A weak performance from both The X Factor and The Voice Kids on Nine. Seven pushed the episode of The X Factor out to Wednesday night late to try and catch Nine (which had scheduled repeats of The Big Bang Theory). Maybe that was a reason why the audiences were low, but that’s grasping at straws as both networks promoted both programs heavily from the weekend onwards. I think there’s an emerging reason –viewers (especially in the core 16 to 49 demos) are going right off TV talent quests. Australia’s Got Talent has already died on Seven and Nine, dance programs have bombed on Ten. How will Dancing With The Stars go on Seven for series 14 in a  month or so? It skews older, but viewers in that demographic went off it last year.

Despite the weakness of The X Factor, Seven won strongly last night via some clever programming. The X Factor well and truly dusted The Voice in all markets, especially the regionals, which again provided enough viewers for The X Factor to climb from number 3 in the metros to number one nationally. It also helped it to climb past MasterChef which finished second in the metros and was third nationally with 1.503 million national/1.128 million metro/ 375,000 regional viewers. MasterChef has been significantly weaker in regional markets, unlike Seven’s programs such as XF, House Rules and My Kitchen Rules.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (30.6%)
  2. Nine (24.8%)
  3. Ten (23.4%)
  4. ABC (14.6%)
  5. SBS (6.7%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (21.4%)
  2. Nine (18.0%)
  3. Ten (17.7%)
  4. ABC (10.3?%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.5%)

Top digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (5.5%)
  2. 7mate, GO (3.7%)
  3. Eleven (3.6%)
  4. Gem (3.0%)
  5. ABC 2 (2.7%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. The X Factor (Seven) — 1.757 million
  2. Nine News — 1.695 million
  3. MasterChef Australia (Ten) — 1.503 million
  4. Seven News — 1.086 million
  5. Home and Away (Seven)– 1.373 million
  6. Offspring (Ten) — 1.222 million
  7. ABC News — 1.202 million
  8. Criminal Minds (Seven) — 1.120 million
  9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.129 million
  10. The Voice Kids (Nine) — 1.110 million

Top metro programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.181 million
  2. MasterChef Australia (Ten) — 1.126 million
  3. Seven News — 1.086 million
  4. The X Factor (Seven) — 1.086 million
  5. Nine News 6.30 — 1.078 million

Losers:  Seven. Even though it won well nationally, the second night in a row metro markets for The X Factor  wasn’t a good look.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.181 million
  2. Seven News — 1.086 million
  3. Nine News 6.30 — 1.078 million
  4. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 997,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) – 938,000
  6. ABC News  – 816,000
  7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 733,000
  8. 7.30 (ABC) — 728,000
  9. Ten Eyewitness News — 643,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 495,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 345,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 274,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 140,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC 79,000 + 48,000 on News 24) — 127,000
  5. Mornings (Nine) — 115,000
  6. Studio 1o (Ten) — 55,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (3.3%)
  2. TVHITS!  (2.9%)
  3. LifeStyle  (1.8%)
  4. A&E (1.7%)
  5. UKTV (1.6%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. The Recruit (Fox 8) – 94,000
  2. Family Guy (Fox 8) – 82,000
  3. AFL: Bounce (Fox Footy) – 71,000
  4. Family Guy (Fox 8) – 69,000
  5. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 68,000

*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.