It was a night of disappointment, duds and almost disappearances. Consider this Nine’s The Bible kicked off a week ago with two episodes that averaged 1.142 million nationally/ 837,000 metro/ 305,000 in regional markets. Last night, the two episodes, one featuring that well-known fun-lurvin’ couple Samson and Delilah averaged 740,000 national/ 533,000 metro/ 207,000 regional viewers. Truly a ratings slide of biblical proportions, 400,000 nationally. Nine originally had just one episode of The Bible at 9pm and then an episode of The Mentalist at 10pm. That was changed and the two episodes of The Bible were run. Another annoying, late change.

Over on Seven, Winners & Losers averaged 1.315 million national/ 872,000 metro/ 443,000 regional viewers, which is nothing to boast about. It desperately needs a viewer-friendly lead-in. Nine’s The Great Australian Bake Off has failed to find its opening episode zip (has someone again mislaid the ratings baking powder?), and it averaged 1.400 million national/ 944,000 metro/ 456,000 regional viewers. That’s more than 10% down on last week. The production look resembles something from Play School or Noddy on the ABC. The two judges resemble a snarky couple living in a gingerbread house!

In contrast, Ten’s The Dome averaged 1.388 million national/ 967,000 metro/ 421,000 regional viewers. That’s up a few thousand viewers on last week, which is what you couldn’t say about Nine’s baking epic or the long-haired trouble with his girlfriend in The Bible. Seven’s Anh Does Britain was a OK success with 1.556 million national/ 1.006 million metro/ 550,000 regional viewers. A bigger hit in the regions than metro markets and well short of last year’s effort in Vietnam, which had more than 2 million viewers.

The royal babe fuss made Today the clear winner in the morning with 422,000 metro viewers, from Sunrise with 388,000. But nationally (as it always is), it was a different story, with Sunrise having 666,000 and Today, 586,000. Sunrise also did better in the regions with 278,000 to 164,000 for Today. News Breakfast had 187,000 national/ 114,000 metro/ 73,000 regional viewers on ABC1 and News 24 (which was a tiny increase on Monday overall, but a modest rise for the ABC1 broadcast). In the evening the ABC’s special doco, Born To Be King, averaged 911,000 national/ 622,000 metro/ 289,000 regional viewers.

Ten’s brave attempt at being a news channel at 6 pm with its babe special flopped — it had 454,000 national/ 346,000 metro/ 108,000 regional viewers. Oh, and it was Nine’s night again, thanks to strong ratings in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Seven had big wins in Adelaide and Perth (where Ten was second and Nine third). In regional markets, Nine finished in front overall, Seven (through 7Qld and Prime) was in front — just — in the main channels.

Wanted update: In the royal babe euphoria yesterday I missed updating you on the continuing slide in Ten’s program Wanted. On Monday night it averaged nationally 756,000, some 519,000 metro and 237,000 in the regions. On its debut on July 8 it averaged 999,000 national/649,000 metro/ 350,000 regional viewers — the loss of 24% or 240,000 viewers. In metro markets it’s a 20% fall, in the regions, it’s 32%. Not a good look. A one series effort on these figures.

Tonight: The David Bowie special on ABC2 at 8.30pm has already booked me.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (30.1%)
  2. Seven (27.5%)
  3. Ten (21.1%)
  4. ABC (16.6%)
  5. SBS (4.7%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (23.0%)
  2.  Seven (20.2%)
  3. Ten (16.2%)
  4. ABC 1 (11.9%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.0%)

Top digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (4.8%)
  2. GO (4.2%)
  3. Eleven (3.1%)
  4. Gem, ABC2 (2.9%)
  5. 7mate (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.968 million
  2. Nine News — 1.957 million
  3. Seven News — 1.932 million
  4. Home and Away (Seven) -1.570 million
  5. Anh Does Britain (Seven) — 1.556 million
  6. The Great Australian Bake Off (Nine) — 1.400 million
  7. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.395 million
  8. Under The Dome (Ten) — 1.388 million
  9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.367 million
  10. ABC1 News — 1.362 million

Top metro programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.372 million
  2. Nine News — 1.363 million
  3. Seven News — 1.250 million
  4. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.170 million
  5. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.055 million
  6. Anh Does Vietnam (Seven) — 1.006 million

Losers:  Quite a few – The Bible, Ten’s Will and Kate royal babe special. Seven’s Winners & Losers needs help. It’s better than these figures. 

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.363 million
  2. Seven News — 1.250 million
  3. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.170 million
  4. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.055 million
  5. ABC1 News — 931,000
  6. Ten News — 745,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC1) — 728,000
  8. The Project (Ten) – 637,000
  9. Ten News Special: Will and Kate — 364,000
  10. Insight (SBS ONE) — 264,000

Morning TV:

  1. Today (Nine) – 422,000
  2. Sunrise (Seven) – 388,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC1, 76,000, News 25, 38,000) –114,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8 , TV 1– (2.9%) – 2.3%
  2. LifeStyle – (2.1%)
  3. Disney Jr– (1.8%)
  4. Fox Classics – (1.7%)
  5. Sky News (1.6%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Australia’s Next Top Model  (F0x 8) – 94,000
  2. The Simpsons (Fox 8) – 85,000
  3. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 84,000
  4. Futurama (Fox 8) – 59,000
  5. Family Guy (Fox 8) – 57,000

*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.