Virat Kohli (Image: AAP/James Elsby)

Just under 1 million (998,000) watched the third session of the first test against India last night — good batting, silly running, good bowling. A further 330,000 watched at the peak on Foxtel (presumably the third session). As expected Seven won the night in total people and the main channels.

The combined shared of the networks’ non-main channels was 36.1%, lower than a week ago with a 39%+ plus figure because of the cricket.

Test cricket in a COVID world. Let’s hope NSW gets its latest outbreak in Sydney under control because if it doesn’t there will be doubt about a New Year’s test at the SCG. A test behind closed doors?

On SBS, Ron Howard’s wonderful doco The Beatles: Eight Days A Week — 360,000 national viewers — had more viewers than any program on Ten, apart from The Project (425,000) and the 5pm to 6pm news (415,000). It’s on Stan if you missed it.

In breakfast: Sunrise 420,000 national and 243,000 metro viewers; ABC News Breakfast 286,000 national and 186,000 metro viewers; Today with 285,000 national and 185,000 metro viewers.

In regional markets Seven News 6.30, 417,000; Seven News, 387,000; First Cricket Test, Session 3, 325,000; A Current Affair, 293,000; First Cricket Test, Session 2, 271,000.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (33.6%)
  2. Nine (23.2%)
  3. Ten (18.1%)
  4. ABC, Ten (15.8%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (24.5%)
  2. Nine (13.6%)
  3. ABC (10.2%)
  4. Ten (8.2%)
  5. SBS ONE (7.6%)

Top 5 digital channels:

  1. 10 Bold (4.2%)
  2. 7mate (3.9%)
  3. 7TWO, GO (3.3%)
  4. 10 Peach (3.1%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.20 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.17 million
  3. Cricket: First Test, Day 1, Session 3 (Seven) — 998,000
  4. Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 985,000
  5. Nine/NBN News — 977,000
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 815,000
  7. Cricket: First Test, Day 1, Session 2 (Seven) — 807,000
  8. 7pm ABC News — 795,000
  9. Cricket: First Test, Day 1, Dinner (Seven) — 769,000
  10. 7.30 (ABC) — 640,000

Top metro programs: None with a million or more

Losers: Cricket is back… snooze, slap, the cicadas, summer, good night

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 817,000
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 757,000
  3. Nine News — 732,000
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 723,000
  5. 7pm ABC News – 558,000
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 522,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 446,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 306,000
  9. Ten News First at 6pm — 267,000
  10. The Project 6.30 (Ten) — 205,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 420,000/243,000
  2. News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 286,000/188,000
  3. Today (Nine) — 285,000/185,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 198,000
  5. Today Extra — Summer (Nine) – 122,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 49,000

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Cricket: First Test, Day 1, (Fox Cricket) — 330,000
  2. Cricket: First Test, Day 1, (Fox Cricket) — 248,000
  3. Cricket: First Test, Day 1, Dinner (Fox Cricket) — 236,000
  4. Cricket: First Test, Day 1, (Fox Cricket) — 230,000
  5. Cricket: First Test, Day 1, Big Break (Fox Cricket) — 186,000