Glenn Dyer's TV ratings: Ten crashes and burns

Now Ten is being beaten by the digital channels, which is downright embarrassing. Ten needs to take a hard look at is programming -- and its board.

The Glenn Dyer breakdown: Well, the NRL and the return of the AFL Footy Show did the trick for Nine last night, but tucked away in Adelaide was the real story, where 7TWO again beat the main channel of a network, in this case, Ten. It’s the first time this has happened this year, but it happened several times in Adelaide in the back half of 2012.

Oztam data shows 7TWO averaged 7.8% in Adelaide in prime time last night, while Ten’s main channel had a share of 5.7%. To rub in the depths to which Ten has fallen, GO, Nine’s main digital channel, had the same share as Ten’s main channel! And the Ten board sits there and wonders why the network is in trouble, new CEO or no new CEO. Ten’s overall share was 7.3% across the main channels last night in metro markets. That’s low, but it has been much lower in regional markets and lower on several nights last year (around 6.5%). In fact Ten’s main channel’s prime time share in regional markets last night was just 5.6%, a record low for a Thursday night.

But the 5.7% share last night in Adelaide is a record low for a main channel in a metro market. Nationally, Ten had its lowest main channel and overall share this year last night and the sixth lowest main channel share ever (for any night), and the lowest Thursday night main channel share ever. I told you earlier this week that Ten has further to fall, and it is happening. Blame Lachlan Murdoch and the slack board at Ten and don’t heap it all on former CEO James Warburton, which is typical for the media and unfair. He’s not the only chef in this flop.

The reason for Ten’s weakness was American Idol, just 253,000 metro and 343,000 national viewers. To leave it on air in the main channel is verging on the criminal. But it is a show produced by the family company, News Corp’s Fox group in the US. The conflict of interest in this case is enormous, and the Ten board ain’t doing anything — which is tragic.

Nine’s NRL return did well — 851,000 viewers and more than 1.36 million nationally, with a big win in Sydney (560,000, the biggest in the country, with two Sydney teams playing). More than half a million watched in regional NSW and Queensland.

My Kitchen Rules averaged more than 1.7 million metro and 2.5 million nationally for Seven, which is all but steady from Wednesday night, when there was no NRL. The Block All Stars did OK for Nine with 1.234 million in metro markets and more than 1.7 million nationally.

Tonight: NRL on Nine in northern markets. Better Homes and Gardens on Seven. The Dr Blake Mysteries on ABC1. Ten has American Idol (I dare you to watch and admit it!).

Saturday: NRL on pay TV. The Paradise on ABC1. Not much else on the other channels.

Sunday: Morning chats, NRL in the afternoon on Nine and pay TV. Nine also has The Block All Stars and then 60 Minutes. Sunday Night on Seven, and then Downton Abbey. Midsomer Murders on ABC1 after yet another David Attenborough look at the natural world in slo-mo and close-up and ultra close-up in David Attenborough’s Galapagos. Elementary on Ten at 8.30pm, after MasterChef: Professionals.

The top 10 national programs (metro and regional combined):

My Kitchen Rules (Seven) — 2.543 million.
The Block (Nine) — 1.787 million.
Seven News — 1.681 million.
Nine News — 1.638 million.
Home and Away (Seven) — 1.379 million.
The Footy Shows (Nine) — 1.369 million.
NRL (Nine) — 1.368 million.
ABC1 News — 1.291 million.
Bones (Seven) — 1.284 million.
Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.149 million.

The metro winners:

My Kitchen Rules (Seven, 7.30pm) — 1.739 million.
The Block All Stars (Nine, 7pm) — 1.234 million.
Seven News (6pm) — 1.135 million.
Nine News (6pm) — 1.105 million.

The losers: Ten, just appalling. To leave a program doing as badly as American Idol in the line-up after the previous week’s flops was bad enough. But after last night’s collapse in its audience, viewers have to endure another episode tonight, and Saturday night.

Metro news and current affairs:

Seven News (6pm) — 1.135 million.
Nine News (6pm) — 1.105 million.
Today Tonight (Seven, 6.30pm) — 920,000.
A Current Affair (Nine, 6.30pm) — 905,000.
ABC1 News (7pm) — 864,000.
7.30 (ABC1, 7.30pm) — 671,000.
Ten News(Ten, 5pm) — 654,000.
The Project (Ten, 6.30pm) — 416,000.
Lateline (ABC1, 10.30pm) — 197,000.
SBS ONE News (6.30pm) — 153,000.
Ten Late News (10.30pm) — 136,000.
The Business (ABC1, 11.05pm, repeat) — 102,000 + 45,000 on News 24.
SBS ONE Late News (10.30pm) — 54,000.
The Drum (News 24, 10pm, repeat) — 45,000.

