Last night's TV ratings

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: A good night for viewers and a better night for Nine as Seven suffered a self-inflicted loss. House was tops with 1.565 million and The Chaser second with 1.5 million (that poor taste ditty on dead celebrities like Steve Irwin went down a treat, didn’t it, getting plenty of free publicity). Today Tonight was next with 1.407 million, followed by Home and Away (1.401 million), Spicks And Specks (1.390 million), Seven News (1.368 million), Summer Heights High (1.307 million), Nine News (1.241 million) and McLeod’s Daughters finished up with 1.207 million. Seven’s Medical Emergency averaged 1.206 million (and won the 7.30 pm slot). The 7pm ABC News averaged 1.160 million and A Current Affair had 1.134 million. Temptation was next with 1.105 million, then Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? (1.103 million) and Child In A Million (1.057 million). Cold Case had 1.056 million and Life, 949,000 on Ten at 9.30pm. Average. Newstopia wasn’t as sharp as last week… too indulgent in places, but it still added 40,000 viewers to 261,000.

The Losers: Seven with Las Vegas… again: 614,000 viewers last night at 8.30pm. Seven is just wasting it against House, Spicks and Specks and The Chaser, which is a bit contemptuous of viewers and it cost Seven a better finish. A fresh ep of Nine’s Without A Trace was nearly that at 9.30pm: 850,000. And Seven’s Prison Break was again missed by most viewers: 706,000. So much for being fast tracked; viewers have put it in the slow lane.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally but lost Melbourne and Brisbane. Today Tonight won everywhere but Brisbane and Adelaide. The 7pm ABC News in Melbourne again finished second with 371,000 behind Nine with 387,000, but in front on Seven with 357,000. Ten News averaged 812,000; the Late News/Sports Tonight, 484,000. The 7.30 Report, 891,000; Lateline, 348,000; Lateline Business, 156,000. SBS News, 170,000 at 6.30pm; 233,000 at 9.30pm; Dateline, 229,000. 7am Sunrise, 420,000; 7am Today 261,000 (but 6am Sunrise, 268,000).

The Stats: A very even night. Ten won with 25.2% (26.1% a week ago), from Nine with 24.8% (22.0%), Seven with 23.9% (27.2%), the ABC with 21.0% (20.7%), SBS with 5.1% (4.0%). The ABC won Sydney, Ten won Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Nine won Brisbane. Not a win anywhere for Seven last night, unlike last week. Seven still leads the week 31.5% to 24.2%. In regional areas, a win to Nine through WIN/NBN with 29.0% from Southern Cross (Ten) with 24.1%, with Prime/7QLD on 22.7%, the ABC with 19.1% and SBS with 5.1%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: Sydney was a big surprise last night, as the ABC won with a share of 24.0% to 23.7% for Nine with Ten and Seven equal third with 23.4%. It was the standout performance across the country and was thanks to The Chaser lads producing the biggest audience in the country last night of 505,000. It beat House in market with 474,000. Summer Heights High (472,000) and Spicks and Specks (410,000) were also in the top 10 for single city audiences. That’s why the ABC won. Nine did better (ie. it finished in front of Seven) because it shifted around its line up. Without A Trace was dropped into 9.30pm and was wasted, pushing the very damaged Damages back to 10.30pm where it averaged 403,000. It finished second behind Ten’s late news. Some viewers with old guides missed the switch of Damages. Tonight it’s Missing Persons, The Gift, Getaway and RPA: Where Are They Now on Nine, against Bionic Woman and Heroes on Seven with Ghost Whisperer the sleeper at 7.30pm. Ten has two hours of So You Think You Can Dance. The ABC has a doco on Errol Flynn at 8.30pm — it looks the night’s highlight.