrity (1.11 million for the elimination and 1 million — both nationally) couldn’t match the 1.29 million for Midsomer or Grand Designs 1.05 million (it topped all but the elimination part of Celebrity).

Seven’s Sunday Night had a solid 1.25 million, over a quarter of a million ahead of 60 Minutes with 973,000.

So far this year it is quite apparent that Australian’s do not want to watch much American TV, especially the old favourites: police procedural dramas. American police shows don’t do well anymore in Australia. High-flyer NCIS on Ten is now a shadow of itself. Homeland (10), a current US staple, and Blacklist (7) are attracting pitifully small audiences. For all the hype of the “golden age” of TV in America, most programs are borderline, or die quickly. Even giants like The Big Bang Theory are fading as the target audience ages or grows too familiar with them. Instead, it is TV detective shows from the UK that are doing well — viz the current series of Midsomer Murders, which ended its latest season last night on the ABC as No. 5 program nationally with 1.29 million and the No. 1 program from 8.30pm onwards. Vera is another doing well (she returns next Sunday night at 8.30pm).

In the mornings it was Insiders with 547,000 national viewers again showing it was king of the chats. The ABC stalwart (and veteran Barrie Cassidy) once again showed how to analyse politics, and also pick apart a pollie in Cassidy’s interview with Chris Bowen, the shadow treasurer. A lesson there for the night squawkers on Sky News.

Network channel share:

Seven (29.9%)
Nine (27.8%)
ABC (18.4%)
Ten (16.0%)
SBS (7.8%)

Network main channels:

Seven (20.8%)
Nine (20.2%)
ABC (14.2%)
Ten (11.0%)
SBS ONE (5.9%)

Top 5 digital channels:

7mate (4.3%)
7TWO, ONE (2.7%)
GO, 9Life (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

MKR (Seven) — 1.540 million
Married At First Sight (Nine) — 1.536 million
Seven News — 1.474 million
Nine /NBN News — 1.364 million
Midsomer Murders (ABC) — 1.288 million
Sunday Night (Seven) — 1.248 million
7pm ABC News — 1.131 million
I’m A Celebrity – Elimination (Ten) — 1.108 million
Grand Designs (ABC) — 1.054 million
I’m A Celebrity (Ten) — 1.003 million

Top metro programs:

Married At First Sight (Nine) — 1.113 million
MKR (Seven) — 1.098 million

Losers: Seven, MKR, 60 Minutes, Nine, off their peaks.

Metro news and current affairs:

Nine News — 982,000
Seven News — 972,000
Sunday Night (Seven) — 845,000
Nine News (6.30pm) — 1.037 million
7pm ABC News – 747,000
60 Minutes (Nine) — 658,000
Ten Eyewitness News — 368,000
SBS World News — 150,000

Morning National TV:

Insiders (ABC, 392,000, 155,000 on News 24) — 547,000
Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 502,000
Landline (ABC) — 435,000
Weekend Today (Nine) – 384,000
Offsiders (ABC) — 235,000

Top five pay TV channels:

Fox Footy (3.3%)
TVHITS, Fox 8 (2.2%)
LifeStyle, Foxtel Movies (1.6%)

Top five pay TV programs:

AFL: Pre Season; North Melbourne v Hawthorn (Fox Footy) – 126,000
AFL: Pre Season; Gold Coast v Essendon (Fox Footy) — 109,000
Real Housewives of Sydney (Arena) — 95,000
Women’s AFL: Freo v Adelaide (Fox Footy) — 62,000
A League: Newcastle v Central Coast (Fox Sports 5) — 55,000

*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.