Apart from First Dates (1.182 million nationally and the most popular non news program nationally and in the metros) it was a night to dream of summer holidays, Christmas, New Year – anything but what might have been in front of you. News and current affairs programs were seven of the top 10 most watched in themetros and the top three nationally.

Seven News won nationally, in the metros and in the regions and won Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. It lost Brisbane to Nine, thereby underlining Nine’s biggest problem heading into 2017: its loss of supremacy from 6 to 7 pm (and at 5.30pm with The Chase Australia streeting Eddie McGuire’s efforts at Hot Seat). The Chase thrashed Hot Seat by more than 400,000 nationally at 5.30pm and the 6 to 6.30pm News half hour saw Seven News win by more than 440,000: 1.661 million to 1.214 million.

Today beat Sunrise in metro breakfast: 321,000 to 310,000, but Sunrise was tops nationally, again.

The top five regional programs  were: Seven News with 587,000; Home and Away, 498,000; Seven News/Today Tonight, 475,000; The 5.30pm part of The Chase Australia was fourth with 437,000 and First Dates was fifth with 416,000.

With the weak but still on air Hard Quiz, Upper Middle Bogan and (gulp) Rosehaven, the ABC stands out with programs you might want to watch. Much better than a doco on NZ scenery, Scary Plane Landings (both on Nine), the Great News Events seen on TV (Seven), or the ARIAs on Ten. Find a diversion.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (31.4%)
  2. Nine (26.2%)
  3. Ten (18.5%)
  4. ABC (17.0%)
  5. SBS (6.9%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (20.2%)
  2. Nine (16.6%)
  3. Ten (13.3%)
  4. ABC (11.7%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.0%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO (4.7%)
  2. 7TWO, 7mate (4.4%)
  3. Gem, ONE (3.1%)
  4. ABC 2 (3.0%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News  — 1.661 million
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.480 million
  3. Nine News — 1.214 million
  4. First Dates (Seven) — 1.182 million
  5. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.1648 million
  6. ABC News — 1.110 million
  7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.080 million
  8. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.067 million
  9. The Big Bang Theory episode 1 (Nine) — 1.025 million
  10. 7.30 (ABC) — 958,000

Top metro programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.074 million
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.005 million

Losers: Apart from First Dates, another night to do something else.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.074 million
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.005 million
  3. Nine News — 903,000
  4. Nine News (6.30pm)  — 867,000
  5. ABC News — 800,000
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) – 743,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 703,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 647,000
  9. Ten Eyewitness News — 451,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 418,000

Morning TV:

  1. Today (Nine) — 321,000
  2. Sunrise (Seven) — 310,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 185,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC,  112,000 + 49,000 on News 24) — 161,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 129,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 63,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (3.5%)
  2. TVHITS  (2.8%)
  3. Sy News (24%)
  4. LifeStyle, LifeStyle  Food (1.8%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Australia’s Next Top Model (Fox8) — 163,000
  2. The Great Australian Bake-Off (Fox8) — 116,000
  3. The Simpsons (Fox8) – 63,000
  4. Back Page (Fox Sports 1) — 61,000
  5. Jones & Co (Sky News) — 57,000

*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.