Seven’s night with Packed To The Rafters wrapping up in a two-episode, two-hour finale (coded into two, one-hour episodes at 8.45pm and 9.45pm) last night that averaged 2.075 million national/ 1.322 million metro/ 753,000 regional viewers. All tearym and it’s sad to see a fine drama series depart. But it least it went out solidly — helped by very strong support from regional markets. The contrast with the ratings for Rafters‘ final series and those for the current series of MasterChef Australia on Ten is telling. Yes, Rafters‘ final series had a dip in ratings, as did the two previous ones compared with the very strong first two series. But it didn’t die on air, as MasterChef is now doing, which is sad. The Rafters‘ figures will be boosted by the high record and watch (over the next seven days) that have characterised its life on TV. That could add up to 200,000 more viewers. 

Seven scored a bigger win in regional markets and the ABC beat Ten into third, reversing the metro result. Seven won the demos for a second night in a row.

Seven will be a touch concerned that the first episode of The Mole at 7.30pm didn’t exactly set the TV sets of the nation on fire across the country — 1.314 million national/ 864,000 metro/ 450,000 regional viewers.  A dose of reality for Ten with its new US drama, Under the Dome, losing ground last night — it averaged 1.441 million national/ 1.010 million metro/ 431,000 regional viewers — against the 1.721 million national/ 1.175 million metro/ 546,000 regional viewers for its debut last week.

Nine was claiming on Tuesday that its decision to broadcast the forthcoming Ashes Test cricket on its Gem digital channel was a breakthrough for sport on the free-to-air network’s digital channels. Well, it’s not. If anything, it’s Nine belatedly getting in on the act, with Ten already broadcasting Formula One cars and bikes on its ONE digital channel for several years (and parts of the 2010 Commonwealth Games), as well as other sport, such as baseball. Seven has been showing AFL on 7mate in non-AFL markets for 18 months (and the main channel in AFL markets), and the V8 SuperCars have been broadcast on 7mate as well as the main channel.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (32.2%)
  2. Nine (26.9%)
  3. Ten (17.9%)
  4. ABC (16.9%)
  5. SBS (6.1%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (25.1%)
  2. Nine (20.1%)
  3. Ten (14.1%)
  4. ABC1 (12.5%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.1%)

Top digital channels: 

  1. GO (4.2%)
  2. 7TWO (4.1%)
  3. 7mate (2.9%)
  4. ABC2 (2.8%)
  5. Gem (2.7%) 

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Packed To The Rafters Final (Seven) — 2.078 million
  2. Packed to The Rafters ep 1(Seven) — 2.072 million
  3. Seven News — 1.984 million
  4. Nine News — 1.903 million
  5. The Block (Nine) — 1.848 million
  6. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.465 million
  7. Under The Dome (Ten) — 1.,441 million
  8. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.428 million
  9. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.317 million
  10. ABC1 News — 1.386 million 

Top metro programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.331 million
  2. Packed To The Rafters 1 (Seven, 8.30 pm) — 1.328 million
  3. Packed To The Rafters Final (Seven, 9.30 pm) — 1.324 million
  4. Seven News — 1.321 million
  5. The Block (Nine) — 1.292 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.208 million
  7. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.092 million

Losers: MasterChef. The Mole‘s first episode was a touch low.   

Metro news and current affairs:

  1.  Nine News — 1.331 million
  2. Seven News — 1.321 million
  3.  A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.208 million
  4. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.092 million
  5. ABC1 News — 925,000
  6. 7.30 (ABC1) — 756,000
  7. Ten News — 756,000
  8. The Project (Ten) — 582,000
  9. SBS ONE News — 170,000
  10. Lateline (ABC1) — 162,000 

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 344,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 318,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC1) – 69,000 + 27,000 on News 24

Top pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8 (3.6%)
  2. TV1    (1.3%)
  3.  Fox Sports 3 (2.0%)
  4. ifeStyle (1.9%)
  5. Cartoon network. Disney Channel (1.5%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Modern Family (Fox 8) – 124,000
  2. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 100,000
  3. Modern Family (Fox 8) — 99,000
  4. The Simpsons (Fox) – 96,000
  5. Family Guy  (Fox 8) – 78,000

 

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM. (All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight all people.) Plus network reports.