The Glenn Dyer breakdown: Another weak night, this time won more convincingly by Seven. But 44% of the audience in metro markets watched the digital channels and pay TV rather than the main channels, so weak were the offerings. Regional TV saw an even higher share not watching the network’s main offerings. In fact Seven, Nine and the ABC were more popular in regional markets than in the metros.

And of those offerings last night? Well, they remain something of a mystery but Seven won with its original programming strategy and deserved victory (and the win this week). The programming may be second or third tier, but at least some of it hasn’t been seen before, unlike much of what’s being shown on Nine, Ten and the ABC.

Tonight: Do I have to? Well, yes. It’s more of the same, again! ABC1 is repeating the first Jack Irish telemovie (Bad Debts) from only a couple of months ago. It’s OK but still very fresh in our memories. Kitchen Cabinet might be a repeat, but it is worth a look at 8pm (it should really be a main channel program in 2013 and be expanded to cover other people). SBS has a fresh Luke Nguyen episode and another fresh episode of Raymond Blanc. Seven has Once Upon A Time and that hardy, perennial Hugh Grant movie Love Actually. Why, Christmas must be just around the corner. Nine has Getaway Summer (anyone noticed Getaway?). Ten has the first episode of the new Jamie Oliver Christmas Special. Then a Law and Order repeat.

And that’s it for me for 2012. An odd year when the TV industry almost froze over, judging by revenue falls, the antics at Ten, the almost-implosion of Nine and the fall in the Seven West Media share price. But it didn’t and will live to bore/excite/enrage/engage us in 2013.

All the best for the break. Go Australia (tomorrow) and over summer. Eat and drink (moderately and as often as you like) and keep yourselves nice and elfin-like (that way you save on New Year’s resolutions). Remember chocolate doesn’t ask silly questions, understands you very well and speaks your language (and mine).

So 2013: ahh, so many questions. Will Ten make it (with or without CEO James Warburton in the front seat, or Russel Howcroft as the new head driver)? What level of debt will Nine have? Will Seven fix its black hole in Melbourne at 6 to 7pm, and will it also repair the pothole in Sydney (also at 6 to 7pm)? Seven’s year and the whole night in both markets depend on those repairs working. Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year (I’ve mixed that up again, haven’t I?).

The top 10 national programs (metro & regional combined):

  1. Seven News — 1.633 million.
  2. Dynamo The Magician (Seven) — 1.503 million.
  3. Nine News — 1.484 million.
  4. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.296 million.
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.273 million.
  6. ABC1 News — 1.231 million.
  7. 7.30 (ABC1) — 1.097 million.
  8. QI (ABC 1, repeat) — 1.067 million.
  9. QI (ABC 1, repeat) — 1.058 million.
  10. The Big Bang Theory (Nine, repeat) — 1.024 million.

The Metro Winners:

  1.  Seven News (6pm) — 1.078 million.
  2.  Nine News (6pm) — 1.019 million.

The Losers: All of us again. When episodes of QI that are repeats remain funny and fresh, you know you are in a serious way and need to break this terrible habit…Metro News & CA: Nine News won Sydney and Melbourne, Seven News won Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth (the latter by 136,000). TT won Melbourne (by around 100,000) and drew Sydney with ACA, which won the rest.

  1. Seven News (6pm) — 1.078 million.
  2. Nine News (6pm) — 1.019 million.
  3. Today Tonight (Seven, 6.30pm) — 922,000.
  4. A Current Affair (Nine, 6.30pm) — 861,000.
  5. ABC1 News (7pm) — 852,000.
  6. 7.30 (ABC1, 7.30pm) — 737,000.
  7. Ten News (5pm) — 719,000.
  8. The Project (Ten, 6.30pm) — 537,000.
  9. Ten Late News (10.30pm) — 240,000.
  10. ABC Late News (10.33pm) — 193,000.
  11. SBS News (6.30pm) — 131,000.
  12. The Drum (News 24, 10pm, repeat) — 63,000.
  13. SBS News Late (10.30pm) — 63,000.

In the morning: All quiet on the morning front.

