Well, while Nine won the night last night, the big story was the second place in the main channels by the ABC, pushing Seven to third and Ten to fourth, proving once again that quality current affairs can trump commercial dross. The Block averaged 1.52 million viewers nationally and Doctor Doctor which followed it averaged 1.02 million. Nine’s night overall, in the main channels and the demos.

From 7pm to around 9.15, the ABC had a million or more viewers, leaving Seven and Ten well behind. Four Corners had 1.11 million for the first part of its aged care examination. Australian Story, 1.07 million, and the 7pm ABC News, 1.07 million. 7.30 had a million viewers and Media Watch had 902,000. On Pay TV, Prime Minister Morrison’s interview on Paul Murray Live attracted 65,000 viewers, second on the night and equal to the AFL chat program, On The Couch. Ten’s Australian Survivor had 968,000 viewers, its biggest audience of the year so far.

In regional areas, Seven’s 6pm News was tops with 585,000, then Seven News/Today Tonight with 580,000, followed by The Block with 429,000, then Home and Away with 388,000 and The Chase Australia with 382,000.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (31.1%)
  2. Seven (24.2%)
  3. ABC, Ten (19.2%)
  4. SBS (6.3%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (23.1%)
  2. ABC (15.2%)
  3. Seven (14.1%)
  4. Ten (13.7%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.2%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7mate (4.4%)
  2. GO (3.8%)
  3. 7TWO (3.6%)
  4. ONE (3.5%)
  5. Gem (2.6%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.646 million
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.622 million
  3. The Block (Nine) — 1.521 million
  4.  Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.324 million
  5.  Nine/NBN News — 1.276 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.242 million
  7. Four Corners (ABC) — 1.1125 million
  8. 7pm ABC News — 1.085 million
  9. Australian Story (ABC) — 1.076 million
  10. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.043 million

Top metro programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.092 million
  2. Seven News — 1.061 million
  3. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.041 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.002 million

Losers: Seven and Ten.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.061 million
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.041 million
  3. Nine News 6.30 — 1.002 million
  4. Nine News — 994,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 869,000
  6. Four Corners (ABC) — 755,000
  7. 7pm ABC News —733,000
  8. Australian Story (ABC) — 718,000
  9. 7.30 (ABC) — 674,000
  10. Media Watch (ABC) — 627,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 460,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 362,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 247,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 211,000
  5. Mornings (Nine) — 147,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 88,000

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 69,000
  2. Paul Murray Live (Sky News), AFL: On The Couch (Fox Footy) — 65,000
  3. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 56,000
  4. NRL: 360 (Fox League) — 51,000