Ten will boast how well it did in the demos last night, but the sad reality is that the third-last episode of Australian Survivor couldn’t crack a million viewers nationally. It was swamped by the solid The Block on Nine and the weakening The X Factor on Seven (which went for two and a half very long hours), and was followed by the movie Pitch Perfect – an unconscious judgement on the singing abilities of the contestants on The X Factor by a Seven programmer.

The Block grabbed 1.7 million national and nearly 1.2 million metro viewers and was the most watched program on the night. The X Factor’s 150 minutes was too long and a real ask of viewers. No wonder its audience fell to 1.194 million nationally and just 752,000 in the metros. The length smacked of no idea programming by Seven. When confronted with weak ratings on a night, just lengthen a ratings winner and fill the gap. Sunday Night was pitched to accommodate the extra hour.

Ten was easily beaten in the main channel in the metros and the regions by the ABC, which hardly stood out. Ten finished third in total people in the metros, but fourth in the regions where its share was a very weak 8.5%. Australian Survivor is not doing it for viewers. It is a program of the 90s (like The Apprentice). Its time has gone.

Nine won the night in the metros and shared the honours in the regions, but in fact won them with solid demos. Nine News was just in front in the metros (by 1,000 viewers, so a tie), but nationally, it was Seven News by 233,000 viewers: 1.634 million to 1.401 million. The News is Seven’s best performing part of the nightly schedule at the moment.

The top five regional programs were: Seven News, 595,000, The Block 510,000, The X Factor, 442,000, ABC News, 412,000 and 60 Minutes, 408,000.

Tonight: Part 2 of Sally Faulkner Kidnap in Beirut story on Australian Story. More disappointing X Factor and the very flat Australian Survivor and The Block (which like the Melbourne property boom is still there, but you are wondering for how long?) And Nine also has its formulaic Hyde and Seek (when the right recipe is Doctor Doctor on Wednesday night).

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (32.6%)
  2. Seven (28.6%)
  3. Ten (17.4%)
  4. ABC (15.6%)
  5. SBS (5.8%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (22.8%)
  2. Seven (19.6%)
  3. ABC (11.3%)
  4. Ten (10.5%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.3%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO, ONE  (4.7%)
  2. 7mate (3.4%)
  3. GO (3.1%)
  4. 7flix, Gem, 7TWO (2.8%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.700 million
  2. Seven News — 1.634 million
  3. Nine News — 1.401 million
  4. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.250 million
  5. ABC News — 1.197 million
  6. The X Factor (Seven) — 1.194 million
  7. Grand Designs (ABC) — 979,000
  8. Australian Survivor (Ten) — 949,000
  9. Poldark (ABC) — 762,000
  10. Events That Shaped The Nineties (Nine) — 664,000

Top metro programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.190 million
  2. Nine News — 1.040 million
  3. Seven News — 1.039 million

Losers: Not the strongest of nights. Early to bed? The X Factor is flat, Australian Survivor is missing in action.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.040 million
  2. Seven News — 1.039 million
  3. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 842,000
  4. ABC News – 785,000
  5. Ten Eyewitness News — 218,000*
  6. SBS World News — 186,000

* Pre-empted in Sydney and Melbourne by MotoGP

Morning TV:

  1. Insiders (ABC, 255, 121,000 on News 24) — 376,000
  2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 326,000
  3. Landline (ABC) — 277,000
  4. Weekend Today (Nine) — 248,000
  5. Offsiders (ABC) — 171,000

 

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Supercars Gold Coast (Fox Sports 5) — 190,000
  2. A Place To Call Home (showcase) — 149,000
  3. Supercars Gold Coast (Fox Sports 5) — 136,000
  4. Supercars Gold Coast (Fox Sports 5) — 122,000
  5. Supercars Gold Coast (Fox Sports 5) — 111,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2016. 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.