  1. Sunrise (Seven, 7am) — 383,000.
  2. Today (Nine, 7am) — 358,000.
  3. The Morning Show (Seven, 9am) — 201,000.
  4. Mornings Summer (Nine, 9am) — 89,000.
  5. News Breakfast (ABC1, 7am) — 51,000 + 28,000 on News 24.

Metro FTA: Seven (three channels) won with a share of 29.9% from Nine (three) on 26.3%, Ten (three) was on 19.9%, the ABC (four) ended on 19.3% and SBS (two) was on 4.6%. Seven leads the week with 27.9% from Nine on 25.7%, the ABC on 20.7% and Ten on 19.8%. Main Channels: Seven won with a share of 21.0% from Nine on 17.5%, Ten was on 14.0%, ABC1 was on 13.2% and SBS ONE ended on 2.9%. Seven leads the week with 19.0% from Nine on 18.1%, ABC1 on 14.0% and Ten on 13.3%.

Metro Digital: Gem won with a solid share of 5.3% from 7TWO on 4.5%, 7mate was on 4.4%, ABC 2 and GO ended on 3.5% each, Eleven was on 3.2%, ONE ended on 2.7%, News 254 and SBS TWO were on 1.3% each and ABC3 ended on 1.2%. The 10 digital channels had an FTA share last night of 30.5%. 7TWO leads the week with 4.9% from ABC 2 on 4.3%, 7mate on 3.9% and Gem on 3.8%.

Metro including pay TV: Seven (three channels) won with a share of 23.5% from Nine (three) on 20.7%, Ten (three) was on 15.6%, the ABC (four) ended on 15.1% and SBS (two) was on 3.6%. The 200 plus channels on Foxtel gave pay TV a share of 19.5%, the highest for the week so far. That left the 15 FTA channels with a total viewing share of 80.5%, made up of 24.5% for the 10 digital channels and a low 56.0% for the five main channels. Last night’s Big Bash audience of 214,000 for the game between the Melbourne Stars and the Perth Scorchers (Stars won) dominated pay TV viewing.

The top five pay TV channels were:

  1. Fox Sports 2 –4.1%.
  2. Fox8 — 3.0%.
  3. TV 1 — 2.6%.
  4. LifeStyle — 2.2%.
  5. UKTV — 1.8%.

The five most-watched programs on pay TV were:

  1. Cricket: The Big Bash (Fox Sports 2) — 214,000.
  2. Cricket: Before The Bash (FS2) — 108,000.
  3. Hardcore Pawn (A&E) — 63,000.
  4. Family Guy (Fox8) — 59,000.
  5. The Simpsons (Fox8) — 59,000.

Regional: Prime/7Qld (three channels) won with a share of 36.4% from WIN/NBN (three) on 28.6%, The ABC (four) was on 16.6%, SC Ten (three) was on 14.0% and SBS (two) was on 4.4%. Prime/7Qld won the main channels with 25.4% from WIN/NBN on 19.8%, ABC1 on 11.5% and SC Ten on 8.7%. Gem won the digitals with 6.7% from 7mate on 5.7% and 7TWO on 5.4%. The 10 digital channels had an FTA share last night of a very high 32.2%. Prime/7Qld leads the week with 31.9%, from WIN/NBN on 27.8% the ABC on 18.5% and SC Ten on 16.5%.

The five most-watched programs in regional markets were:

  1. Dynamo The Magician —  569,000.
  2. Seven News — 555,000.
  3. Nine News — 466,000.
  4. ACA — 416,000.
  5. ABC1 News — 378,000.

Major Metro Markets: Seven won (overall and the main channels) in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. In Melbourne, Seven won overall, but Nine won the main channels. The ABC was third in Sydney overall (and Ten was third in the main channels). In Adelaide, the ABC/ABC1 were third. In Perth, the ABC was third overall and second in the main channels. Ten was third in Melbourne and Brisbane. Gem won the digitals in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. 7 mate won Brisbane and 7TWO won Perth. Seven leads the week in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. Nine leads Melbourne.

(All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight All People)

Source: Oztam, TV Networks data