TV ratings married at first sight
(Image: Nine Network)

Another very solid ratings night for cheating and backstabbing on MAFS — 1.81 million, a new season high. It was second in the regions with 481,000. A winning night for Nine.

Today meanwhile had another sub-200,000 metro audience yesterday with 182,000, the third in a row. The national audience was down to 262,000. Seven’s Sunrise had 478,000 nationally and 277,000 in the metros. On his earnings conference call this morning, Nine CEO Hugh Marks boasted about the strong start to the year for Nine. No mention of the weakest start for Today since 2005.

Seven’s MKR with 1.10 million is down to the core viewers. But at least Ten is there to remind everyone of what happens when nothing is working — a metro share of 7.7% last night, beaten again by the ABC (and after the 8.1% on Tuesday). The Project with 585,000 viewers was No. 17 nationally and Ten’s most watched program. That is a terrible performance. 

In regional markets, Seven’s 6pm News led with 492,000, then MAFS with 481,000, Seven News/Today Tonight with 477,000, Home and Away with 383,000 and MKR was fifth (and slipping) with 381,000.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (34.3%)
  2. Seven (28.0%)
  3. ABC (15.8%)
  4. Ten (14.4%)
  5. SBS (7.5%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (26.3%)
  2. Seven (20.0%)
  3. ABC (11.9%)
  4. Ten (7.7%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.2%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 10 Bold (4.0%)
  2. GO (3.3%)
  3. 7TWO (2.9%)
  4. 10 Peach (2.8%)
  5. 9Life (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. MAFS (Nine) — 1.810 million
  2. Seven News — 1.406 million
  3. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.354 million
  4. Nine/NBN News; Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.133 million
  5. MKR (Seven) — 1.105 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.049 million
  7. 7pm ABC News — 1.013 million
  8. Home And Away (Seven) — 966,000
  9. Hard Quiz (ABC) — 902,000

Top metro programs:

  1. MAFS (Nine) — 1.329 million

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 914,000
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 877,000
  3. Nine News— 858,000
  4. Nine News 6.30 —846,000
  5. ACA (Nine) — 743,000
  6. 7pm ABC News —671,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 589,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 401,000
  9. 10 News First — 336,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 229,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 478,000 (277,000)
  2. Today (Nine) — 262,000 (182,000)
  3. News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 240,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 212,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 150,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 81,000

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Gogglebox Australia (LifeStyle) — 136,000
  2. Paul Murray Live: Our Town (Sky News) —46,000
  3. Kirstie and Phil’s Love It or List It (LifeStyle) — 45,000
  4. Paul Murray Live: Our Town (Sky News); Paw Patrol (Nick Jr) — 39,000