The Winners: Seven News was tops with 1.282 million. Hot Property was second for Seven at 7pm with 1.208 million. Nine News was third with 1.163 million and Seven’s Outback Wildlife Rescue averaged 1.159 million at 6.30pm for Seven. Nine’s repeat of Two and a Half Men at 7.30pm averaged 1.076 million and was 5th. Ten’s 8.30pm movie, Never Been Kissed averaged 1.040 million and Nine’s Women’s Weekly annual Christmas special at 6.30pm averaged 1.19 million. Big Bang Theory on Nine at 8pm averaged 912,000 (the bang is getting softer).

The Losers: Holby Blue on Seven at 8.30pm. Will it be the first summer show rested after averaging 662,000 last night? Not if the performance of Ten’s Californication is any guide. It averaged 388,000 at 10.40pm on Ten last night. America’s Next Top Model on Ten at 6.30pm was so strange that it was funny (only 582,000 people took it seriously). Don’t Forget The Lyrics an hour later on Ten averaged 826,000, but last night’s performance it was a success compared with the figures for Next Top Model. Seven’s showing of the BBC, then ABC program, Seven Wonders of The Industrial World at 7.30pm, 811,000. Below average and below last week. Nine’s movie, Heist, at 8.30pm, 817,000.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market but Melbourne. Ten News averaged 704,000. The 7pm ABC news averaged 920,000. SBS News at 6.30pm 230,000. In the morning Weekend Sunrise averaged 425,000 from 8am, 215,000 for the early show from 7.30am. Insiders on the ABC 194,000 for the last of the year. It has had a very good year. Inside Business at 10am, 126,000. A pity it was low; another solid year when business was THE issue. Offsiders at 10.30pm, 137,000. It’s all in the panel for these sports chat shows. This one works for that reason. Nine’s Wide World of Sports is boring because everyone knows everything and they tell us just that. 9am to 11am Sunday on ABC TV is the most intelligent two hours of TV each week. Nine’s Sunday Morning News at 8am, 112,000. If only Laurie Oakes interview could be grafted onto Insiders, it would be the best program of the week.

The Stats: Seven won All People 6pm to midnight with 26.2% (27.8% last week) from Nine with 26.0% (26.9%), Ten with 22.9% (21.4%) the ABC with 16.8% (15.6%), and SBS with 8.1% (8.4%). Nine won Sydney and Melbourne. Seven won Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth to slip home. Ten said it won 18 to 49 between 6pm and 10.30pm in the commercial share battle with Nine and Seven.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: Seven won last week from Nine by the narrowest of margins, 26.6% to 26.5% and last night’s win was almost as tight. It’s summer, so it doesn’t mean as much, but the bragging rights are nice and advertisers aren’t giving their spending away — they still want results.

In fact given the importance of this month to the commercial TV industry, you have to wonder why the advertising industry hasn’t insisted that better programming and official ratings continue up to Christmas. After all, tens of millions of dollars a day will be spent on Nine, Seven. Ten and SBS spruiking presents, gifts, food and holidays etc, and then more will be spent after Christmas on the sales.

You’d think the advertisers would have insisted that in exchange for the spending of their clients (and you would have thought the clients would have weighed in as well), the networks would program first run and highly popular programming, instead of the dross and dregs of the year gone by and those US and UK programs that missed the cut completely. But no, they all remain mute in some odd conspiracy. Perhaps its because they all hold fabulous parties in December and invite each other to them.

Back in the 1960s TV programming ran full tilt up to Christmas. Not only are viewers being short changed, but the people who keep commercial TV alive are as well.

Tonight: Watch the very final Enough Rope with Andrew Denton on the ABC at 9.35pm. Ben Stiller is the main interview. Denton will be missed from TV screens. The last episode of The Howard Years at 8.30pm. Top Gear on SBS at 7.30 pm. Apart from that, read a book.

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports