When the 6pm news programs rate highly, you know the rest of the night was pretty weak –  that’s the first week of summer ratings for you. But at least the test cricket returns to Nine today, as well as ABC radio. Nine hasn’t beheaded anyone yet for leaving the stump mike open contrary to instructions, which allowed Michael Clarke’s First Test sledge of Jimmy Anderson to be heard. Seven won the metros last night narrowly from Nine, with Ten third overall and the ABC fourth. In the main channels, Seven won clearly from Nine with ABC1 third and Ten fourth, and that’s the way they finished in regional markets (overall and in the main channels).

The pain continues for Ten — Wake Up managed 37,000 metro viewers and 54,000 national viewers. Studio 10 is down to 23,000 metro and 37,000 national viewers. News Breakfast had 90,000 metro and 150,000 national viewers on ABC1 and News24.

The ABC announced this morning that Four Corners reporter Sarah Ferguson will take over as the host of 7.30 in 2014 while Leigh Sales is on maternity leave. Her first night will be February 10.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (28.5%)
  2. Nine (26.9%)
  3. Ten (19.8%)
  4. ABC (18.9%)
  5. SBS (5.8%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (20.6%)
  2. Nine (19.3%)
  3. ABC1 (12.9%)
  4. Ten (12.0%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.7%)

Top digital channels: 

  1. GO, 7mate (4.5%)
  2. Eleven (4.3%)
  3. ONE (3.6%)
  4. ABC2 (3.5%)
  5. 7TWO (3.3%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.635 million
  2. Nine News — 1.368 million
  3. Today Tonight (Seven) — 1.245 million
  4. RBT (Nine) — 1.134 million
  5. ABC News — 1.133 million
  6. Mighty Planes (Seven) — 1.112 million
  7. Better Homes and Gardens Summer (Seven) — 994,000
  8. A Current Affair (Nine) — 990,000
  9. QI repeat (ABC1) — 979,000
  10. 7.30 (ABC1) — 941,000

Losers:  All of us, again.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.041 million
  2. Nine News — 959,000
  3. Today Tonight (Seven) — 891,000
  4. A Current Affair (Nine) — 838,000
  5. ABC News — 751,000
  6. Ten Eyewitness News  — 610,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC1) — 596,000
  8. The Project (Ten)  – 447,000
  9. Ten Eyewitness News Late — 173,000
  10. Lateline (ABC1) — 141,000

Metro morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 363,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 276,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 155,000
  4. Mornings (Nine) — 110,000
  5. News Breakfast (ABC1, 47,000 + 43,000 on News24) — 70,000
  6. Wake Up (Ten) — 37,000
  7. Studio 10 (Ten)  — 23,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8 – (3.4%)
  2. TV1 – (3.2%)
  3. LifeStyle – (3.1%)
  4. Discovery (2.2%)
  5. UKTV – (2.0%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Paddock To Plate (LifeStyle) – 104,000
  2. Coronation Street (UKTV) — 66,000
  3. The Simpsons (Fox 8) – 63,000
  4. Family Guy (Fox8), Selling Houses Australia (LifeStyle) – 59,000
  5. NCIS (LifeStyle) Family Guy (Fox 8), Family Guy (Fox 8) – 55,000

Tonight: The final Clarke and Dawe at 6.55pm on ABC1 might be the only reason to watch TV tonight, along with 7.30 and double fresh episodes of How I Met Your Mother from 7.30pm on Seven. Otherwise, record these and get out and shop early and do your bit to help Treasurer Joe Hockey balance his version of the books.

*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.