State of Origin a big win for NSW and Nine, but the downward trend continues

State of Origin Game 1. A big NSW win. 2.7 million people watched nationally — 1.9 million in the metros and 797,000 in the regions. But while it was better than the delayed broadcast in November 2020 (2.378 million nationally — 1.598 million in the metros and 780,000 in the regions), it was well behind the last “normal” broadcast back in 2019 (3.207 million nationally — 2.178 million in the metros and 1.029 million in the regions).

Nine obviously won the night and will boast about the figures, but they continue the downward trend in the past six or so years for this flagship game. NSW won the match easily, 50-6, but that didn’t harm the audience much. The game did help Nine to win Melbourne 246,000 viewers down in Storm country. 

Meanwhile The Front Bar on Seven — 436,000 nationally and 230,000 in Melbourne — was the eighth most watched broadcast in the AFL heartland where the big news was Nathan Buckley’s ousting at the Collywobbles.

Breakfast: Sunrise, 453,000/240,000; Today, 323,000/216,000; News Breakfast, 291,000/198,000

Regional top five: State of Origin Game 1, 797,000; Seven News, 621,000; Seven News 6.30pm, 578,000; State Of Origin Game 1 Pre-Match, 445,000; The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 378,000.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (43.3%)
2. Seven (22.7%)
3. Ten (14.9%)
4. ABC (13.1%)
5. SBS (6.0%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (37.2%)
2. Seven (15.5%)
3. ABC (9.8%)
4. Ten (9.4%)
5. SBS ONE (3.5%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (3.5%)
2. 10 Bold (3.1%)
3. 10 Peach (2.1%)
4. 9Life (1.9%)
5. 7flix (1.8%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. State Of Origin Game 1 (Nine) — 2.708 million
2. Seven News — 1.720 million
3. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.604 million
4. State Of Origin Game 1 Pre-Match (Nine) — 1.528 million
5. Nine News — 1.359 million
6. Nine News 6.30pm  — 1.355 million
7. 7pm ABC News — 1.017 million
8. Home and Away (Seven) — 938,000
9. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 923,000
10. State Of Origin Game 1 Post-Match (Nine) —887,000

Top metro programs: 

1. State Of Origin Game 1 (Nine) — 1.911 million
2. Seven News — 1.099 million
3. State Of Origin Game 1 Pre-Match (Nine) — 1.083 million
4. Nine News — 1.048 million
5. Seven News 6.30pm —1.026 million
6. Nine News 6.30pm — 1.007 million

Losers: None because of the Origin game on Nine — just distorts the viewing patterns.

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 1.099 million
2. Nine News — 1.048 million
3. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.026 million
4. Nine News 6.30pm — 1.007 million
5. 7pm ABC News — 743,000
6. 7.30 (ABC) — 554,000
7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 513,000
8. Ten News First — 419,000
9. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 317,000
10. SBS World News — 170,000

Morning (National) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) — 453,000/2401,000
2. Today (Nine) — 323,000/2164,000
3. News Breakfast (ABC) — 291,000/1981,000
4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 262,000
5. Today Extra (Nine) — 169,000
6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 55,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

1. NRL: Origin Footy on Fox (Fox League) — 78,000
2. The Bolt Report, Credlin (Sky News) — 73,000
3. NRL: Origin Footy on Fox (Fox League) — 65,000
4. AFL 360 (Fox Footy) — 61,000