Glenn Dyer's TV ratings: the return of Gruen was a bit disappointing.

Gruen returned to the ABC last night at 8.30pm with a solid audience who obviously enjoyed the formula — 1.272 million national viewers tuned in (903,000 in the metros and a top 10 program). Success. Yep, but wait, there’s more.

Unlike the promos for the program which told us companies know more about us than ever, we found last night that we know less about modern media and marketing via Gruen than at any time. There were the two legacy median veterans in Todd Sampson (Fairfax Media director) and Russel Howcroft (former Ten Network boss in Melbourne now at PwC, which has a respected media analysis business here and offshore). Dee Madigan was on the panel again (she is a Gruen veteran).

Let’s hope we move into 2017 next week after what was a bit of an analogue night. Gruen attempted to do a number on NBN advertising, and while that was interesting, Wil Anderson raised a question right at the end of the segment which should have been made at the start — he says he has been told that the NBN won’t arrive to where he lives until 2019, Russel Howcroft pointed out that you have 18 months to sign up after the NBN arrives in your street. Someone should have made the point that what’s on offer from the NBN could very well change in those three and a half years (for Wil Anderson and others). Someone should have asked if the continuing push to mobile and smartphones (and the new Apple X especially) will force changes about the NBN technology and its offer. Some analysis about how NBN is handling the tide of complaints and what that could mean for its brand. The Pitch could have had two “ideal” NBN ads for instance, instead of the “North Korea go away” ones they were.

It was Nine’s night, by the way, thanks to The Block — 1.645 million nationally (No. 1) and Doctor Doctor, which attracted 1.177 million nationally (a top 10). The Bach narrowed his victims to two, tonight for the emotional sacrifices on the altar of lurrrve, Ten TV style for the winner.

In the regions Seven News was again on top with 590,000 viewers, followed by The Block with 529,000, Seven News/TT was third with 483,000, then Home and Away with 469,000 and fifth was Doctor Doctor with 415,000.

Network channel share:

Nine (28.7%)
Seven (25.9%)
Ten (20.5%)
ABC (17.8%)
SBS (7.2%)

Network main channels:

Nine (22.2%)
Seven (16.7%)
Ten (15.26%)
ABC (12.6%)
SBS ONE (4.9%)

Top 5 digital channels:

7TWO (3.5%)
ABC 2 (3.1%)
7mate,7flix (2.9%)
ONE (2.8%)

Top 10 national programs:

The Block (Nine) — 1.645 million
Seven News — 1.535 million
Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.402 million
Nine/NBN News — 1.279 million
Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.274 million
Gruen (ABC) — 1.272 million
Doctor Doctor (Nine) — 1.177 million
A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.142 million
Home and Away (Seven) — 1.103 million
The Force (Seven) — 1.038 million

Top metro programs:

The Block (Nine) — 1.116 million

Losers: No one really.

Metro news and current affairs:

Nine News, Seven News — 945,000
Nine News (6.30pm) — 922,000
Seven News/Today Tonight —919,000
A Current Affair (Nine) — 779,000
7pm ABC News – 685,000
The Project 7pm (Ten) — 612,000
7.30 (ABC) — 587,000
Ten Eyewitness News — 432,000
The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 390,000

Morning TV:

Sunrise (Seven) – 309,000
Today (Nine) – 291,000
The Morning Show (Seven) — 158,000
News Breakfast (ABC 1, 103,000 + 554,000 on News 24) — 158,000
Today Extra (Nine) — 122,000
Studio 10 (Ten) — 50,000

Top five pay TV channels:

TVHITS (2.8%)
Sky News (2.1%)
Fox8 (2.9%)
LifeStyle (1.9%)
UKTV (1.7%)

Top five pay TV programs:

AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 64,000
FFA Cup (Fox Sports 505) — 56,000
Family Guy (Fox8) — 52,000
Mrs Brown’s Boys (UKTV), Paul Murray Live (Sky) — 52,000

*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.