Podcasts: content rules. ABC Radio National has the content but is cursed with peculiar scheduling. The result? Some amazing figures for podcasting, in both Australia and overseas. Figures just out show 21 million downloads from 1 February to 30 September across 48 programs. Life Matters and the Science Show have topped the million and All in the Mind is close to 2 million but Philip Adams’ Late Night Live is the victor. LNL has had 8,229,489 downloads and is expected to break through the 13 million mark by the end of the year – and there’s even a strong suggestion that the real number is 2 million higher. — Christian Kerr (a regular guest on Late Night Live)

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: It’s summer but Monday nights are still Seven’s. Seven News was tops with 1.368 million, Today Tonight was next with 1.329 million, followed by Borderline at 7.30pm (1.309 million) and Coastwatch at 8pm (1.294 million). The 7pm ABC News averaged 1.209 million and Seven’s repeat of Criminal Minds had 1.162 million. Nine News next with 1.105 million, followed by A Current Affair (1.072 million), That 70s Show (1.038 million) and the repeat of Cold Case at 8.30pm (1 million). Enough Rope finished with 975,000 last night. Mythbusters on SBS at 7.30pm, 531,000.

The Losers: Nine. The national audience for the ABC News was larger than any of Nine’s audiences, which says a lot about how little Nine has left to fill its schedule. Ten didn’t have a program over a million, but was solid enough to be happy (it conserves its programming during summer). Ten’s Friends repeat averaged 765,000 at 7pm. Nine’s new “comedy” Big Bang Theory averaged 672,000 at 7.30pm. New Adventures of Old Christine, 623,000 on Nine at 8pm. Desperate!

News & CA: Seven News and Today Tonight had strong nights. They have their summer presenters in place, with Sam Armytage fronting TT, and they both won everywhere but Melbourne. Ten News averaged 835,000; the Late News/Sports Tonight, 476,000. The 7.30 Report (with Ali Moore fronting instead of Red Kerry), 865,000; the Late ABC News, 443,000 (better than Lateline, hmmmm). SBS News, 168,000 at 6.30pm; 248,000 at 9.30pm. 7am Sunrise, 373,000; 7am Today, 258,000.

The Stats: Seven won with 29.1% from Nine with 22.6%, Ten with 22.3%, the ABC with 18.1% and SBS with 7.8%. Seven won all five metro markets and leads 28.8% to 25.0%. In regional areas, Prime/7Qld won with 30.7%, from WIN/NBN for Nine with 23.9%, Southern Cross (Ten) with 19.5%, The ABC with 16.1% and SBS with 9.7%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: The 7.30pm Monday timeslot seems to be set aside for “border paranoia” this year. Seven’s Border Security did well there during the year and last night it was the New Zealand double of Borderline and Coastwatch. Why people watched them is hard to understand … they’re not even about Australia. Tonight the Twenty20 game between Australia and New Zealand from Perth will start at the ratings friendly time of 8pm on the east coast (7pm in Brisbane). And Seven has snatched former Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley from Ten (seems Nine didn’t try to get him). Seven will use Buckley extensively in match commentary, and in nightly news reports to try and rebuild its damaged news ratings in the market next year.

Source: OzTAM, TV Network reports