Except for MasterChef Australia (1.22 million) it was a night to forget. Seven won because its hour of news from 6pm dominated viewing (an average of 1.78 million to Nine’s 1.39 million). Ten had nothing apart from MasterChef to give it ratings oomph.
Apart from the news Nine ran dead again with a lacklustre offering. After another solid night for the ABC 7pm news (1.24 million and winning the slot) the ABC wasn’t much better with the depressing turnout for The Heights (326,000 from 8pm).
In breakfast the great COVID-19 news heist has ended (unless there’s a second wave). Sunrise’s national audience fell under half a million for the first time since the pandemic grabbed the news cycle and wouldn’t let go. It averaged 493,000 nationally and 285,000 across the metros. News Breakfast was a clear second with 332,000 nationally and 218,000 in the metros, ahead of a loitering Today with 312,000 and 211,000.
In the regions: Seven News, 647,000; Seven News 6.30, 610,000; 7pm ABC News, 399,000; Home and Away 372,000, The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 344,000,
Network channel share:
- Seven (27.6%)
- Nine (25.9%)
- Ten (21.3%)
- ABC (15.3%)
- SBS (9.8%)
Network main channels:
- Seven (19.8%)
- Nine (17.4%)
- Ten (14.8%)
- ABC (10.6%)
- SBS ONE (6.4%)
Top 5 digital channels:
- 10 Bold (4.0%)
- 7TWO (3.3%)
- GO (3.1%)
- 7mate (2.7%)
- 10 Peach (2.5%)
Top 10 national programs:
- Seven News —1.831 million
- Seven News 6.30 — 1.732 million
- Nine/NBN News — 1.409 million
- Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.331 million
- 7pm ABC News— 1.244 million
- MCA (Ten) — 1.227 million
- ACA (Nine) —1.038 million
- The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.031 million
- Home and Away (Seven) — 971,000
- 7.30 (ABC) — 881,000
Top metro programs:
- Seven News — 1.184 million
- Seven News 6.30 — 1.122 million
- Nine News — 1.061 million
Losers: Viewers.
Metro news and current affairs:
- Seven News — 1.184 million
- Seven News 6.30 — 1.122 million
- Nine News — 1.061 million
- Nine News 6.30 — 988,000
- 7pm ABC News — 845,000
- A Current Affair (Nine) — 706,000
- The Project 7pm (Ten) — 603,000
- 7.30 (ABC)— 588,000
- Ten News First — 469,000
- The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 387,000
Morning (National) TV:
- Sunrise (Seven) — 493,000/285,000
- News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 332,000/218,000
- Today (Nine) — 312,000/211,000
- The Morning Show (Seven) — 289,000
- Today Extra (Nine) — 180,000
- Studio 10 (Ten) — 89,000
Top five pay TV programs:
- Aussie Gold Hunters (Discovery) — 100,000
- The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 73,000
- Selling Houses Australia (LifeStyle), Credlin (Sky News), Paul Murray Live(Sky News) — 66,000
The Heights has degenerated into just another soapie.
I enjoyed the first series initially, but the interest faded rapidly toward the end.
The SBS programme on the Scottish railways was a delightful alternative.
I think one of the problems with The Heights is the shortness of the episodes at half an hour. For the first series the ABC played two eps back to back giving time to engage. We are elderly and like the series because it deals with many real-life situations in a very Australian or, dare I say it, West Australian way. That said we also took advantage of the ABC’s other concession and binge watched the entire first series. I hope the ABC perseveres with this one even though the ratings don’t look too good.