Gogglebox Australia's Delpechitra family (Image: Foxtel)

With no football and only Gogglebox Australia to hold their attention, Australian free-to-air TV viewers deserted the main channels — and as a result the total free-to-air share of the 18 channels, 34.9%, was more than the total for any network. It is a viewing trend that emerges in mid-to-late spring, especially after the footy season ends. School holidays might explain this, but it will return in coming weeks.

Ten’s Gogglebox got 589,000, not helped by the poor 398,000 lead-in of The Amazing Race Australia. Speaking of poor, The Project at 6.30pm and 7pm was very weak, the normally strong 7pm part drawing 400,000 viewers nationally.

On the ABC, Foreign Correspondent attracted 490,000, Q+A 331,000.

Earlier in the day, Nine’s Today was really weak for a second morning — 252,000 nationally (same as last Thursday), down 20,000 from Wednesday and 120,000 behind Sunrise (372,000). It can’t be just down to school holidays because Sunrise’s figures have steadied and not fallen this week as Today‘s has.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (27.8%)
  2. Nine (27.3%)
  3. Ten (19.1%)
  4. ABC (17.5%)
  5. SBS (8.3%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (19.8%)
  2. Seven (17.8%)
  3. Ten (12.9%)
  4. ABC (11.7%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.0%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (4.8%)
  2. 7mate (4.0%)
  3. 10 Bold (3.0%)
  4. 10 Peach (3.5%). ABC Kids/Plus (2.7%) 
  5. ABC News, Gem (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.318 million
  2. Seven News — 1.315 million
  3. Nine News 6.30pm — 1.063 million
  4. Nine News — 980,000
  5. 7pm ABC News — 844,000
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 800,000
  7. Home and Away (Seven) — 708,000
  8. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 695,000
  9. 7.30 (ABC) — 689,000
  10. Home and Away Late (Seven) — 657,000

Top metro programs: none with a million or more viewers.

Regional Top 5: Seven News 6.30pm, 485,000; Seven News, 470,000; Nine News 6.30pm, 276,000; 7pm ABC News, 275,000; Home and Away, 271,000.

Losers: just another very weak night, even allowing for holidays.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 846,000
  2. Seven News 6.30pm — 833,000
  3. Nine News 6.30pm — 787,000
  4. Nine News — 714,000
  5. 7pm ABC News — 569,000
  6. ACA (Nine) — 556,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 463,000
  8. Foreign Correspondent (ABC) — 323,000
  9. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 276,000
  10. 10 News First — 224,000

Morning (national) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 372,000/214,000
  2. ABC News Breakfast — 292,000/180,000
  3. Today (Nine) — 252/162,000
  4. ABC News Mornings — n/a
  5. The Morning Show (Seven) — 205,000
  6. Today Extra (Nine) —135,000
  7. Studio 10 (Ten) — n/a

Top 5 pay TV programs:

  1. Credlin (Sky News) — 49,000
  2. NRL: Grand Final Preview With Matty Johns (Fox League) — 46,000
  3. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 45,000
  4. Aussie Gold Hunters (Discovery) — 43,000
  5. Basketball: Women’s World Cup QF (ESPN) — 42,000.