The final of House Rules 2017 on Seven was mugged last night by the debut on Nine of the Australian version of a Japanese game show called Sasuke. It is on NBC in the US. However you describe it, Australian Ninja Warrior was successfully introduced to Australians (the US version has been on SBS) grabbing 2.32 million national viewers with 1.68 million in the metros and 648,000 in the regions. Nine was a very clear winner in the metros.The winner’s announcement on House Rules on Seven averaged a solid 1.84 million and the grand final part 1.64 million. 

A year ago, the 2016 final of House Rules averaged 2.14 million national viewers for the winner’s announcement and 1.95 million for the final. The shortfall can be easily explained by the rush of viewers to Nine for the Ninjas.  Looking at Ninja last night, I wonder how it will go as the season continues. It is on Nine tonight and Tuesday, and with Wednesday’s third and deciding State of Origin game, we will see Nine win the week easily. But you do wonder how many of last night’s big audience will return in coming weeks. Ten’s Masterchef Australia was badly squeezed and it could only manage 828,000 national viewers. And if anyone is interested, Seven started Yummy Mummies last night at 9pm.  Two episodes, the first 1.21 million (more than OK) and the second just 638,000. Even accounting for the late start to episode two, it is a big thumbs down from viewers who didn’t feel compelled to hang around. 

Ninja wasn’t quite as popular in regional markets. Seven News topped the night with 703,000, with the House Rules winner’s announcement equal with 703,000.  Australian Ninja was third with 648,000, the House Rules Grand Final was 4th with 633,000. Nine/NBN 6.30pm News was 5th with 468,000. In mornings Insiders (with the Chris Uhlman piece to camera on Donald Trump at the G-20 meeting that has gone viral) had a total of 549,000 viewers on ABC and ABC News from 9am and was the most watched program.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (35.9%)
  2. Seven (29.2%)
  3. Ten (13.6%)
  4. ABC (13.1%)
  5. SBS (8.2%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (28.7%)
  2. Seven (21.9%)
  3. Ten (9.9%)
  4. ABC (9.01%)
  5. SBS ONE (6.7%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO (3.1%)
  2. 7mate (2.9%)
  3. 7TWO (2.7%)
  4. ABC 2 (2.4%)
  5. ONE (2.2%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Australian Ninja (Nine) — 2.328 million
  2. Seven News  — 1.998 million
  3. House Rules – Winners (Seven) — 1.841 million
  4. Nine/NBN News — 1.690 million
  5. House Rules – Grand Final (Seven) — 1.640 million
  6. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.273 million
  7. Yummy Mummies – debut (Seven) — 1.214 million
  8. 7pm ABC News —997,000
  9. Masterchef Australia (Ten) — 828,000
  10. Grand Designs NZ (Brisbane) — 726,000

Top metro programs:

  1. Australian Ninja – debut (Nine) — 1.680 million
  2. Seven News — 1.296 million
  3. Nine News — 1.244 million
  4. House Rules – Winners Announced (Seven) — 1.142 million
  5. House Rules – Grand Final (Seven) — 1.007 million

Losers: Ten, the ABC, and Seven — all squashed by an expensive knock off.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.296 million
  2. Nine News — 1.244 million
  3. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 865,000
  4. 7pm ABC News — 697,000
  5. SBS World News — 207,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Insiders (ABC, 384,000, 155,000 on ABC News) — 549,000
  2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 471,000
  3. Landline (ABC) — 427,000
  4. Weekend Today (Nine) — 358,000
  5. Sports Sunday (Nine) — 269,000
  6. Offsiders (ABC)  — 266,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox Footy (5.0%)
  2. Fox Sports 506 (4.2%)
  3. Fox Sports 503  (2.5%)
  4. TVHITS  (2.2%)
  5. Foxtel Movies Premiere/Fox League (1.9%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: West Coast v Port Adelaide (Fox Footy) — 194,000
  2. AFL:North Melb, v Fremantle (Fox Footy) — 179,000
  3. NRL: Canterbury v Newcastle (Fox League) — 175,000
  4. AFL: Carlton v Melbourne (Fox Sports 503) — 162,000
  5. F1: Australian GP (Fox Sports 506) — 159,000