Slideshow slid to the top of the ratings last night on its first night out for Seven. Seven won the metros and regionally. It was a solid start for Slideshow for what amounts to one long sight gag. The 2.092 million national/1.307 million metro/ 785,000 regional viewers was a very good first up effort.

But Ten stood out with a very good night (by its recent performance and by the performance of the other networks). Anchored on a key episode of Offspring, the network had its strongest night this year.  Offspring had 1.415 million million/ 1.057 million metro/ 358,000 regional viewers. MasterChef at 7.30pm had million 1.235 million national/ 933,000 metro/ 298,000 regional viewers and made a rare appearance in the national top 10 programs. At 6.30pm, The Project had another good night with 919,000 national/ 637,000 metro/ 282,000 regional viewers.

Offspring’s producers were not nice last night (nor was Ten with the silly promo for the episode which almost gave it away) … But it certainly did the job for Ten which had its strongest night this year. I wonder if Nina, being a single mum, will try to live on her supporting mother’s benefits (recently cut by the Federal Government). That would be a great storyline, wouldn’t it?

Offspring’s success boosted This Week Live too national/620,000 metro/ regional viewers from 9.30pm. That was more than the program deserved. As a result, Ten topped the 25 to 54 demo last night.

But there were faders — Nine’s Big Brother — 1.054 million national/ 754,000 metro/ 300,000 regional viewers) from 7pm. Down to where it now feels comfortable. Arrow — 991,000 national/ 645,000 metro/ 346,000 regional viewers from 8.30pm.

On 7.30, Leigh Sales laid down her marker for the election campaign with her toe to toe with Kevin Rudd last night, now for the Rabbot. 7.30 had 1.137 million national/ 797,000 metro/ 340,000 regional viewers.

Over on 7TWO, Seven News (107,000 national, 74,000 metro/ 33,000 regional) had Mark Ferguson chairing what started boringly, but turned out to be a good stoush between Mark Dreyfus, the Attorney General, and Malcolm Turnbull over the NBN. Who would have thought politics on a commercial TV network’s digital channel, and in prime time?

And overseas websites are reporting this morning that the Morgan Creek film studio is shopping a TV series based on the hit movie from the 1970s, The Exorcist. Now, judging by the chat, that’s a hit project.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (28.2%)
  2. Nine (24.7%)
  3. Ten (23.4%)
  4. ABC (18.4%)
  5. SBS (5.3%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (20.9%)
  2. Ten (17.7%)
  3. Nine (17.6%)
  4. ABC1 (12.3%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.6%)

Top digital channels: 

  1. 7mate  (4.3%)
  2. ABC2 (3.8%)
  3. Gem (3.7%)
  4. GO, Eleven (3.3%)
  5. 7TWO (3.0%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Slideshow (Seven) — 2.092 million
  2. Nine News — 1.9434 million
  3. Seven News — 1.783 million
  4. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.447 million
  5. Offspring (Ten) — 1.415 million
  6. ABC News — 1.365 million
  7. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.322 million
  8. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.252 million
  9. MasterChef Australia (Ten) — 1.235 million
  10. Criminal Minds (Seven) — 1.174 million

Top metro programs:

  1. Slideshow(Seven) — 1.307 million
  2. Nine News — 1.276 million
  3. Seven News — 1.220 million
  4. Offspring (Ten) — 1.057 million
  5. Today Tonight(Seven) — 1.052 million
  6. A Current Affair(Nine) — 1.033 million

Losers: Nine – Big Brother, Arrow.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.276 million
  2. Seven News –– 1.220 million
  3. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.052 million
  4. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.033 million
  5. ABC News — 940,000
  6. 7.30 (ABC 1) — 797,000
  7. Ten News At Five — 677,000
  8. The Project (Ten) — 637,000
  9. Ten Late News — 204,000
  10. Lateline (ABC 1) — 195,000

Metro morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 396,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 328,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC1, 52,000 + 33,000 on News 24) — 85,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8 – (3.3%)
  2. TV1 – (2.7%)
  3. LifeStyle – (2.4%)
  4. UKTV – (1.9%)
  5. Sky News – (1.8%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 101,000
  2. NCIS (TV1) – 85,000
  3. The Simpsons (Fox 8) – 77,000
  4. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) – 65,000
  5. Futurama (Fox 8) – 62,000

*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.) and network reports.