The Brownlow Medal won it for Seven with big margins in the AFL markets of Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth — while Nine won the NRL markets of Sydney and Brisbane without the Dally M Awards (best in the NRL) which were on Foxtel and locked away from most NRL fans. Seven also was an easy winner in the regions, with wins in Queensland, Victoria, WA and Tasmania.

The Brownlow had 1.428 million national viewers on Seven and 7mate, and 222,000 on Fox Footy – the Dally M Awards on Fox Sports 1 had 193,000. They could have picked up another 300,000 to 500,000 if they were simulcast on Gem in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and in regional markets of NSW and Queensland. The players of the calibre of Jonathan Thurston (four times winner) deserved wider exposure instead of being locked away in the pay TV ghetto that is Fox Sports 1.

The Brownlow Medal count went on and on (it does every year), but this year’s winner, Nat Fyfe of the Freo Dockers was a surprisingly impressive person, off the field as he was. Seven should have the contract whipped up today, if it hasn’t already. He has an impressive career ahead of him after his on field career ends.  He wasn’t scared to take a few good humoured pokes at Bruce McAveny in the  Q&A session with his acceptance speech.

Seven News had its best metro win for more than two years last night, winning Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. That was after the 5.30pm bit of The Chase Australia with 668,000 viewers accounted for Hot Seat on Nine with 570,000. The Chase 5.30 easily beat hot Seat nationally with 1.084 million viewers to 833,000. In the morning, the first broadcast from Today’s Australian love trip left viewers unmoved, Sunrise had 318,000 metro viewers to 291,000 for Today. Nationally it was 537,000 viewers for Sunrise to 430,000 for Today.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (36.3%)
  2. Nine (24.8%)
  3. ABC (18.4%)
  4. Ten (15.5%)
  5. SBS (5.0%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (29.1%)
  2. Nine (18.7%)
  3. ABC (14.8%)
  4. Ten (10.9%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.0%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (4.5%)
  2. GO (3.9%)
  3. Gem (3.0%)
  4. 7mate (2.7%)
  5. ONE (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.453 million
  2. The Brownlow Medal (Seven, 1.256 million, 172,000 on 7mate) — 1.428 million
  3. Seven News — 1.423 million
  4. ABC News  – 1.322 million
  5. ACA (Nine) — 1.121 million
  6. 7.30 (ABC) — 1.116 million
  7. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.112 million
  8. Australian Story (ABC) — 1.093 million
  9. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.084 million
  10. Four Corners (ABC) — 1.049 million

Top metro programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.153 million
  2. The Brownlow Medal (Seven, 1.048 million, 105,000 on 7mate) — 1.153 million
  3. Nine News — 1.024 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.009 million
  5. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 1.001 million

Losers: There was enough on other networks to give the AFL deniers solace – the ABC for example had a solid news and current affairs line up, Nine had The Block and House Husbands, Ten had whatever it had on..Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.153 million
  2. Nine News — 1.024 million
  3. Nine News 6.30 — 1.009 million
  4. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.001 million
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 936,000
  6. 7pm ABC News — 931,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 779,000
  8. Australian Story (ABC) — 747,000
  9. Four Corners (ABC) — 740,000
  10. Media Watch (ABC) — 657,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 318,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 291,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 170,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC 1,  90,000 + 61,000 on News 24) — 151,000
  5. Mornings (Nine) — 143,000
  6. Studio 1o (Ten) — 63,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox Footy (4.2%)
  2. Fox Sports 1 (2.7%)
  3. Fox 8  (2.1%)
  4. LifeStyle  (1.9%)
  5. UKTV (1.7%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: The Brownlow Medal (Fox Footy) —222,000
  2. Dally M Awards (FoxSports 1) — 193,000
  3. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) — 155,000
  4. Monday Night With Matty Johns (Fox Sports 1) — 96,000
  5. AFL: The Brownlow Medal (Fox Footy) — 89,000

*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.