Ratings officially started last night but in reality, the fight has been going on over the past two weeks. I bet Seven, Nine and Ten weren’t charging (lower) summer ad rates for last week’s episodes of The Block, My Kitchen Rules and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here were they? In metro markets, Nine won Total People and the main channels, though Seven was number one for the 16-39, 18-49 and 25-54 demographics. In the regions Seven won all, with Nine was second, the ABC third and Ten fourth. Not a good look for Ten, again.

The quality programs continued last night — House of Hancock last night, Gallipoli tonight — both on Nine. There was also the interview with victims of the Sydney siege on Nine and Seven. They were high quality. Nine’s was the most watched, managing 1.725 million national viewers against Seven’s 1.627 million. Both were good productions, but they both underlined the problems of allowing the survivors to tell their stories before the Coroner’s Court had heard them (which was the right and proper thing to do). Nine’s effort depended too heavily on re-enactments and actors, Seven had all the vision from its vantage point, which we didn’t see at the time. That made Seven’s effort superior in my opinion. But I also didn’t like the regular ad breaks in both — an ad break in the middle and at the start and end of the 90 minute Seven production would have made for greater drama and interest. Nine’s production dragged on and on and went for two and a quarter hours. Three ad breaks would have been enough, I found myself getting interested, holding that interest, and then the bloody ads, then having to pick up the story again.  The upshot though is the bravery of all those in the cafe at the time — except the gunman.

And then we had My Kitchen Rules. It managed 2.284 million viewers nationally and the most watched program on the night for Seven.  I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here’s eviction was watched by 1.031 million national viewers, with the program proper watched by 844,000 national viewers. Shark Tank’s first episode was watched by 911,000 national viewers. Both ratings will keep Ten happy,  but will they back up next time for Shark Tank, and tonight for I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here?

House of Hancock was in fact better than I expected and a bit of a rom-com (in TV genre terms). Sam Neill was great. Hugh Grant with a walking stick? Part one last night was watched by 1.383 million national viewers. Pretty solid if they all return next Sunday night.

Andrew Bolt and The Bolt Report are back next Sunday,  two weeks too late. He was on Ten’s hastily put together coverage on Studio 10 this morning  and looked off the pace. Barrie Cassidy (host of Insiders) stood out on the program yesterday and on ABC TV’s News 24 on Friday afternoon, yesterday and this morning on News Breakfast. Cassidy is the smoothest hardhead on politics on TV (and the equal of The Great Man, Laurie Oakes). Both stand head and shoulders among the prognosticators. Insiders had a massive 615,000 national viewers and 415,000 in the metro markets on News 24 and ABC.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (33.3%)
  2. Seven (32.9%)
  3. Ten (14.5%)
  4. ABC (14.5%)
  5. SBS (4.9%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (27.5%)
  2. Seven (26.9%)
  3. Ten (11.0%)
  4. ABC 1 (10.5%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.1%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO (3.3%)
  2. 7TWO (3.2%)
  3. 7mate (2.8%)
  4. Gem (2.5%)
  5. ONE (2.1%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. My Kitchen Rules (Seven) – 2.384 million
  2. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.725 million
  3. Inside The Siege (Sydney) — 1.627 million
  4. Nine News — 1.533 million
  5. Seven News — 1.497 million
  6. House of Hancock (Nine) — 1.383 million
  7. ABC  News — 1.144 million
  8. I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here (Ten) — 1.031 million
  9. David Attenborough’s Conquest of Flight (ABC) — 934,000
  10. Shark Tank (Ten) — 911,000

Top metro programs:

  1. My Kitchen Rules (Seven) – 1.685 million
  2. House of Hancock (Nine) — 1.383 million
  3. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.280 million
  4. Inside The Siege (Seven) — 1.127 million
  5. Nine News — 1.099 million
  6. Seven News — 1.032 million

Losers: Anyone who didn’t at least sample what was on FTA TV last night. Plenty of choice. The losers were watching Foxtel or an offshore streaming service, or local clone.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.280 million
  2. Inside The Siege (Seven) — 1.127 million
  3. Nine News — 1.099 million
  4. Seven News — 1.032 million
  5. ABC  News (7pm) – 759,000
  6. Ten Eyewitness News — 441,000
  7. SBS World News — 248,000

Morning TV:

  1. Insiders (ABC 331,000, 84,000 on News 24) — 415,000
  2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 345,000
  3. Landline (ABC) — 330,000
  4. Weekend Today (Nine) – 239,000
  5. Offsiders (ABC) — 187,000

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: Western Sydney v Wellington (Fox Sports 4) — 72,000
  2. Paw Patrol (Nick Jr) — 66,000
  3. RoboCop (Foxtel Movies Premiere) – 62,000
  4. Paw Patrol (Nick Jr) — 57,000
  5. The Simpsons (Fox8) – 55,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2015. 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.