Give The Big Bash its bat and ball and send it home

Unfortunately Australia’s most boring sporting competition starts tonight on Seven. The Big Bash is really a damp squib tricked out to try to grab viewers’ attention in the run-up to Christmas. Who would want to watch a bit of confected tip-and-run when there’s shopping, carolling, friends and foes to share festivities with, not to mention family? (Nine has the world short course swim titles from Melbourne.)

The last Media Watch of the year — 613,000. 7.30 with Laura Tingle for the summer — 749,000. The non-main channel digitals for the five networks had a total share of 37.9%, collectively more viewers than any one of the main channels. 

At 6am tomorrow Argentina v Croatia in the first World Cup semi-final, a real sports competition. The France-Morocco semi-final is on Thursday morning, same time.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (29.4%)
2. Seven (26.4%)
3. ABC (20.6%)
4. Ten (16.3%)
5. SBS (7.3%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (19.2%)
2. Seven (17.4%)
3. ABC (14.4%)
4. Ten (8.4%)
5. SBS ONE (3.5%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (5.3%)
2. Gem (5.2%)
3. 10 Peach (3.6%)
4. 10 Bold (3.4%)
5. ABC Kids/Plus, ABC News (2.9%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News 6.30 — 1.348 million
2. Seven News — 1.325 million
3. Nine News 6.30 — 1.019 million
4. Nine News — 998,000
5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 855,000
6. 7pm ABC News — 854,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 749,000
8. Border Security (Seven) — 715,000
9. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 695,000
10. Media Watch (ABC) — 613,000

Top metro programs: none with a million or more viewers.

Regional top 5: Seven News 6.30, 495,000; Seven News 6.30, 487,000; 7pm ABC News, 227,000; ACA, 273,000; Nine News, 265,000.

Losers: snore (except for Media Watch).

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 853,000
2. Seven News 6.30 — 838,000
3. Nine News — 760,000
4. Nine News 6.30 — 754,000
5. ACA (Nine) — 582,000
6. 7pm ABC News — 575,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 498,000
8. Media Watch (ABC) — 418,000
9. Australian Story, summer repeat (ABC) — 363,000
10. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 254,000

Morning (national) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) — 385,000/229,000
2. Today (Nine) — 286,000/174,000
3. ABC News Breakfast — 263,000/163,000
4. ABC News Mornings — 200,000
5. The Morning Show (Seven) —199,000
6. Today Extra, summer (Nine) — 125,000
7. Studio 10 (Ten) — 38,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

1. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 58,000
2. White Lotus (Fox Showcase) — 57,000
3. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 53,000
4. White Lotus (Fox Showcase) — 45,000
5. Credlin (Sky News) — 43,000