The second State of Origin game may have seen Queensland win the series (and its 10th series in 11 years), but unlike Game One, it failed to win over viewers. In fact the national audience fell 400,000 or just over 10% to 3.547 million (according to update figures from Nine), from 3.951 million for Game 1 on June 1.

The broadcast was deserted by viewers in the metros where five city audience fell to 2.404 million from 2.708 million for game one. And in the regions a similar story where it fell to 1.143 million from 1.243 million. Despite the fall, these are still big figures for TV audiences.

And in Sydney, the audience shed just on 200,000 people: from 1.199 million for Game one to 1.003 million. In Brisbane the fall was tiny, around 812,000 watched last night from 813,000 for Game one.  It is one of the big mysteries of this series that audiences, while high, can still vary so much.

On the figures this morning, three quarters of the fall happened in NSW, so the fall was more due to Blues fans rejecting their team in the knowledge they would not win at Lang Park in Brisbane, which is ground zero for Queensland.

Shaun Micallef and his Mad as Hell managed 816,000 national viewers and The Chaser’s Election Desk managed 759,000 for what was the weakest of the episodes so far.

In the regions the State of Origin game was naturally tops with 1.143 million, followed by the pre-game coverage with 729,000, then the post-game coverage was third with 660,000. Seven News was next with 640,000 and fifth was The Chase Australia 5.30pm with 514,000

In breakfast, a near draw: Sunrise had 288,000 metro viewers; Today, 287,000. Tight.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (44.5%)
  2. Seven (20.6%)
  3. Ten (16.0%)
  4. ABC (13.5%)
  5. SBS (5.4%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (36.5%)
  2. Seven (13.9%)
  3. Ten (12.1%)
  4. ABC (9.8%)
  5. SBS ONE (3.8%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (3.9%)
  2. Gem (3.3%)
  3. GO (3.2%)
  4. ABC 2 (2.5%)
  5. ONE (2.1%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Second State of Origin Game (Nine) — 3.547 million
  2. Second State of Origin Pre-Match (Nine) — 2.128 million
  3. Second State of Origin Post Match (Nine) — 2.074 million
  4. Seven News — 1.752 million
  5. Nine News — 1.462 million
  6. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 1.404 million
  7. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.266 million
  8. Masterchef Australia (Ten) — 1.223 million
  9. ABC News — 1.185 million
  10. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.163 million

Top metro programs:

  1. Second State of Origin Game (Nine) — 2.404 million
  2. Second State of Origin Pre-Match (Nine) — 1.399 million
  3. Second State of Origin Post Match (Nine) — 1.353 million
  4. Seven News — 1.112 million
  5. Nine News 6.30 — 1.056 million
  6. Nine News — 1.055 million

Losers: The NSW Blues and supporters, all those who missed Mad As Hell and its Green’s spokesperson, Coriander Tuesday. A classic.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.112 million
  2. Nine News (6.30pm) — 1.056 million
  3. Nine News — 1.055 million
  4. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 931,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) – 914,000
  6. ABC News – 828,000
  7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 639,000
  8. 7.30 (ABC) — 561,000
  9. Ten Eyewitness News — 504,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 490,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 288,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 287,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 177,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC,  93,000 + 47,000 on News 24) — 140,000
  5. Mornings (Nine) — 135,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 102,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (2.1%)
  2. TVHITS , Nick Jr (1.8%)
  3. LifeStyle, UKTV (1.5%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 77,000
  2. The Simpsons (Fox8) – 65,000
  3. Family Guy (Fox8) — 65,000
  4. American Dad (FOx8) — 64,000
  5. Family Guy (Fox8) – 49,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2016. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM. (All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight all people.) and network reports.