Q+A host Hamish McDonald (Image: ABC)

Seven and Nine continue to jostle for top spot, with Seven topping Nine in total people last night while in the main channels it was Nine taking the lead. In both cases, Ten in third place, the ABC in fourth.

Nine’s news bulletins are cleaning up in the metro markets, especially Melbourne, while Seven News has a stronghold in the regional areas, contributing to its national victory. Seven’s Sunrise is also the viewers’ choice in the morning — Today and News Breakfast are mere afterthoughts.

The return of Foreign Correspondent to the ABC’s Thursday night line-up after the conclusion of the successful Back Roads season (an average of 800,000-plus viewers per episode) had some TV pundits thinking it may provide a follow-on boost for the faltering Q+A. Not the case — Foreign Correspondent last night averaged 525,000, with Q+A attracting a weak 351,000 nationally. The problem for Q+A is that viewers now view it as dull, predictable and full of politicians — an unsatisfying program (unlike Foreign Correspondent).

Breakfast: Sunrise, 456,000 nationally and 260,000 metro; Today, 311,000 and 213,000; News Breakfast, 278,000 and 179,000.

Regional top five: Seven News, 623,000; Seven News 6.30, 595,000; Home and Away, 351,000; The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 363,000; Home and Away Late, 344,000;

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (28.0%)
  2. Nine (27.5%)
  3. Ten (20.4%)
  4. ABC (15.2%)
  5. SBS (8.9%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (19.0%)
  2. Seven (18.2%)
  3. Ten (13.5%)
  4. ABC (9.8%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.3%)

Top 5 digital channels:

  1. 7mate (3.9%)
  2. 7TWO, 10 Bold (3.8%)
  3. ABC Kids/Comedy/Plus (3.2%)
  4. Gem, 10 Peach (2.7%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.605 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.542 million
  3. Nine News — 1.289 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.223 million
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.053 million
  6. 7pm ABC News — 990,000
  7. Home and Away (Seven) — 918,000
  8. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 915,000
  9. Home and Away Late (Seven) — 829,000
  10. 7.30 (ABC) — 793,000

Losers: MasterChef, Q&A

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 985,000
  2. Seven News — 982,000
  3. Seven News 6.30 — 947,000
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 931,000
  5. ACA (Nine) — 745,000
  6. 7pm ABC News — 663,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 527,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 448,000
  9. Ten News First — 392,000
  10. Foreign Correspondent (ABC) — 360,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 456,000/260,000
  2. Today (Nine) — 311,000/213,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC) — 278,000/179,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 234,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 160,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 72,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

  1. NRL: St George vs Brisbane (Fox League) — 225,000
  2. NRL: Late Night With Matty Johns (Fox League) — 101,000
  3. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 81,000
  4. NRL: Pre-Game (Fox League) — 72,000
  5. Aussie Gold Hunters (Discovery) — 71,000