muriel's wedding
Muriel's Wedding (Image: Miramax)

The uptick in news viewing because of the renewed outbreak of COVID-19 in Melbourne continued across Wednesday. Seven’s Sunrise saw a nice jump to 513,000 national viewers, ABC News Breakfast climbed to 338,000 and Today had 324,000 — viewing is up around 60,000 viewers from a week earlier when the outbreak was developing. Viewing of the 6pm-onwards news broadcasts also rose on a week earlier for Nine, Seven and the ABC, but not Ten.

A screening of Muriel’s Wedding with 244,000 nationally bombed for Nine from 8.40pm, but so did Police: Hour of Duty on Seven with 243,000 nationally. Seven won because its news had a gap of 390,000 over Nine’s hour of news and that was enough to win the night.

All three networks are now close to the end of their expensive, big name shows — MasterChef for Ten, The Voice for Nine and Big Brother for Seven. The networks have nothing to fill the gaps when those programs are not on air, so viewers get served pap and they go off for Netflix or leave the TV on as background white noise.

Last night Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery averaged 734,000 nationally, as did The Weekly With Charlie Pickering. Both looked tired last night. Seven won easily from a weak Nine with the ABC third and well ahead of a staggering Ten.

In Breakfast, Sunrise won with 513,000 national and 320,000 in the metros, with ABC News Breakfast 318,000/211,000 and Today with 314,000/211,000. In the regions it was Seven News on 658,000, Seven News 6.30, 616,000, The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 423,000, Home and Away390,000, the 7pm ABC News 367,00

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (29.6%)
  2. Nine (24.8%)
  3. ABC  (18.6%)
  4. Ten (17.4%)
  5. SBS (9.6%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (21.4%)
  2. Nine (16.0%)
  3. ABC (13.6%)
  4. Ten (9.9%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.7%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 10 Bold (4.9%)
  2. 7TWO (3.6%)
  3. 7mate (3.0%)
  4. Gem (2.7%)
  5. 9Life (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.813 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.738 million
  3. Nine/NBN News — 1.427 million
  4. Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.339 million
  5. 7pm ABC News — 1.181 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.066 million
  7. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.065 million
  8. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.060 million
  9. 7.30 (ABC) — 967,000
  10. America’s Got Talent (Seven) — 862,000

Top metro programs:

  1. Seven News– 1.155 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.122 million
  3. Nine News — 1.109 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.023 million

Losers: Nine and Ten had nothing for viewers after 7.30pm, nor did Seven.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News– 1.155 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.122 million
  3. Nine News — 1.109 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.023 million
  5. 7pm ABC News — 814,000
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) —755,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 678,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 544,000
  9. Ten News First — 395,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 348,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 513,000/320,000
  2. News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 338,000/228,000
  3. Today (Nine) — 314,000/211,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 254,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 160,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 75,000

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 89,000
  2. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 67,000
  3. Selling Houses Australia(LifeStyle) — 61,000
  4. Credlin (Sky News), Peppa Pig (Nick Jr)  — 57,000