The Front Bar finally knocks out the competition

Seven’s night as its 6pm news whacked Nine comprehensively. Nine only won Sydney and northern NSW, Seven won the rest, including a big win in Melbourne. So strong was Seven news’ performance that both the 6pm (1.02 million)and 6.30pm (1.005 million) segments were the only programs to top the million viewer mark in metro markets, on what is usually a low viewing night.

Nationally, Seven’s The Front Bar had a record 606,000 viewers. Nine’s final episode of The Footy Show which aired last night had 173,000 nationally and 78,000 in the major Melbourne market. MasterChef on Ten did well with 869,000. ABC News with 1.04 million and 7.30 with 909,000 were again higher than usual for Thursday nights, boosted by the election coverage.

In regional markets it was Seven’s 6pm News with 564,000, from Seven News/Today Tonight with 520,000, the 5.30pm bit of The Chase Australia with 384,000 and the 7pm ABC News and Home and Away on 351,000 each.

Network channel share:

1. Seven (32.9%)
2. Nine (23.2%)
3. Ten (19.4%)
4. ABC (16.5%)
5. SBS (7.9%)

Network main channels:

1. Seven (21.5%)
2. Nine (17.2%%)
3. Ten (13.4%)
4. ABC (11.4%)
5. SBS ONE (6.1%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7mate (4.2%)
2. 7TWO, 10 Bold (3.8%)
3. ABC Kids/Comedy (2.7%)
4. GO (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.592 million
2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.525 million
3. Nine/NBN News   — 1.175 million
4. Nine/NBN News  6.30  — 1.145 million
5. 7pm ABC News — 1.043 million
6. Home and Away (Seven),The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 968,000
7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 949,000
8. 7.30 (ABC) — 909,000
9. MasterChef Australia (Ten) — 869,000

Top metro programs: 

1. Seven News — 1.028 million
2. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.005 million

Losers: Nine’s AFL Footy Show — gone, dead and buried after 25 years.

Top Metro News and Current Affairs

1. Seven News — 1.028 million
2. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.005 million
3. Nine News  — 890,000
4. Nine News 6.30 — 866,000
5. 7pm ABC News —691,000
6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 682,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 600,000
8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 456,000
9. 10 News First — 400,000
10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 267,000

Morning (National) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) — 468,000 (Metros: 282,000)
2. Today (Nine) — 301,000 (Metros: 205,000)
3. News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 267,000 
4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 200,000
5. Today Extra (Nine) — 152,000
6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 85,000

Top five pay TV programs:

1. NRL: Gold Coast v Cronulla  (Fox League) — 235,000
2. The Late Show With Matty Johns (Fox League) —125,000
3. Thursday Night League (Fox League) — 76,000
4. Aussie Gold Hunters (Discovery) — 69,000
5. The Bolt Report  (Sky News) — 54,000