Media appointments, from BRW to AFR and back. SEAN AYLMER has been appointed as editor in chief of BRW magazine. Sean will re-join Fairfax Business Media in this new role on Tuesday, February 5. Sean moves into the role with a strong background in editorial management and reporting. His management roles have included AFR News Editor and Financial Services Editor. His other key reporting roles include AFR New York correspondent and economics correspondent in Canberra. PETER ROBERTS will return to the AFR as a senior writer resuming his coverage across a range of topics including innovation, manufacturing, education and science. In addition, Peter will be examining editorial opportunities for FBM to broaden its coverage of these and other sectors in an on-line environment through afr.com and other channels. Peter oversaw the re-positioning of BRW over the past 18 months, including the launch of the BRW internet site. I’d like to thank him for his strong contribution in developing a range of editorial-commercial initiatives to strengthen BRW‘s performance. — message from Glenn Burge, Editor, Australian Financial Review & Editorial Director, Fairfax Business Media.

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: 11 programs with a million or more viewers, so another solid night in late summer ratings. Seven News was tops with 1.305 million, followed by Home And Away with 1.285 million and Today Tonight with 1.231 million. Seven’s new program Out Of The Question debuted at 8.30pm with a modest 1.170 million and Nine’s RPA returned in the same timeslot (but for an hour) with 1.162 million. That helped Nine win the night. A Current Affair was next with 1.132 million, ahead of Nine News with 1.131 million. The last ep of What A Year on Nine at 7.30pm averaged 1.131 million (which is a lot better than it did last year) and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares frightened 1.085 million viewers into staying with Nine at 9.30pm. The 7pm ABC News was had 1.047 million and Seven’s Amazing Race averaged 1.014 million. Ten’s final ep of America’s Next Top Model had 941,000 for two hours from 7.30pm.

The Losers: Two And A Half Men, 848,000 at 7pm and being kept there by Nine until the One Day cricket is over in around six weeks’ time. It would have to be one of the unfunniest programs seen on TV for quite a while.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market but Melbourne. Today Tonight won everywhere bar Melbourne and Brisbane. The 7pm ABC News was again the most watched news program in Melbourne. The 7.30 Report, 778,000. Ten News, 824,000; the Late News/Sports Tonight, 530,000. Nightline, 364,000. SBS News, 216,000 at 6.30pm; 190,000 at 9.30pm. 7am Sunrise, 421,000; 7am Today, 270,000.

The Stats: Nine won with a share of 29.5% from Seven with 27.7%, Ten with 22.1%, the ABC on 14.6% and SBS on 6.1%. Nine won all markets bar Perth. Seven leads the week 33.1% to 24.4%. In regional areas a win to Nine through WIN/NBN with 30.1% from Prime/7Qld with 24.1%, Southern Cross (Ten) with 22.0%, the ABC with 15.9% and SBS with 7.7%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: On the whole, a night both Seven and Nine can be happy with. Out Of The Question started modestly and RPA returned on the same basis. A sort of honourable draw if that’s possible in commercial TV in this country. Seven and Nine are watching Melbourne closely: it could be the key market in some close weeks this year. Nine is also worried about the weakness of its news and A Current Affair in Sydney. Last night was a very poor night in that market. Tonight it’s a cricket night with the 20/20 game from Melbourne. The first One Day game is on Sunday. Miss Marple also returns to ABC’s over-50s timeslot at 8.30pm on Sunday. It might make a nice diversion from the cricket.

Source: OzTAM, TV Network reports