The Winners: Seven News was tops with 1.370 million (but not in Sydney or Melbourne where Nine News won). Today Tonight was second with 1.234 million, just in front of ACA on Nine with 1.220 million. Nine News was 4th with 1.185 million and the 7.30pm episode of Two and a Half Men on Nine averaged 1.057 million and the 7pm episode 989,000. Seven’s tennis from 7.30pm averaged 791,000 until 10.30pm. Only The Mentalist on Nine at 8.30pm with 988,000 and The Middle on Nine at 8pm with 897,000 did better. Seven won the night nationally, but Nine’s main channel beat Seven’s because Seven’s digital channel had a better night than Nine’s GO. That’s called the vagaries of the new viewing/ratings set up. Pay TV and its more 83 measured channels and more than 20 other channels had more viewers in Sydney in prime time than the free to air’s and their multi channels (well two or three). Heartbeat on 7 Two and Mother and Son, also on 7Two averaged 214,000 and 198,000 last night to make the top 40 program list. That’s as good a sign as any that viewers were bored with what was on offer on the main channels and on Pay TV. Both programs have been on Pay TV and on Free To Air TV before.

The Losers: Don’t get me started on Two and a Half Men, or the rest of the night. Top Gear looked OK, but the dynamic trio are starting to resemble pastiches of themselves from previous episodes, or is it from the current TV ads for their stage shows?

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally, but that was due to big wins in Adelaide and Perth. Today Tonight may have won on the numbers, but ACA won Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. TT also got home nationally due to big wins in Adelaide and Perth. The 7pm ABC News averaged 965,000, The 7.30 Report, 646,000. Ten News, 884,000, 257,000 for the late News/Sports Tonight. SBS News at 6.30pm, 191,000, 152,000 for the late News. 7am Sunrise on Seven, 332,000, 7am Today on Nine, 243,000.

The Stats: Ratings: For the free to air networks, Seven won 6 pm to midnight All People with a combined share of 28.8% from Nine with a combined share of 27.6%, Ten with 17.6%, the ABC with 16.5% and SBS, 9.4%. Seven won Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide., Nine won Perth. Seven leads the week 29.7% to 27.9% for Nine.

With Pay TV included, the national outcome was: Pay TV on 20.2% (with its 83 separate channels, plus all the ‘others’). Seven (with two channels) was next with 20.0%, Nine was on 19.9% for two channels. Ten on 15.3%, also with two , ABC was on 12.1% with three and SBS, 7.5% with two. The Free To Air channels had a total share of 79.8%, up from Sunday’s 77.4%.

In regional areas WIN/NBN won with a combined 28.7% from Prime/7Qld with 27.1%, the ABC with 17.8%, Southern Cross (ten) with 16.4% and SBS with 10%.

Digitally: 7TWO won with 4.1%, leaving Seven’s main channel on 24.7%. Nine’s GO was next with 2.1%, leaving Nine’s main channel in front with 25.5%. ABC 2 was next with 1.6% (leaving ABC 3 with 0.7% and ABC 1 with 14.2%. Ten One averaged 0.6% (meaning the ABC kids channel beat it) and Ten’s main channel was on 17.0%. SBS Two averaged 0.5% and SBS One, 8.9%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: So no “Jelena Dokic boost” for the Seven network’s coverage of the Australian Open tennis this year. She lost last night. Like the Australian cricket team’s win in the Third Test, the play yesterday in the Open was predictable (Maria Sharapova to lose her opening game, which she did. She shouldn’t have opened that luxury goods ship for a sponsor at the weekend).

But it wasn’t as predictable as Two And A Half Men last night on Nine, two repeat episodes at 7pm and 7.30pm. Gee, what a barrel of laughs. Seven’s tennis from 11am beat Nine’s telecast of the shortened final day of the Test, 374,000 to 322,000.

TONIGHT: More tennis on Seven; more Two and a Half Men (one episode, phew), doubled episodes of Survivor Samoa, all on Nine. Ten, the ABC and SBS have programming, all look as uninteresting as Two and a Half Men.

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports