Another COVID-dominated night, but the big winner was the ABC kids sensation Bluey, which airs at 8.01am on ABC Kids/Comedy. Yesterday morning, it averaged 596,000, more than doubling this Monday’s 248,000 and trebling Tuesday’s effort from last week of 187,000.
Bluey was the most watched program in day time TV on Monday (up to 5pm) beating the far more expensive Today and Sunrise and even ABC News Breakfast, which is broadcast on two channels! When Bluey was repeated in the evening it averaged 382,000 (it wasn’t repeated on Monday night).
In my years or working and writing on TV I can’t remember a TV program more than doubling its audience from one day to the next. The reason? Social distancing, a rise in self-isolation, more people working from home and looking after children who would normally be in childcare.
Nine won the night overall. There was another strong night for news broadcasts, led by Seven’s hour of news. Nine news did not too badly, but still 480,000 behind Seven.
Today lifted, ABC News breakfast had another non-election record audience of 352,000 nationally, the second morning in a row. The ABC saw the biggest lift — the ABC’s 7pm news was fifth nationally and easily beat ACA, which was seventh (7.30 also beat ACA). But it was Bluey wot won the day for viewers.
In the regions, Seven news hit 590,000, Seven news (6.30) made 558,000, the ABC’s 7pm news garnered 394,000, Home and Away, 367,000, and MAFS managed 350,000.
Network channel share:
- Nine (30.5%)
- Seven (23.9%)
- Ten (19.8%)
- ABC (17.5%)
- SBS (8.4%)
Network main channels:
- Nine (23.6%)
- Seven (16.6%)
- ABC (13.7%)
- Ten (12.1%)
- SBS ONE (5.1%)
Top 5 digital channels:
- Gem (3.4%)
- 7mate (3.2%)
- 10 Bold (3.0%)
- 7TWO, ABC Kids/Comedy (2.7%)
Top 10 national programs:
- Seven News — 1.726 million
- Seven News 6.30 — 1.394 million
- MAFS (Nine) — 1.294 million
- Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.162 million
- Nine/NBN News — 1.126 million
- 7pm ABC News —1.052 million
- ACA (Nine) — 976,000
- Home and Away (Seven) — 941,000
- 7.30 (ABC) — 889,000
- Paramedics (Nine) — 832,000
Top metro programs:
- Seven News — 1.145 million
- MAFS (Nine) — 1.070 million
- Seven News 6.30 — 1.057 million
Metro news and current affairs:
- Seven News — 1.145 million
- Seven News 6.30 — 1.057 million
- Nine News 6.30 — 997,000
- Nine News —983,000
- 7pm ABC News — 880,000
- 7.30 (ABC) — 823,000
- ACA (Nine) — 850,000
- Nine Covid-19 Special — 677,000
- Foreign Correspondent (ABC) — 597,000
- The Project 7pm (Ten) — 512,000
Morning (National) TV:
- Sunrise: National: 494,000, Metro: 287,000
- Today: National: 265,000, Metro: 246,000
- News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 352,000
- The Morning Show (Seven) — 256,000
- Today Extra (Nine) — 201,000
- Studio 10 (Ten) — 70,000
Top five pay TV programs:
- Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 70,000
- The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 58,000
- Jones & Credlin (Sky News) — 57,000
- Credlin, (Sky News) — 51,000
- AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) — 44,000
In my years or working and writing on TV I can’t remember a TV program more than doubling its audience from one day to the next. The reason? Social distancing, a rise in self-isolation, more people working from home and looking after children who would normally be in childcare.
Yesterday was the start of a new season of Bluey. Parents have been waiting for it for a long time — we have had a countdown on our calendar! I expect this had as much, if not more, of an impact on the ratings.
I agree. I am 78 and love Bluey. It is a wonderful counterbalance to the idiotic behaviour we’re seeing in shopping centres. And the new series has an expanded number of characters.
There are many reasons why viewer numbers would rise sharply – quality is one..
I have a millennial daughter with no kids who loves this show, to the extent that she spent time with a girlfriend to find a site or two in Brisbane portrayed on Bluey.
Apparently, this is a ground breaking, wholly Aussie well -Brisbane based – show, that guides adults to be good parents as well as entertains and enlightens kids to be good kids.
It’s creators are quoted as being disappointed there was no quality Australian shows for their kids and got busy. Now they have sold the rights to Disney and international TV networks, and it has already surpassed Bananas in Pyjamas sales revenues.
Oz mums and dads have taken to it, as have the kids. It’s really taken off, here and internationally, a real success story, but not part of our national conversation.
Why not – is it too good a story for our media? Regarded as an ABC TV Product and relegated due to entrenched commercial media prejudices ? Or is negative scare and fear journalism far more likely to gain media management approval, and benefit career opportunities?