Thankfully the final game of this series of Nine’s ODI cricket, plus the second part of Cilla, and especially the final episode of the Countdown special graced our TV screens last night — otherwise it would have been a foretaste of what lies ahead in the next 10 weeks of summer ratings, which start next Sunday night. In fact we have been drifting towards summer since The Block and The X Factor ended a few weeks ago and the cricket started early. Nine won nationally and in metro and regional markets. The ABC was third in the regionals with Ten a distant fourth. In the metros, Ten was third overall, but fourth in the main channels.

The final ODI last night produced a heart stopping end, as Friday night’s produced a drawn out, thrilling with for Australia. Countdown wrapped up and again underlined to millions of people how much the program and Molly are a part of our lives. Cilla reminds the older viewer (me included) of the Golden Years of the 1960’s — told well. The Australian ODI innings last night averaged an impressive 1.772 million national viewers (the first session averaged nearly 1.3 million). Cilla averaged 1.048 million for the second part of three and Countdown ended with 1.364 million national viewers. Both Cilla and Countdown were down a few thousands from the week before, but that didn’t matter as both were examples of good TV.

In the mornings, Insiders is finishing the year strongly with 517,000 national viewers (357,000 on ABC and 160,000 on news 24), easily beating The Bolt Report on Ten — 354,000 nationally for the 10am broadcast (205,000) and the 4pm repeat (91,000).

And this is the final week of official ratings — that’s why we have the grand finals this week of programs such as the grey skewing Dancing With The Stars (Seven tomorrow night), pimply near millenials on Big Brother (Nine Wednesday night) and impossible to stereotype (Beauty And The Geek Australia on Seven) on Thursday. Oh, and if anyone is interested, it’s the grand final of The Big Adventure on Seven tonight. Which ones will be rested? (Hint, put the last first on your list).

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (34.8%)
  2. Seven (26.6%)
  3. Ten (17.3%)
  4. ABC (16.8%)
  5. SBS (4.6%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (26.5%)
  2. Seven (17.7%)
  3. ABC (12.9%)
  4. Ten (11.8%)
  5. SBS ONE (3.7%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO (5.6%)
  2. 7mate (4.7%)
  3. 7TWO (4.2%)
  4. ONE (3.5%)
  5. Gem (2.7%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.898 million
  2. One Day International Cricket Australia v South Africa Game 5 Session 2 (Nine) — 1.772 million
  3. Seven News — 1.718
  4. Sunday Night (Seven) – 1.714 million
  5. Surveillance Oz (Seven) — 1.390 million
  6. Countdown — Do Yourself A Favour (ABC ) — 1.364 million
  7. One Day International Cricket Australia v South Africa Game 5 Session 1 (Nine) — 1.269 million
  8. ABC News — 1.068 million
  9. Cilla (ABC) — 1.048 million
  10. Modern Family (Ten) — 784,000

Top metro programs

  1. Nine News — 1.247 million
  2. Seven News — 1.197 million
  3. One Day International Cricket Australia v South Africa Game 5 Session 2 (Nine) — 1.171 million
  4. Sunday Night (Seven) – 1.167 million

Losers: Those who missed the increased heart rate situation late in the ODI cricket — too much stimulation lads. Those who didn’t watch or record Countdown and Cilla on ABC. Those who missed Sunday Night on Seven, a solid audience even with the cricket on Nine.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.247 million
  2. Seven News — 1.197 million
  3. Sunday Night (Seven) – 1.167 million
  4. ABC News — 709,000
  5. Ten Eyewitness News – 406,000
  6. SBS World News — 158,000

Morning TV:

  1. Insiders (ABC 232,000, 107,000 on News 24) — 339,000
  2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 297,000
  3. Landline (ABC) — 272,000
  4. Weekend Today (Nine) – 258,000
  5. The Bolt Report (Seven) — 149,000
  6. Financial Review Sunday  (Nine) — 144,000
  7. Offsiders (ABC) — 139,000
  8. The Bolt Report repeat (Ten) — 91,000

Top pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (3.2%)
  2. LifeStyle  (2.3%)
  3. TVHITS (2.2%)
  4. Fox Sports 4 (1.8%)
  5. UKTV, Disney Jr (1.5%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Doc Martin (UK) – 73,000
  2. The Simpsons (Fox8) – 67,000
  3. The Simpsons (Fox8) – 64,000
  4. Foyle’s War (UKTV) – 61,000
  5. Chicago Fire (Fox8) – 60,000

*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.