Stan Grant interviews Tim Minchin for One Plus One (Image: ABC)

The real test yesterday wasn’t at the SCG, it was deciding whether to give the free to air TV channels the benefit of my time last night. The news won from 7pm to 7.30. 7.30 with Stan Grant was on sufferance, especially when Stan backed up with a One Plus One chat with Tim Minchin. Now who hasn’t seen an interview, chat or hang out with Tim Minchin in the past five years? He’s great, the idea is stale. 492,000 for the hour from 8pm, down from 788,000 for Stan and 7.30. Viewers are discerning.

Then it was back to Netflix and Fran ( I wonder what all those surviving top level TV programmers and executives watch at this time of year? Apart from sport, I bet they don’t watch too many of their Z-class offerings after 7pm). The Big Bash on Seven is no different to when it was on Ten, confected and as interesting as watching grass grow.

The final day of the third Test peaked in session three at 1.14 million as it ran past 6pm and boosted the reported figures for Seven News from 6 to 7pm and then the early figures for the BBL pre-game. I’m A Celebrity on Ten averaged 992,000. It has a new name, I’m A Viewer, I’m Out of Here…

Seven won the night easily from Nine, Ten and the ABC.

In breakfast: Sunrise, 489,000 national and 291,000 metro viewers; Today, 324,000 national and 223,000 metro viewers; ABC News Breakfast: 306,000 national and 204,000 metro viewers.

Regional markets: Seven News, 646,000; Seven News 6.30, 583,000; Session 3 of Day 5 of the 3rd Test, 364,000; BBL Pre-Game, 343,000; 7pm ABC News, 329,000.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (27.6%)
  2. Nine (24.8%)
  3. Ten (23.6%)
  4. ABC (15.6%)
  5. SBS (8.4%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (19.8%)
  2. Nine (16.6%)
  3. Ten (15.1%)
  4. ABC (10.5%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.8%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 10 Bold (5.3%)
  2. 7TWO (4.1%)
  3. 7mate (2.8%)
  4. Gem (2.6%)
  5. ABC Kids/Comedy/TV Plus, 10 Peach (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.76 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.60 million
  3. Nine News — 1.34 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.23 million
  5. Cricket: Third Test, Australia v India, Day 5, Session 3 (Seven) — 1.14 million
  6. I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (Ten) — 978,000
  7. 7pm ABC News — 974,000
  8. A Current Affair (Nine) — 916,000
  9. BBL Pre-Game, Session 1 (Seven) — 887,000
  10. Cricket: Third Test, Australia v India, Day 5,Session 2 (Seven) — 863,000

Top metro programs:  

  1. Seven News — 1.11 million
  2. Nine News — 1.03 million
  3. Seven News 6.30 — 1.01 million

Losers: Anyone who didn’t like cricket yesterday and last night (they are called Netflixers, Stanites or Amazon or Granny Smiths).

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.11 million
  2. Nine News — 1.03 million
  3. Seven News 6.30 — 1.01 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 930,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 644,000
  6. 7pm ABC News – 632,00
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 547,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 415,000
  9. Ten News First — 328,000
  10. The Project 6.30 (Ten) — 304,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 489,000/291,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 324,000/223,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC) — 306,000/204,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven)  — n/a
  5. Today Extra — Summer (Nine) — 136,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 57,000

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Cricket — Australia v India 3rd Test, Day 4 (Fox Cricket — 318,000 
  2. Cricket — Australia v India 3rd Test, Day 4 (Fox Cricket) — 257,000 
  3. Cricket — Australia v India 3rd Test, Day 4 Tea (Fox Cricket) — 238,000 
  4. Cricket 360 (Fox Cricket) — 221,000 
  5. Cricket: BBL (Fox Cricket) — 214,000