Nine won the night thanks to the final of The Voice, but the ratings were not very good. In fact, they contained the death cross for reality programs — that’s when the lead up to the winner’s announcement is watched by more people than actual naming of the winner. That happened with The Voice last night, and it’s a warning that viewers are not much fussed with the result, or the program. That was further confirmed by the sharp fall in viewers from the final in 2013 to the 2014 final – around a third or more of last year’s audience just didn’t bother last night.

But Nine still won the metros easily last night and its main channels scored a solid win in the regions. Nine and Seven tied the regionals overall. Ten was third in the metros, in front of the ABC. In the regionals the positions were reversed. MasterChef Australia just doesn’t play as strongly in regional markets and nor did The Voice — certainly not as strongly as The X Factor does. Seven naturally ran dead last night, despite the weekly TV guides having The X Factor down for the 7.30pm timeslot. It was yanked for Highway Patrol and The Force. The X Factor is back tonight and  MasterChef Australia did well for Ten.

Excellent Q&A last night (824,000 national viewers) until some of the audience and one of the panellists started grandstanding on domestic political issues, which was a disappointment and ruined the rest of the program. Cheap shots (however accurate in another context) were not needed in a discussion about Aids and HIV, especially when not one of the grandstanders criticised the former ALP Government for cutting $200 million in aid to the Global HIV/Aids project. Michael Kirby stood out — he pointed out that that money had been reinstated by the Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (33.1%)
  2. Nine (26.5%)
  3. Ten (18.5%)
  4. ABC (17.5%)
  5. SBS (4.5%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (27.8%)
  2. Seven (18.0%)
  3. Ten (14.4%)
  4. ABC  (13.0%)
  5. SBS ONE (3.7%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO  (4.7%)
  2. 7mate (3.8%)
  3. GO (3.0%)
  4. ABC 2 (2.4%)
  5. Gem (2.2%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. The Voice Grand Final (Nine) — 2.297  million
  2. The Voice Winner Announced (Nine) — 2.180 million
  3. Nine News — 1.890 million
  4. Seven News — 1.645 million
  5. MasterChef Australia (Ten) — 1.590 million
  6. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.512 million
  7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.355 million
  8. Highway Patrol (Seven) — 1.248 million
  9. ABC News — 1.228 million
  10. 7.30 (ABC) –– 1.209 million

Top metro programs:

  1. The Voice Grand Final (Nine) — 1.663 million
  2. The Voice Winner Announced (Nine) — 1.578 million
  3. Nine News — 1.287 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.209 million
  5. Seven News — 1.199 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.172 million
  7. MasterChef Australia (Ten) — 1.166 million
  8. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 1.101 million

Losers: Nine, even though it won the night. The audience for The Voice slid alarmingly  for the final last night from a year ago. Viewers haven’t been as supportive this year.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.287 million
  2. Nine News 6.30 — 1.209 million
  3. Seven News — 1.199 million
  4. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.172 million
  5. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 1.101 million
  6. ABC  News — 831,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) – 818,000
  8. Australian Story (ABC ) — 785,000
  9. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 753,000
  10. Ten Eyewitness News — 706,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 355,000
  2. Today (Nine) –  272,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 197,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC  89,000 + 49,000 on News 24) — 138,000
  5. Mornings (Nine) — 119,000
  6. Studio 1o (Ten) — 47,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox Sports 1 (3.3%)
  2. Fox 8 (2.7%)
  3. TVHITS! (1.9%)
  4. UKTV (1.8%)
  5. LifeStyle (1.7%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. NRL: St George v Manly (Fox Sports 1) – 242,000
  2. Monday Night With Matty Johns (Fox Sports 1) – 127,000
  3. AFL: Open Mike (Fox Footy) – 89,000
  4. AFL: On The Couch  (Fox Footy) – 84,000
  5. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy – 77,000

*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.