Nine might have won the night in total people, but thanks to Masterchef (a solid 1.441 million national viewers) Ten had a narrow win in the main channels, but creamed all the right demos in the metros. In the regions, Seven’s weak offerings and dominance of the most watched programs couldn’t save the night with Nine a narrow winner.

7.30 was very weak last night (perhaps it was the story on the latest live cattle atrocity?) — just 726,000 national viewers (494,000 metro/233,000 in the regions). It was beaten by Ten News at 5 to 7pm. Rake on the ABC was mad, as usual: 899,000 national viewers, with 605,000 metro and 294,000 regional viewers. Kitchen Cabinet featured Michaelia Cash — it had a lowish 687,000 national viewers.

In the regions, the top shows were Seven News with 645,000, Seven News/Today Tonight had 505,000, Home and Away was third with 498,000, The 5.30pm part of The Chase Australia had 468,000 viewers and Nine News was fifth with 425,000.

In breakfast Sunrise with 342,000 had a big win over Today (291,000) in the metros and nationally.

For the weekend: the second rugby union test between Australia and England tomorrow night on Ten and Fox Sports from Melbourne. Let’s hope there are no more embarrassingly stupid questions from Fox Sports people as there were in Brisbane after the game and the Fox Sports people remember to take their brains to the game and post game media conference and not some stupid idea from Fox Sports management.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (26.7%)
  2. Seven (25.3%)
  3. Ten (23.9%)
  4. ABC (17.5%)
  5. SBS (6.6%)

Network main channels:

  1. Ten (18.8%)
  2. Nine (18.7%)
  3. Seven (15.2%)
  4. ABC (11.5%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.0%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (5.0%)
  2. ABC 2 (3.9%)
  3. GO (3.2%)
  4. ONE (2.9%)
  5. Gem (2.7%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.776 million
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.551 million
  3. Masterchef Australia (Ten) — 1.441 million
  4. Nine News — 1.440 million
  5. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.233 million
  6. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.154 million
  7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.118 million
  8. ABC News — 1.112 million
  9. RBT (Nine) — 1.028 million
  10. Nine News 6.30 — 978,000

Top metro programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.132 million
  2. Masterchef Australia (Ten) — 1.083 million
  3. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.046 million
  4. Nine News — 1.016 million

Losers: Apart from Masterchef and Rake, it was a deadly dull night for most viewers last night. Kitchen Cabinet was OK, but not up to the standard of Jacqui Lambie. Seven was weak — the highlight was the national performance of the news hour from 6 to 7pm, the low light was another in the Mighty Cruise Ships series on the main channel (663,000 national viewers). It just qualifies for interest on a digital channel, but not on a main channel: it was an unmitigated PR job and nothing more.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.132 million
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.046 million
  3. Nine News — 1.016 million
  4. Nine News (6.30pm) — 978,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) – 938,000
  6. ABC News – 756,000
  7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 635,000
  8. Ten Eyewitness News — 527,000
  9. 7.30 (ABC) — 494,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 484,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 342,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 291,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 180,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC,  91,000 + 45,000 on News 24) — 136,000
  5. Mornings (Nine) — 123,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 70,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. TVHITS, Fox 8  (2.3%)
  2. beIN Sports, LifeStyle  (2.1%)
  3. UKTV (1.9%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Euro 2016: England v Wales (beIN Sports) – 121,000
  2. AFL:360 (Fox Footy) — 81,000
  3. Would I Lie To You (UKTV) — 60,000
  4. Family Guy (Fox8) – 60,000
  5. 40 Years of The Prince’s Private Trust (Fox8) – 59,000

*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.