Cleo Smith recovers in hospital (Image: WA Police)

Only one story dominated Wednesday and that was the shock discovery of missing four-year-old Cleo Smith alive and well. The news saw viewers flock to the breakfast and morning news broadcasts (probably well over 200,00 to 250,000, judging how the figures jumped and the fact that viewers rotate through the morning).

They returned at night for the 6pm to 8pm news and current affairs programs on Seven, Nine, the ABC and Ten, with more than 400,000 extra viewers appearing and watching on all networks. Then Nine again showed that its newsroom and managers are far more reactive than Seven, Ten or the ABC with the special Finding Cleo which averaged 645,000 national viewers (459,000 metro and 186,000 regional from around 8.40pm). It was shown instead of Love Island which was pushed back and buried, averaging 258,000. So a sensible decision by Nine from a ratings and credibility stand point.

The Bachelorette also buried itself — 373,000 nationally is cringeworthy for Ten. Parental Guidance had 771,000 (when are the producers going to cover the mortal sin of wanting to own property in the Sydney market and talking about it at social functions?) Big Brother VIP — 547,000 — swamped by 7.30 — 948,000 — Hard Quiz — 947,000 — and then Gruen — 923,000.

Regional top five: Seven News, 576,000; Seven News 6.30, 5516,000; Home And Away, 402,000; 7pm ABC News, 341,000; The Block, 340,000.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (29.3%)
  2. Seven (27.8%)
  3. ABC (19.3%)
  4. Ten (15.6%)
  5. SBS (8.0%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (19.1%)
  2. Seven (19.0%)
  3. ABC (14.3%)
  4. Ten (8.9%)
  5. SBS ONE (5.3%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. Gem (4.3%)
  2. 7TWO (3.8%)
  3. 10 Bold (3.2%)
  4. 7mate, 10 Peach (3.0%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.628 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.555 million
  3. Nine News  — 1.320 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.234 million
  5. 7pm ABC News — 1.050 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.024 million
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 948,000
  8. Hard Quiz (ABC) — 947,000
  9. Gruen (ABC) — 923,000
  10. Home And Away (Seven) — 894,000

Top metro programs: None with a million or more viewers

1. Seven News, 1.036 million
2. Nine News — 1.009 million

Losers: The Bachelorette, fading, fading

Metro news and current affair

  1. Seven News  — 1.036 million
  2. Nine News  — 1.009 million
  3. Seven News  6.30 — 952,000
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 928,000
  5. ACA (Nine) — 714,000
  6. 7pm ABC News —703,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 638,000
  8. Finding Cleo (Nine) — 459,000
  9. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 391,000
  10. Ten News First (ABC) — 243,000

Morning (National) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 521,000/316,000
  2. Today (Nine) — 412,000/290,000
  3. ABC News Breakfast (Nine) — 377,000/245,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 266,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 209,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) —  45,000

Top five Pay TV programs:

  1. Gogglebox Australia (LifeStyle) — 156,000
  2. Love It Or List It Australia (LifeStyle) — 86,000
  3. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 72,000
  4. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 66,000
  5. Credlin (Sky News) — 65,000