Glenn Dyer reports:

The Winners Night two of summer TV and the post-7pm
programming of the commercial networks took a battering from the ABC, and to a lesser
extent, SBS. Thanks to the cricket finishing at 6pm, Nine News was the most
watched program with 1.391 million, followed by A Current Affair with 1.389
million, then Seven News (1.295 million) and Today Tonight (1.294 million).
The ABC 7pm news with 1.183 million beat Nine’s The King of
Queens and headLand on Seven, while the 7.30
Report won its timeslot with 1.124 million and at 8pm Dynasties on the ABC won with 1.173
million. The ABC’s State of Mind at 8.30pm also won with 1.017
million. which helped the ABC to finish third nationally, just ahead of Ten.
The Losers Nine’s programming from 7pm to 9.30pm, ditto Ten’s
programming and Seven with headLand in its first run from 7pm to 8pm
settling at 797,000. That would be about what Seven would have expected after
the first two weeks of episodes saw the audience sink from 1.3 million to
711,000. But was there a sign of life? Not really, not yet! The commercial
networks don’t really care about audience levels for most of these programs and
in the case of headLand, Seven is prepared to be patient, but viewers have shown
already that they appreciate good original programming. Even Seven’s repeat of
Grey’s Anatomy only did 859,000 people at 8.30pm. Veronica Mars
debuted on Ten at 7.30pm (it was picked up from Nine) and was watched by
803,000. Ten will be happy with
that.
News & CA Nine won thanks to the cricket but the problem it has in
Sydney was once again revealed. Seven News was watched by
378,000. Nine News, with the benefit of the cricket
lead-in, was watched by 337,000. There’s definitely a weakness in Sydney considering
how well Nine went in Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide on the back of the Test
coverage. Perth was Seven’s best but that’s normal.
The Stats Nine with 27.0%, Seven with 23.3%, the ABC third with
19.7% and Ten on 19.5%. SBS was on 10.5% thanks to the high audience for
Mythbusters at 7.30pm (984,000). Nine won everywhere bar Perth and the ABC
slipped past Ten into third in Sydney, Brisbane and
Perth.
Glenn Dyer’s
comments		 Even though Nine won, it
was the second good night in a row for the ABC after the Kath and Kim telemovie
dominated Sunday night. What was interesting about last night was the way the
audience, lower than normal mind you, moved to the ABC and stayed until 9.30pm –
ignoring the collection of failed series (Joey, King of Queens, Two and a Half
Men, That 70s Show) offered by the commercial networks. The rise in the ABC’s audience
in non-ratings is a regular event, but what was surprising was the strength of
the 7.30 Report, which had its best figures for months. Sure there’s not much on
the commercials, but the audience definitely doesn’t mind a bit of information.
With the cricket finishing early today, the way the various 6pm news broadcasts perform tonight will be of interest.