Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings: a lacklustre night of programming

What a night of weak television! Apart from Foreign Correspondent and Home and Away, it was night best left in a dark cupboard and ignored. ABC1’s doco at 8.30pm called  Dead Drunk: Lights Out In The Cross was OK, but I hope there’s a sequel called Dead Drunk: In Fortitude Valley (Brisbane) and one for Melbourne : Stumbling in St Kilda, or  Plastered in King Street, or Pissed at Docklands for the footy. It’s a national problem, not just one limited to Sydney. Dead Drunk had 842,000 national/ 558,000 metro/ 284,000 regional viewers. It was far more substantive than Seven’s prime example of cupcake TV last night (insubstantial with nasty frosting on top) — the 43 minute 43 second primetime plug for Singapore called Tom and Ben’s Singapore Sling. It was supported by the Singapore travel industry and it showed. Unfortunately it had 1.117 million national / 792,000 metro / 325,000 regional viewers, so the plug paid off. Was that one giant product placement?

Nine got home in metro and regional markets with Seven in second place. In the metros Ten was a solid third and the ABC fourth (more Fanta to Pyrmont, please, we ran out after celebrating Sunday night’s ratings on Monday). But in regional areas, Ten was again fourth, behind the ABC (hold the Fanta). And that was the night. At least tonight we have Mad As Hell on ABC1 and then Spicks and Specks. Ten has Puberty Blues and The Good Wife. Nine has TV ratings chaff, and apart from Home and Away, Seven has similar programming.

Finally, a viewing warning for all sensible TV viewers: A certain young couple and their cute sprog arrive in Australia this afternoon. This afternoon will see wall to wall vision of the happy trio, dominated by fawning, gushing commentary of the sort that would have made Sir Robert Menzies proud. Watch for plenty of bobbing and bowing, not to mention the head down curtsey.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (27.8%)
2. Seven (26.9%)
3. Ten (20.3%)
4. ABC (19.0%)
5. SBS (6.1%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (20.4%)
2. Seven (18.4%)
3. Ten (14.8%)
4. ABC 1 (12.8%)
5. SBS ONE (5.2%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (5.0%)
2. Gem (4.1%)
3. ABC 2, 7mate (3.5%)
4. Eleven, GO (3.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Nine News — 1.817 million
2. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.486 million
3. Seven News — 1.388 million
4. ABC News  – 1.354 million
5. Nine News 6.30 — 1.199 million
6. 7.30 (ABC1) — 1.137 million
7. Tom and Ben’s Singapore Sling (Seven) — 1.117 million
8. A Current Affair (Nine) – 1.115 million
9. NCIS (Ten) — 1.094 million
10. Seven News / Today Tonight — 993,000

Top metro programs:

1. Nine News — 1.254 million
2. Nine News 6.30 — 1.199 million
3. Seven News — 1.058 million

Losers: Us viewers. It was a dispiriting night of TV.Metro news and current affairs:

1. Nine News — 1.254 million
2. Nine News 6.30 — 1.199 million
3. Seven News — 1.058 million
4. Seven News / Today Tonight — 993,000
5. ABC News  – 959,000
6. A Current Affair (Nine) –929,000
7. 7.30 (ABC1) — 762,000
8. Ten Eyewitness News — 673,000
9. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 611,000
10. Foreign Correspondent (ABC1) — 594,000

Metro morning TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) – 354,000
2. Today (Nine) – 310,000
3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 198,000
4. Mornings (Nine) — 118,000
5. News Breakfast (ABC 1, 41,000 + 23,000 on News 24) — 64,000
6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 46,000
7. Wake Up (Ten) — 36,000

Top five pay TV channels:

1. Fox 8  (3.4%)
2. TVHITS!  (2.7%)
3. Cartoon Network (2.2%)
4. LifeStyle  (2.1%)
5. Disney (2.1%

Top five pay TV programs:

1. The Simpsons (Fox 8) – 98,000
2. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 82,000
3. Location Location Location (LifeStyle) — 71,000
4. The Big Bang Theory (Comedy), NCIS (TVHITS!) — 65,000
5. Family Guy (Fox 8) – 65,0000

*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. (All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight all people.) and network reports.