By Glenn Dyer


Q: Why does the Nine Network run the live US golf broadcasts? A: The network’s owner likes golf.

Even the US Open won by Kiwi Michael Campbell on Sunday, which had a record 14 Australian golfers in the first round and a large number of those playing in the final two rounds, failed to perk up in viewer interest, with an average 130,000 watching on Sunday morning and just 138,000 on Monday morning as Campbell fought off Tiger Woods.

Nine’s Sunday attracted 356,000 viewers on Sunday, which was normal, so there was no boost from people staying around for the two hours. Meanwhile Seven’s Weekend Sunrise was watched by 279,000 people, equal to its second best audience since starting in April, and the ABC’s Inside Business had its best figures for some weeks: 118,000 viewers at 9:45am to 10:15 am with a couple of good interviews. There is a demand for business news on Sunday mornings. The Seven small biz show, My Business, fronted by David Koch, did 184,000 people, its best so far.

But the clincher was on Monday morning and the 185,000 who tuned into Seven’s Sunrise early news between 6am and 7am and the huge 497,000 people who watched Sunrise between 7am and 9am.

It’s not often Kerry Packer gives Seven a free kick, or even a hole in one.