MAFS finale leaves Nine with an uncertain future

Nine boasted that MAFS (1.74 million) had its highest audience of the year — as well it should have, seeing it was the penultimate episode of the series with finale tonight (it really is The Biggest Loser from the POV of the inmates). Nine won the night with help from another solid night for the news and ACA. 

Seven News dominated the news slot, though interest in COVID-19 has peaked and is starting to fade. The best example for this is a 458,000 drop last night (988,000) for Nine’s special, from the previous week’s 1.44 million. Last night’s special came after the series high for MAFS added 186,000 viewers, so the attraction to updates on the virus are clearly waning.

That was also evident in breakfast and mornings, where audience numbers dipped, though close to 1.3 million people collectively watched Sunrise (565,000), Today (380,000) and News Breakfast (374,000).

Without MAFS (after tonight) or the NRL, Nine faces a fall in share to the level Seven has been sitting on for the past week. Free-to-air viewing will be even more dire. No wonder Netflix shares jumped 16% in the March quarter when most global markets were down 20% or more.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (35.2%)
2. Seven(24.2%)
3. ABC (18.9%)
4. Ten (13.4%)
5. SBS (8.2%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (27.7%)
2. Seven (18.0%)
3. ABC (13.3%)
4. Ten (8.1%)
5. SBS ONE (4.8%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. Gem (3.9%)
2. 10 Bold (3.0%)
3. ABC News (2.6%)
4. 7mate (2.5%)
5. ABC Kids/Comedy (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News  — 1.945 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.834 million 
3. MAFS (Nine) — 1.740 million
4. Nine/NBN News   — 1.584 million
5. Nine/NBN News 6.30   — 1.548 million
6. 7pm ABC News —1.395 million
7. ACA (Nine) — 1.240 million
8. 7.30 (ABC) —1.120 million
9. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 1.015 million
10. Nine News Covid 19 Special — 988,000

Top metro programs: 

1. MAFS – 1.317 million
2. Seven News — 1.256 million
3. Nine News — 1.231 million
4. Seven News 6.30 — 1.178 million
5. Nine News 6.30 — 1.165 million

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 1.256 million
2. Nine News — 1.231 million
3. Seven News 6.30 —  1.178 million
4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.165 million
5. 7pm ABC News — 966,000
6. ACA (Nine) — 913,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 772,000
8. Nine News Covid-19  Special — 759,000
9. Foreign Correspondent (ABC) — 676,000
10. The Latest – Seven News —582,000

Morning (National) TV:

1. Sunrise: National: 565,000, Metro: 333,000 
2. Today: National: 380,000, Metro: 266,000 
3. News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 374,000
4. The Morning Show (Seven) —360,000
5. Today Extra (Nine) — 266,000
6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 90,000

Top five pay TV programs:

1. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 84,000
2. The Bolt Report (Sky News), Jones & Credlin (Sky News) — 69,000
3. Credlin, (Sky News) — 62,000
4. The Great British Bake-Off (LifeStyle Food) — 55,000