Nine’s News Woes

Although it’s been a better week so far for Nine News
and A Current Affair as they’ve closed the gap on Seven News and Today
Tonight, Nine’s problems in Sydney look endemic and won’t be solved until
the question of the lead-in program is sorted. That’s
the argument anyway from Nine. But as there’s no
problem in Brisbane (where Nine has a stronger and unique to that market
lead-in) and Melbourne where Nine still leads, is the question of the lead in,
still The Price is Right, the real answer?

Seven retorts that its news in Brisbane and Melbourne are closing the
gap on Nine, especially in Melbourne and a quick look at the figures
over the past few weeks confirms there has been a narrowing. But still
the real headache for Nine remains the lousy lead-in and the problems
it is causing in Sydney. At 5.55 pm in Sydney on Monday evening, Nine
has just 111,000 viewers and Seven has something like 300,000, thanks
to the strength of Deal or No Deal with
Andrew O’Keefe. What
makes it more galling for Nine is that at 4.30 pm,
Seven’s early News is clearly more successful than Nine, which is fronted by
Mike Munro and Seven’s MASH at 5pm does the business over Nine. Looking
at the graphs of the period 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm, there’s clearly fewer people
watching TV in Sydney at that time than in Melbourne and perhaps that’s the
underlying story. Perhaps
the real answer for Nine is the timing of the main news
bulletin at 6 pm. It doesn’t worry Seven but the difference in combined
audiences at 6 pm on Monday night between Sydney and Melbourne more than 100,000
and upwards of 200,000 by 6.30 pm. It
would take a brave decision but moving Nine’s news to 7 pm might be the saving
of it.

Last night’s TV
ratings

The Winners Seven in quite a close night, just over Nine: the final Border
Security had its second two million plus audience in a row (2.003 million). True
Stories bled viewers (around 300,000) from the previous week but still finished
with 1.421 million people. It’s coming back in 2006. Home and Away’s character
refresh with the ‘new’ Bec person has meant its margin (1.578 million) over
Nine’s Temptation (1.359 million) is still there.
The Losers

Ten,again, although its share moved back over the 20%
mark. A repeat of The Simpsons was the best performer with 1.087 million people
and two other repeats did 953,000 and 948,000 people. Everybody Loves Raymond
797,000. Not enough. Rove 844,000. The 4400 764,000. A roll call of poor
performances. Nine’s Afterlife fell back under a million (988,000) and its
interminable series Taken attracted 467,000 people at 10.30pm.
News & CA Again, a mixed night. Seven News
won nationally because of wins in Sydney and Perth. ACA beat Today Tonight for
the second night in a row nationally and in Sydney. The ABC 7pm News easily
beat Ten’s Raymond (with 1.05 million).
The Stats Seven won nationally 29.5% to 29.0% for Nine Ten was
third with 20.6%, the ABC was on 15.3% and SBS was on 5.6%. Seven’s win was
close, half a point against 0.6% the night before. Seven won Sydney, Melbourne
and Perth. Nine won Brisbane and Adelaide.
Glenn Dyer’s
comments		 Seven’s Last Man Standing remains upright and battling away in
the 9.30pm slot. It was watched by 740,000 people last night. Next week it
disappears to accommodate the two hour long return to Dancing with the Stars on
Seven, which will blitz the night and make Nine and Ten’s Tuesdays that much
harder. The fight back by Nine’s A Current Affair this week is interesting. So
what will Seven and Today Tonight drag out of the cupboard? Tonight its Ten’s
House, Nine with McLeod’s Daughters and CSI Miami and Without a Trace. Seven has
Blue Heelers and Forensic Investigators after Beyond Tomorrow. Nine by a point
or two.