Here’s a thought for the TV executives in this country looking to boost the flagging ratings of a meandering favourite — sack/let go/underpay a female co-host and watch the numbers jump after the publicity explodes and people tune in to see what the fuss is about. That’s how it played out yesterday, anyway, with the surprise departure of Lisa Wilkinson from Today on Monday night. Yesterday morning Today’s audience jumped — to 479,000 from 422,000 viewers on Monday, whereas Sunrise went backwards, from 491,000 to 447,000. But it will be, of course, a short term help. What will be now of interest are the figures for Wednesday onwards and what happens as Nine starts looking for a new host. 

Will Sophie ride to the rescue of the struggling Ten network once again — as she has done now for the past month — with her latest boy juggling on The Bachette? After three straight losses for third place to the ABC (last night’s was tiny, but a real loss, especially against the usually weak Tuesday night for the ABC). Soph’s rescue mission will be vitally needed, as will the arrival of Lisa Wilkinson. Nine’s The Block again carved up the night and it was thanks to it that the (faltering) Big Bang Theory and the repeat of Kath and Kim did so well, helping Nine to the easiest of wins.

Tonight I recomend you watch Sunshine on SBS.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (33.1%)
  2. Seven (25.3%)
  3. ABC (17.1%)
  4. Ten (17.0%)
  5. SBS (7.5%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (25.5%)
  2. Seven (17.2%)
  3. ABC (12.4%)
  4. Ten (11.8%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.5%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7mate (3.4%)
  2. 7TWO (3.2%)
  3. Gem, ONE (3.1%)
  4. ABC 2 (3.0%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.950 million
  2. Seven News  — 1.548 million
  3. The Big Bang Theory (Nine) — 1.454 million
  4. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.399 million
  5. Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.234 million
  6. Nine/NBN News — 1.178 million
  7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.160 million
  8. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.098 million
  9. 7pm ABC News — 1.078 million
  10. The Chaser Australia 5.30pm (Seven) —986,000

Top metro programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.319 million

Losers: Seven and Michael Hutchence

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 980,000
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 936,000
  3. Nine News 6.30pm — 903,000
  4. Nine News — 881,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) —821,000
  6. 7pm ABC News – 743,000
  7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 555,000
  8. 7.30 (ABC) — 543,000
  9. Ten Eyewitness News — 427,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 423,000

Morning (nationally) TV:

  1. Today (Nine) —479,000
  2. Sunrise (Seven) – 447,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC, 168,000 + 73,000 on News 24) — 241,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 200,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 178,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 149,000

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 63,000
  2. Jones & Co (Sky News) — 59,000
  3. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 45,000
  4. Paul Murray Overtime (Sky News) — 43,000
  5. NCIS (TVHITS) — 43,000