It was close last night in metro markets, with Seven and Nine sharing the honours. More went to Nine in the key demographics — Ten did better than the ABC (at last) but I don’t think anyone cares. Seven won convincingly in regional markets and although Ten won All People, ABC1 had more viewers than Ten’s main channel.

Bodyline on ABC1 at 7.30pm was a nice, original idea and well done — 744,000 national/497,000 metro/ 247,000 regional viewers. Seven’s golf telecast in the afternoon was dramatic because of the closing holes when Australia’s current best sportsman in Adam Scott lost, then regained the lead to win the event, his second local win in a row. The coverage from 12.30pm to 5.30pm had 695,000 national/ 448,000 metro/ 247,000 regional viewers — the best golf audience in Australia for a while.

Viewers can feel the looming end of the TV ratings season. Summer is coming. Test cricket starts on Nine on Thursday — earlier than normal so the-about-to-float Nine can book some fat profits. There were animal programs on Seven, Ten (again) and Nine last night in prime time for the first time on a Sunday night for months. More than 3.5 million people watched the three programs nationally. The repeats are re-appearing earlier and faster. The rating blockbusters have been put to bed (well, with the exception of Dancing With The Stars) for another ratings season. Only Keating on ABC1 on Tuesday nights and New Tricks on Saturday evenings will be worth staying with. From next week the ABC news and current affairs giants like Four Corners and Q&A will be rested, Foreign Correspondent will stop travelling, Australian Story tunes out, and Media Watch will finish observing.  Poor, desperate Ten starts repeating Wonderland (which only ended last week) from this Thursday at 10pm. That’s tragic. Interestingly Ten revealed this morning that it has passed on the deal to telecast the Hopman Cup tennis tournament in summer. This was supposed to be part of the network’s big summer of sport offerings. Ten said it couldn’t agree on a schedule.

Update: Ten’s Wake Up averaged for its second week — 50,000 national/ 33,000 metro/ 17,000 regional viewers. Week 1: 65,000/ 44,000/ 21,000. Studio 10 Week 2 average: 52,000/ 37,000/ 15,000. Week 1: 67,000/ 48,000/ 19,000. Just weak and tragic. If both programs are to survive, last week had to have been the bottom. And I don’t know if this is a trend, but Seven News in Melbourne with 307,000 viewers had a small win over Nine News with 304,000. A one-off maybe? In Sydney normal service with Nine News whacking Seven News, 416,000 to 292,000 viewers. Seven won last week nationally, in metro and regional markets.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (30.2%)
  2. Nine (29.5%)
  3. Ten (18.2%)
  4. ABC (14.6%)
  5. SBS (7.5%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (21.6%)
  2. Nine (21.3%)
  3. Ten (12.1%)
  4. ABC1 (10.3%)
  5. SBS ONE (6.6%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO (5.0%)
  2. 7TWO (4.6%)
  3. 7mate (4.0%)
  4. Eleven (3.7%)
  5. Gem (3.2%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Sunday Night (Seven) — 1.770 million
  2. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.742 million
  3. Seven News — 1.629 million
  4. Nine News — 1.533 million
  5. Secrets of Wild India (Nine) — 1.517 million
  6. Wild Planet (Seven) — 1.488 million
  7. ABC News — 1.237 million
  8. Bones (Seven) — 1.140 million
  9. Modern Family (Ten) — 985,000
  10. Modern Family repeat (Ten) — 958,000

Top metro programs:

  1. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.165 million
  2. Sunday Night (Seven) — 1.124 million
  3. Seven News — 1.090 million
  4. Nine News — 1.089 million
  5. Secrets of Wild India (Nine) — 1.069 million

Losers:  It was one of those nights — just enough to keep you interested, not enough to keep you engrossed. The golf was tremendous.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.165 million
  2. Sunday Night (Seven) — 1.124 million
  3. Seven News — 1.090 million
  4. Nine News — 1.089 million
  5. ABC News — 814,000
  6. Ten Eyewitness News — 470,000
  7. SBS World News  — 161,00

Metro morning TV:

  1. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 359,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 282,000
  3. Insiders (ABC1, 167,000, 110,000 on News24) — 277,000
  4. Landline (ABC1) — 258,000
  5. Financial Review Sunday (Nine) — 172,000
  6. Offsiders (ABC1) — 147,000
  7. Inside Business (ABC1) — 135,000
  8. The Bolt Report (Ten) — 104,000
  9. Meet The Press (Ten) — 81,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (3.0%)
  2. TV1  (2.3%)
  3. LifeStyle (2.0%)
  4. UKTV  (1.8%)
  5. Fox Classics  (1.7%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. A League: Newcastle v Brisbane (Fox Sports 1) – 91,000
  2. Paw Patrol (Nick Jr) – 80,000
  3. Football: Shootout  (Fox Sports 1) – 64,000
  4. Modern Family (Fox 8) – 63,000
  5. CSI (TV1) – 60,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. 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.