ABC2’s line-up was entertaining The Roast did best at 7.30pm for around 10 minutes with 279,000 national/122,000 metro/ 55,000 regional viewers. (As was Wonders of Life on ABC1 with 965,000 national/ 633.000 metro/ 332,000 regional viewers at 8.30pm).

But the rest of the night’s schedules? Mixed to odd, with the ABC besting a weak Ten. Two hours of Law and Order SVU repeats just doesn’t help Ten’s image with viewers, even though MasterChef Masterclass with 658,000 national/ 492,000 metro/ 266,000 regional viewers continues to be the most enjoyable (and believable) part of MasterChef each week. It was Nine’s night in both metro and regional markets, and the ABC had a solid win in the regions as well.

Better Man debuted on SBS ONE at 8.30pm and was its best show on the night with 347,000 national/ 255,000 metro/ 88,000 regional viewers. A grimmer version of Bangkok Hilton. For all the angst for the family, it is worth broadcasting.

And how long can Seven endure the misery of the appalling performance of its Melbourne and Sydney 6pm news? Last night Nine News won Sydney by 129,000 viewers — 399,000 to 270,000, and in Melbourne, Nine won by a huge 205,000 — 468,000 to 263,000. The big wins are flowing on into 6.30pm where the vulnerable Today Tonight is wilting. Last night A Current Affair beat Today Tonight in Sydney by 96,000 and 162,000. Melbourne remains the black hole, and has been that was since last August when the management of the 6pm changed. Tim Worner, Brad Lyons and Neil Mooney have some tough decisions at Seven. The first thing is to turf Deal Or No Deal at 5.30pm, which was beaten by 227,000 viewers last night by Eddie McGuire’s Hot Seat.

Pay TV celebrated with its 2012 night of nights in Sydney last night complete with red carpets and awards for programs most of us haven’t seen, except in newspaper stories. News Corp Australia’s Sydney Daily Telegraph this morning devoted a page to pix and stories on the night in what read like the Friday edition of the corporate newsletter. I bet those 26 people flicked from Fox Sports News last month weren’t there to join in the News lovefest.

And, no real international sport to amuse us this weekend except the preliminary finals of the Super Rugby in NZ and South Africa on Saturday night and Sunday night — go the Brumbies. And the mighty Swannies take on the Tiges on Sunday evening, the Hawks take on the Peptides tonight. From Melbourne media reports yesterday and this morning, AFL is getting more interesting off field than on the park (footy speak?).

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (33.8%)
  2. Seven (26.3?%)
  3. ABC (17.8%)
  4. Ten (16.2%)
  5. SBS (6.0%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (26.1%)
  2. Seven (20.3%)
  3. ABC1 (13.4%)
  4. Ten (11.8%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.2%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO (4.2%)
  2. 7TWO (4.0%)
  3. Gem (3.5%)
  4. ABC2 (2.8%)
  5. Eleven (2.7%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.992 million
  2. Nine News — 1.898 million
  3. Seven News — 1.771 million
  4. The Block Unlocked (Nine) — 1.582 million
  5. ABC1 News — 1.380 millón
  6. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.291 million
  7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.284 million
  8. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.282 million
  9. The Footy Show (Nine) — 1.188 million
  10. 7.30 (ABC1) — 1.155 million

Top metro programs:

  1. The Block (Nine) — 1.372 million
  2. Nine News — 1.306 million
  3. The Block Unlocked (Nine) — 1.146 million
  4. Seven News — 1.143 million
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.097 million

Losers: Seven’s Formal Wars at 8pm — 1.050 million national/ 678,000 metro/ 372,000 regional. That’s barely OK, even on a weak night like Thursday (which is why its as programmed for last night). Ninety minutes of Home and Away would have done better. Last night’s hour-long episode of Home and Away averaged 1.282 million national/ 814,000 metro/ 468,000 regional viewers. Definitely a winner.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.306 million
  2. Seven News — 1.143 million
  3. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.097 million
  4. Today Tonight (Seven) — 992,000
  5. ABC1 News — 935,000
  6. 7.30 (ABC1) — 770,000
  7. Ten News — 664,000
  8. The Project (Ten) — 470,000
  9. Ten Late News — 194,000
  10. Lateline (ABC1) — 178,000

Metro morning TV:

  1. Today (Nine) – 347,000
  2. Sunrise (Seven) – 323,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC1, 48,000, News 24, 39,000) – 87,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8, LifeStyle – (2.7%)
  2. TV1 – (2.2%)
  3. A&E – (1.8%)
  4. Sky News — (1.6%)
  5. Discovery Channel – (1.5%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. River Cottage Australia  (LifeStyle) – 108,000
  2. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 91,000
  3. The Simpsons (Fox 8) – 70,000
  4. Duck Dynasty (A&E) – 65,000
  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.