Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings: Origin dominates the night

Nine was always going to win last night in metro and regional markets because of the third NRL State of Origin game. It dominated viewing last night, though not to the same level as we saw with the record numbers for Game 1, and then even higher viewing figures for Game 2.

The dead third game saw just over 900,000 fewer people watch (3.268 million nationally, including Gem in Perth) than the 4.2 million who watched Game 2, which was won by NSW, enabling them to win Origin for the first time in eight years. Queensland easily won last night’s game. There were fewer viewers in the metro markets, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. The regional audience of 1.220 million was well under the 1.449 million for Game 2. MasterChef Australia’s 1.321 viewers around the country was therefore a very sold effort for Ten. Seven ran dead.

In the morning, 620,000 people watched the dramatic World Cup semi-final slaying of Brazil by Germany (511,000 in the metros, 109,000 in the regionals). The game, which started at 6am and continued until around 7.45 am, cut the audiences for Today, Sunrise and News Breakfast by 20,000 to 50,000, based on figures from earlier in the week. Even so, Sunrise still beat Today by 33,000 in the metros and more nationally. At 6pm Nine News again had big wins over Seven News in Sydney (126,00), Melbourne (78,000) and Brisbane (36,000). Despite those figures, Seven News now seems to be now doing better in Melbourne (where it had been weak for nearly two years) than in Sydney.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (39.6%)
2. Seven (21.1%)
3. Ten (18.3%)
4. ABC (15.5%)
5. SBS (5.6%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (32.9%)
2. Seven(13.1%)
3. Ten (12.9%)
4. ABC1 (11.2%)
5. SBS ONE (4.8%)

Top  digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (4.5%)
2. GO, Eleven (3.5%)
3. 7mate (3.4%)
4. Gem (3.2%)
5. ABC2 (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

1.  State of Origin Game (Nine) — 3.378 million*
2.  State of Origin Pre-Match (Nine) — 2.271 million*
3.  State of Origin Pre-Match (Nine) — 2.182 million*
4. Nine News — 1.801 million
5. Seven News — 1.620 million
6. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.423 million
7. MasterChef Australia (Ten) — 1.321 million
8. ABC News — 1.229 million
9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.218 million
10. Nine News 6.30 — 1.178 million

*Includes figures for Gem in Perth

Top metro programs:

1. State of Origin Game (Nine) — 2.141 million*
2. State of Origin Pre-Match (Nine) — 1.424 million*
3. State of Origin Pre-Match (Nine) — 1.299 million*
4. Nine News — 1.286 million
5. Seven News — 1.253 million
6. Nine News 6.30 — 1.178 million
7. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.136 million
8. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.023 million

*Includes figures for Gem in Perth

Losers:  No one really lost with the third, weak, still high rating Origin game on Nine last night.Metro news and current affairs:

1. Nine News — 1.286 million
2. Seven News — 1.253 million
3. Nine News 6.30 — 1.177 million
4. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.136 million
5. A Current Affair (Nine) – 1.023 million
6. ABC News  – 844,000
7. 7.30 (ABC1) — 715,000
8. Ten Eyewitness News — 678,000
9. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 635,000
10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 366,000

Morning TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) – 299,000
2. Today (Nine) – 266,000
3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 190,000
4. Mornings (Nine) — 113,000
5. News Breakfast (ABC1,  59,000 + 36,000 on News 24) — 95,000
6. Studio 1o (Ten) — 53,000

Top five pay TV channels:

1. Fox 8  (2.8%)
2. TVHITS!  (2.0%)
3. Fox Classics (1.9%)
4. LifeStyle  (1.6%)
5. Disney Jr (1.4%)

Top five pay TV programs:

1. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 84,000
2. Family Guy (Fox 8) – 80,000
3. Family Guy (Fox 8) – 71,000
4. The Simpsons (Fox 8) – 63,000
5. Selling Houses Australia (LifeStyle) – 54,000

*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.