Seven and Nine last night showed us what it really thinks of viewers: not very much. Apart from the news and Home and Away it was a pretty desultory offering — only Ten with the fresh episode of Masterchef and the ABC offered programs of interest. Nine had more viewers in the metros, but Ten had the better viewers thanks to Masterchef. Seven and Nine simply did not compete with Ten. In the regions, it was again Seven from Nine and Ten. Masterchef had 1.492 million national viewers (including a night topping 1.111 million in the metros). The Masterclass segment had 1.143 million national viewers, including 857,000 in the metros.

In the regions, Seven News won with 640,000 viewers, Home and Away had 484,000 viewers, Seven News/ Today Tonight, 473,000, The Chase Australia 5.30 had 456,000, with Nine News was fifth with 409,000 people. Masterchef could only rustle up 381,000 regional viewers and the Masterclass, 289,000.

Masterchef and the following Masterclass mean the foodie program lasted from 7.30 pm to 9.40pm and that saw Ten win the main channels in the metros, but not in the regions where viewers remain wary of Ten’s offerings, especially Masterchef. Ten should strike a special medal for Nigella Lawson – more than any of the big star chefs imported from offshore for the series, she has had the biggest impact with the contestants and viewers. She has in fact showed up those big names and the three judges on the panel. She didn’t have the same impact at My Kitchen Rules earlier in the year for some reason.

Kitchen Cabinet and Rake turned out to be quite complementary — the latter saw Jacqui Lambie profiled and she had a ‘Rakish’ quality to her appearance and surprised hostess, Annabel Crabb. Cleaver Green would have been proud of Ms Lambie’s characterisation of Liberal Senator from South Australia, Corey Bernadi, and some of her comments on the military and males in the army, not to mention the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. It was one of the better episodes which last series seem to be losing their way. Rake was a typical recovery episode from the madness of last week’s return, but the way Cleaver stumbled into bed with Justine Clark was wonderful, and the way it was ‘resolved’ was again typical of this great series. Kitchen Cabinet had 1 million national viewers (653,000 metros and 347,000 in the regions). Rake managed to grab 930,000 national viewers (626,000 in the metros and 304,000).

At breakfast, Today again beat Sunrise, 343,000 to 328,000 in the metros. Nationally, Sunrise won easily. In pay TV, the Paul Williams program on Sky News had 55,000 viewers last night and The Bolt Report managed 40,000 and both finished in the top 20 programs on Foxtel last night.

Tonight: Go the mighty Swannies. have a good game you Shinboners. AFL’s game of the round from the SCG. Swans v Kangaroos. NRL is in the Origin split round (and in Brisbane). But Super Rugby is also next door to the SCG and the Swans game – so the sporting centre of the universe is Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. Pub owners will be happy.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (27.0%)
  2. Seven (25.3%)
  3. Ten (24.2%)
  4. ABC (18.1%)
  5. SBS (5.5%)

Network main channels:

  1. Ten (19.8%)
  2. Nine (17.8%)
  3. Seven(15.3%)
  4. ABC (12.6%)
  5. SBS ONE (3.2%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (4.9%)
  2. GO (4.7%)
  3. 7mate (3.6%)
  4. ABC 2 (3.3%)
  5. 9Life, ONE (2.3%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1.  Seven News — 1.729 million
  2. Masterchef Australia (Ten) — 1.492 million
  3. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 1.484 million
  4.  Nine News — 1.468 million
  5. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.238 million
  6. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.152 million
  7. Masterchef Masterclass (Ten) — 1.143 million
  8. ABC News — 1.138 million
  9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.035 million
  10. 7.30 (ABC) — 1.004 million

Top metro programs:

  1. Masterchef Australia (Ten) — 1.111 million
  2. Seven News —  1.088 million
  3. Nine News — 1.059 million
  4. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.011 million

Losers: Viewers of Nine and Seven. Their offerings were ordinary last night.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.088 million
  2. Nine News — 1.059 million
  3. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.011 million
  4. Nine News (6.30pm) — 983,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) – 965,000
  6. ABC News – 759,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 676,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 657,000
  9. Ten Eyewitness News — 485,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 453,000

Morning TV:

  1. Today (Nine) – 343,000
  2. Sunrise (Seven) – 328,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 150,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC,  101,000 + 41,000 on News 24) — 142,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 141,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 84,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (2.80%)
  2. LifeStyle  (1.9%)
  3. TVHITS  (1.9%)
  4. UKTV, Fox Classics (1.7%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) – 74,000
  2. NRL: 360 (Fox Sports 1) — 58,000
  3. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 55,000
  4. Selling Houses Australia (LifeStyle) —  53,000
  5. AFL: League Teams (Fox Footy) —  52,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2016. 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.