Nine’s night, again, both with The Block slaying them on the main channel and the first Test coverage on Gem doing likewise on the digital channels. In fact Gem had a higher share and more viewers than Ten did overall last night in prime time  (15.0% v 14.8% for Ten).  And Gem had a higher share and more viewers than either the ABC or Ten in regional markets, where Nine naturally won another night.

The first session audience last night was 1.027 million national/ 627,000 metro/ 400,000 regional viewers watch from around 7.30pm to just after 10pm. The first session on day one Gem averaged 963,000 national/ 627,000 metro/ 336,000 regional viewers from around 7.30pm to just after 10pm. The second session last night had 705,000 national/ 467,000 metro/238,000 regional viewers . The second session on day one had 467,000 national/ 314,000 metro/ 153,000 regional viewers. Nine will be happy, even if the commentators are a collection of one-eyed British chaps (a couple need subtitles) — although to his credit, Beefy Botham is probably the least partisan. But BBC team on ABC radio is in a class of its own, especially for condescension at times — a lot of “well done that fellow” tripe. I must be going troppo to pine for Ian Chappell and Bill Lawry’s voice.

Some 401,000 watched Fox Sports 2 for the first session last night and 298,000 session two. The first session was down (not  a good look for Fox Sports), while the second session was higher as news of Agar and Hughes’ batting spread. First day figures  for the first two sessions were 428,000 and 211,000 respectively. So nationally 1.428 million watched session one last night ( 1.391 million on day one), and 1.003 million watched session two last night (678,000 on day one). So clearly the heroics of Ashton Agar, helped by Phil Hughes, boosted the second session audience considerably. If anyone is interested, the cricket is on tonight and hopefully tomorrow night, along with the Tour de France and lots of football of various codes and the Trans-Tasman netball grand final as well. The Birds are fighting it out (Thunderbirds and Firebirds, before you rush to sledge me).

Let me apologise for confusing the performance of Seven’s The Mole on Wednesday night. It was supposed to air at 7.30pm but at the last minute, Seven quietly shoved it back to 9.30pm because had clearly outstayed its brief return with viewers. The decision eight years ago to kill it off was confirmed as the right decision. The decision to exhume it after eight years wasn’t. But even in the later timselot it was still whacked by the cricket coverage on Nine, so no real apology is needed. In fact The Mole is now on once a week instead of a four times a week production. That’s why it’s not at 7.30pm tonight.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (42.0%)
  2. Seven (22.2%)
  3. ABC (15.3%)
  4. Ten (14.8%)
  5. SBS (5.7%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (23.2%)
  2. Seven (17.3%)
  3. ABC1 (11.0%)
  4. Ten (10.9%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.8%)

Top digital channels: 

  1. Gem (15.0%)
  2. GO (3.7%)
  3. 7TWO (3.2%)
  4. ABC2 (3.1%)
  5. Eleven (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.949 million
  2. The Block (Nine) — 1.873 million
  3. Seven News — 1.767 million
  4. ABC1 News — 1.329 million
  5. The Block Unlocked (Nine) — 1.324 million
  6. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.322 million
  7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.286 million
  8. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.276 million
  9. The Footy Show (Nine) — 1.203 million
  10. Hot Seat (Nine) — 1.161 million

Top metro programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.334 million
  2. The Block (Nine) — 1.266 million
  3. Seven News — 1.125 million
  4. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.076 million

Losers:  Anyone who missed Ashton Agar’s innings (and Phil Hughes’ excellent batting) on Gem or Fox Sports. 

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.334 million
  2. Seven News — 1.125 million
  3. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.076 million
  4. Today Tonight (Seven) — 998,000
  5. ABC1 News — 880,000
  6. 7.30 (ABC1) — 675,000
  7. Ten News — 666,000
  8. The Project (Ten) — 524,000
  9. SBS ONE News — 186,000
  10. Ten Late News — 165,000

Morning TV:

  1. Today (Nine) – 319,000
  2. Sunrise (Seven) – 307,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC 1, 63,000, News 24, 42,000) – 105,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox Sports 2 (8.9%)
  2. Fox 8 –(2.3%)
  3. LifeStyle – (2.2%)
  4. TV1 – (2.0%)
  5. Disney, A&E  – (1.5%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Cricket: First Test, Day 2, session 1 (Fox Sports 2) – 401,000
  2. Cricket: First Test, Day 2 session (Fox Sports 2) – 298,000
  3. Cricket: Ashes pre-match Show (Fox Sports 2)  – 145,000
  4. River Cottage Australia  (LifeStyle) – 95,000
  5. The Simpsons (Fox 8) – 75,000

*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.