Seven’s Spotlight lacks authority, viewers give it a thumbs down

Spotlight is the Seven Network’s Sunday Night-lite replacement (and not a national chain of haberdashery shops).

Last night it featured an hour-long special called “Surviving The Crash”. The best thing about it was host Mark Riley, a class act.

The content was all catch up because Seven has not been actively involved in public affairs or current affairs journalism since Sunday Night was axed a year ago this Friday.

The ABC — 7.30 and Four Corners principally and SBS (and 60 Minutes) have all covered the same subjects since March when the crash started. (So much for being a timely report.)

Now Spotlight is the great new idea. But it needed the presence of a host (Melissa Doyle) to allow Riley to report the whole hour. It would have made it more authoritative.

Instead it looked like something whipped up by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland (“Let’s put on a show”).

The reaction from viewers was a big thumbs down. Spotlight averaged 465,000 nationally from after the advertised 8.40pm start (it started several minutes late).

The performance part of the All New Monty was the lead-in and averaged 1.21 million — so 746,000 people said goodnight to Seven.

The confected energy of the All New Monty (1.21 million for the “performance” and 1.06 million for the lead) on Seven, the The Block on Nine, (1.33 million for the room reveal and 1.28 million for the lead up) the Lindy Chamberlain (again!) first part on Ten — 652,000 and second part of the Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty 652,000, down from 796,000 for the first part. The fall told the story.

Insiders on ABC TV 607,000 , but beaten by the Andrews presser on ABC and ABC News, 646,000 (instead of Landline from 12.30pm).

In regional markets Seven News, 481,000; All New Monty — performance 411,000; 7pm ABC News, 367,000; Nine/NBN News, 356,000; The Block, 352,000 (which out-rated the room reveal in the regions with 335,000).

Network channel share:

1. Nine (31.3%)
2. Seven (27.6%)
3. ABC, Ten (16.6%)
4. SBS (7.8%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (23.6%)
2. Seven (20.2%)
3. ABC (12.0%)
4. Ten (10.0%)
5. SBS ONE (4.8%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7mate (3.9%)
2. 10 Bold (3.5%)
3. GO (3.0%)
4. ABC Kids/Comedy10 Peach  (2.8%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.57 million
2. Nine/NBN News — 1.49million
3. The Block — Room Reveal Winner (Nine) — 1.33 million
4. The Block (Nine) — 1.28 million
5. All New Monty — performance (Seven) — 1.21 million
6. All New Monty (Seven) — 1.06 million
7. 7pm ABC News — 1.060million
8. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 729,000
9. Grantchester (Seven) — 673,000
10. Daniel Andrews media conference (ABC) — 646,000

Top metro programs:

1. Nine News — 1.13 million
2. Seven News — 1.09 million

Losers: Seven — Spotlight

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Nine News — 1.132 million
2. Seven News — 1.09 million
3. 7pm ABC News – 693,000
4. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 520,000
5. The Sunday Project 7pm (Ten) — 379,000
6. Lindy Chamberlain Special — Part 1 (Ten) — 365,000
7. Seven News Spotlight — 315,000
8. The Sunday Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 256,000
9. Ten News First — 241,000
10. SBS World News — 191,000

Morning (National) TV:

1. Daniel Andrews media conference (instead of Landline, ABC) — 646,000
2. Insiders (ABC, ABC News ) — 607,000
3. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) – 414,000
4. Weekend Today (Nine) – 302,000
5. Offsiders (ABC) — 225,000
6. Sports Sunday (Nine) — 197,000

Top five pay TV programs: 

1. NRL: St George v Melbourne  (Fox League) — 254,000
2. NRL: NZ Warriors v Manly  (Fox League) — 145,000
3. F1: Russia race (Fox Sports) — 144,000
4. Supercars Tailem Bend (Fox Sport) — 134,000
5. Supercars Tailem Bend (Fox Sport) — 134,000