In the morning: Sunrise remains in front in metro and nationally.

1. Sunrise (Seven, 7 – 9 am) — 398,000.

2. Today (Nine, 7 – 9 am) — 326,000.

3. The Morning Show (Seven, 9 – 11 am) — 162,000.

4. Mornings (Nine, 9 – 11 am) — 121,000.

5. News Breakfast (ABC 1, 7 – 9.30 am) — 50,000 + 39,000 on News 24.*

Metro FTA: Nine (3 channels) won with a share of 34.5%, from Seven (3) on 31.9%, the ABC (4) was on 16.2%, Ten (3) was back on 12.6% and SBS (3) ended with 4.9%. Seven still leads the week with 32.6% from Nine on 29.7%, the ABC on 17.5% and Ten back on 15.5%. Main Channels: Nine won with 28.3% from Seven on 25.1%, ABC 1 was on 11.1%, Ten was on 7.3% and SBS ONE ended with 4.0%. Seven leads the week with 26.0% from NIne on 23.1%, ABC 1 on 13.0% and Ten on 10.4%.

Metro Digital: 7TWO won with a share of 4.4%, from GO on 4.0%. ABC 2 was on 3.2%, Eleven was on 3.1%, 7TWO was on 2.4%, ONE and Gem ended with 2.2% each. ABC 3 was on 1.0%, News 24 ended on 0.9%, SBS TWO was on 0.8% and NITV ended with 0.1%. The 11 digital channels had a viewing share last night of 24.1%. GO still leads the week with 3.9% from 7TWO on 3.7%.

Metro including Pay TV: Nine (3 channels) won with a share of 29.0%, from Seven (3) on 27.4%, the ABC (4) was on 13.6%, Ten (3) was back on 10.6% and SBS (3) ended with 4.1%. The 16 FTA channels had a share last night of viewing of 86.5%. The five main channels share was 66.9% and the 11 digital channels share was a low 20.4%. Pay TV had a share of 13.5%, based on the 200 plus channels on Foxtel. Fox Sports new NRL program, Sterlo, debuted last night with 78,000 viewers, which was a solid first up outing for Pay TV at 6.30 pm

The top five pay TV channels were:

1. LifeStyle — 2.6%.

2. Fox 8 — 2.5%.

3. UKTV, TV1 — 2.0%.

4. Fox Classics — 1.7%.

5. Fox Sports 1 — 1.6%.

The five most-watched programs on pay TV were:

1. Grand Designs (LifeStyle) — 84,000.

2. Sterlo (Fox Sports 1) — 78,000.

3. The Simpsons (Fox 8) — 76,000.

4. Coronation Street (UKTV) — 70,000.

5. Coronation Street (UKTV) — 66,000.

Regional: WIN/NBN (3 channels) won with a share of 35.6% from Prime/7Qld on 35.1%, the ABC (4) was on 15.3%, SC Ten (3) was on 10.1% and SBS (3) was on 3.9%. WIN/NBN won the main channels with a share of 29.4% from Prime/7Qld on 25.2%, ABC 1 was on 10.7% and SC Ten was on 5.6%. 7TWO won the digitals with a share of 5.7% from 7mate on 4.2% and GO on 4.1%. The 11 digital channels had an FTA share last night of a lowish 25.1%%. Prime/7Qld still leads the week with 35.3% from WIN?NBN on 30.5%, ABC 1 on 16.8% and SC Ten on 13.4%.

The five most-watched programs in regional markets were:

1. My Kitchen Rules — 804,000.

2. The Block All Stars — 553,000.

3. Seven News — 545,000.

4. Nine News — 534,000.

5. NRL — 519,000.

Major Metro Markets: Nine won (overall and the main channels) Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Seven won Adelaide and Perth (overall and the main channels. ABC 1 and the ABC were third everywhere. 7TWO won the digitals in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. GO won Brisbane and Perth. Nine now leads Sydney (and will win again tonight with more NRL). Seven leads the four other metro markets. The ABC is third everywhere. Nine should also jump to the lead in Brisbane tonight with the NRL.

(All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight all people)

Source: “Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. 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.”Oztam, TV Networks reports