Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings

So did anyone win Australian Ninja Warrior last night? I don’t think so, but does Nine know? Its retrospective explanations of how the Ninjas finished last night left a lot to be desired; its ex ante briefing of the audience was non-existent. It was a very confusing end and, judging by social media, it was a bit of a let down or a disappointment. The program was the most watched no-news program of the year so far with 3.087 million national viewers — 2.145 million metro and 942,000 regional viewers for the final stage, which no one won. That’s the situation with the format offshore – such as the US, but it is inconclusive. Nine’s win had Ten fall to fourth behind the ABC in third and Seven in a very distant second.

The rest of the program averaged 2.921 million nationally (2.038 million metros and 833,000 in the regions). And that was the night with Nine a winner and a grinner.

Seven very quietly axed Behave Yourself (which had been in its regular spot of 7.30pm in early guides) and dropped in the weak Mighty Cruise Ships as ratings filler against the Ninjas. It left in the appallingly bad Yummy Mummies, which continues to die a miserable but deserved death on air. Mighty Cruise Ships averaged 594,000, which is understandable, and 431,000 watched the Yummies around the country — oddballs.

Tonight, The Bachelor returns with the still unanswered question: if the Bach is so hot, why is he still free? What’s wrong with him? After this painful program, Offspring, the “reality” of trying to do something about bachelorhood/spinsterdom (that’s The Bachelorette). Of course, the new conga line of roses and sweet nothings pales besides the real entertainment: Shaun Micallef who is still Mad As Hell — at least until 9pm, followed by Utopia, which is what Ten is trying to sell us that the Bach and a lucky spinster will find at the end of the series. When the reality is that it will probably end like the Ninjas: dazed and confused and no result.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (44.2%)
2. Seven (27.8%)
3. ABC (14.7%)
4. Ten (12.6%)
5. SBS (5.7%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (36.6%)
2. Seven (13.9%)
3. ABC (10.0%)
4. Ten (7.1%)
5. SBS ONE (4.2%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7mate (3.4%)
2. Gem (3.3%)
3. ABC 2, ONE (2.9%)
4. Eleven (2.6%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Australian Ninja Warrior Final Stage (Nine) — 3.087 million
2. Australian Ninja Warrior Final (Nine) — 2.921 million
3. Seven News  — 1.738 million
4. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.585 million
5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.429 million
6. Nine/NBN News (6.30pm) — 1.365 million
7. Nine/NBN News — 1.325 million
8. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.196 million
9. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.103 million
10. 7pm ABC News — 1.058 million

Top metro programs:

1. Australian Ninja Warrior Final Stage (Nine) — 2.145 million
2. Australian Ninja Warrior Final (Nine) — 2.038 million
3. Seven News — 1.067 million
4. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.034 million
5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.011 million
6. Nine News 6.30 — 1.010 million

Losers: Every contestant in the Ninja Warrior final? Or Seven, because it yanked Behave Yourself and left Yummy Mummies.

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 1.067 million
2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.034 million
3. A Current Affair (Nine) – 1.011 million
4. Nine News (6.30pm) — 1.010 million
5. Nine News — 998,000
6. 7pm ABC News – 691,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 570,000
8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 540,000
9. Ten Eyewitness News — 441,000
10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 387,000

Morning (National) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) – 494,000
2. Today (Nine) – 438,000
3. News Breakfast (ABC, 185,000 + 83,000 on News 24) — 268,000
4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 232,000
5. Today Extra (Nine) — 201,000
6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 10 5,000

Top five pay TV channels:

1. Fox 8  (%)
2. LifeStyle  (%)
3. TVHITS  (%)
4. UKTV, Fox Classics (%)

Top five pay TV programs:

1. Game of Thrones (showcase) — 90,000
2. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 70,000
3. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 57,000
4. Back Page (Fox Sports) — 52,000
5. Selling Houses Australia (LifeStyle) – 48,000

*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.