Nine might have won the night, but that was because the Logies went on, and on and on from 7pm to very late. But Seven’s MKR was the most watched program last night. In fact, the first of four “finals” blew Nine’s Logies coverage off the map. The Logies managed 1.31 million national viewers, MKR managed 1.87 million. Seven’s Sunday Night had 1.36 million, meaning the Logies was running second for two and a half hours and only dragged Nine over the line from 9.30pm onwards.

Network Ten was the big winner with eight Logies, including two for Have You Been Paying Attention and one for The Project. And yet as Ten’s record low share price shows (46 cents, or 4.6 cents before last year’s one for 10 share consolidation), winning a Logie doesn’t mean a thing — just boasting rights for a night and a morning. Thursday’s financial results and loss announcement from Ten will be a rude rejoinder to the Logies. Last night’s results seem even more than ever to reflect organised campaigns by the networks. The nominees and winners are no more than the result of an obscure, non-transparent process with all the credibility of Donald Trump. 

But last night showed up the hollowness of Ten’s boasting post Logies. The network’s metro share was less than 10% (9.9%), but the main channel share was a miserable 5.9%. And SBS’ overall share was 6.3%, and its main channel share was 4.1%. Now I know it’s an apples and cucumbers comparison, but I cannot remember when the main channel share for a commercial network was less than the overall share of the smallest and weakest network of all: SBS. In fact the ABC’s main channel share of 10.2% was higher than Ten’s overall share. Ten’s Have You Been Paying Attention deserved its two Logies. It’s been a sleeper for too long.

The most watched programs in regional Australia last night were: MKR, 608,000, Seven News, 543,000, Sunday Night, 485,000 Nine News/NBN, 481,000, Nine/NBN News, 455,000.

In the morning, Insiders topped the lot with 505,000 viewers on the main channel and ABC News (News 24), Barrie Cassidy stood out with a very robust interview with Immigration Minister Peter Dutton. It was by far the toughest political interview on TV for quite a while and Cassidy forced Dutton to bluster instead of elucidate. It was the sort of interview the government’s acolytes over on Fox, I mean Sky News, would fail to recognise.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (35.4%)
  2. Seven (33.9%)
  3. ABC (14.4%)
  4. Ten (9.9%)
  5. SBS (6.3%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (27.8%)
  2. Seven (24.4%)
  3. ABC (10.2%)
  4. Ten (5.9%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.1%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7mate (4.5%)
  2. 7TWO, 9Life (2.8%)
  3. Gem (2.5%)
  4. ABC 2, ONE (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. MKR (Seven) — 1.868 million
  2. Seven News  — 1.862 million
  3. Nine News — 1.552 million
  4. Sunday Night (Seven) — 1.364 million 
  5. The Logies – Awards (Nine) — 1.301 million
  6. The Logies – Arrivals (Nine) — 1.206 million
  7. 7pm ABC News — 1.160 million
  8. The Suspects (Seven) — 817,000
  9. Dr Who (ABC) — 694,000
  10. Kings of Comedy (Nine) — 651,000

Top metro programs:

  1. MKR (Seven) — 1.260 million
  2. Seven News — 1.232 million
  3. Nine News — 1.055 million

Losers: Ten and anyone who lasted through all the Logies telecast; they get the viewers’ valour award.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.260 million
  2. Nine News — 1.055 million
  3. Sunday Night (Seven) — 879,000
  4. 7pm ABC News – 918,000
  5. Ten Eyewitness News — 331,000
  6. SBS World News — 195,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Insiders (ABC, News 24) — 505,000
  2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 486,000
  3. Landline (ABC) 431,000
  4. Weekend Today (Nine) — 387,000
  5. Sports Sunday (Nine) — 231,000
  6. Offsiders (ABC) — 225,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox Football (3.5%)
  2. Fox 506, Fox League (3.0%)
  3. Fox 503 (2.6%)
  4. TVHITS (2.3%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. NRL: Wests v Canterbury (Fox League) — 247,000
  2. AFL: Hawthorn v West Coast  (Fox Footy) — 219,000
  3. AFL:St Kilda v Geelong (Fox Footy) — 187,000
  4. V8 Supercars (Fox Sports) — 176,000
  5. V8 Supercars (Fox Sports) — 176,000

*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.