Not a program over a million viewers in metro markets — another vote of “boring, boring” from viewers last night.

I can now survive for another week after watching last night’s episodesof The Roast, Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell and The Chaser’s Media Circus — all on ABC TV and nothing on our free enterprise, privately owned networks. Now why is that? All three were at their peak last night, especially The Chaser — like a very irreverent Media Watch.

And, as a discerning viewer might wonder if they had watched the trio last night, how can the serious old people on 7.30 and higher up among the big beasts of ABC News and Current Affairs, match the cut and thrust of the those three programs? And yet, I could name three people from the programs last night who would make an ideal host for a satirical 7.30 on Friday nights or Saturday evenings — Chris Taylor from The Chasers, Tom Glasson from The Roast, or Shaun Micallef. But really the state-based versions of 7.30 should be left in place. They seem to be more in touch with local news, while the Monday to Friday program is increasingly remote with its required national focus.

The Roast had 158,000 national viewers tucked away at 7.30pm on ABC2. Mad as Hell had 987,000 at 8pm on ABC and finished ninth nationally, just after The Chaser’s Media Circus at 8.30 on ABC1 which had 1.012 million viewers and was the 8th most watched program nationally. Big Brother on Nine had 777,000 national viewers.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (33.0%)
  2. Nine (28.4%)
  3. ABC (18.6%)
  4. Ten (15.5%)
  5. SBS (4.5%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (21.3%)
  2. Nine (18.4%)
  3. ABC (13.4%)
  4. Ten (10.5%)
  5. SBS ONE (3.4%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (7.7%)
  2. GO (6.9%)
  3. 7mate (4.0%)
  4. Gem (3.2%)
  5. ABC2 (3.1%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. The Force (Seven) — 1.418 million
  2. Nine News — 1.386 million
  3. Home and Away (Seven) – 1.359 million
  4. Seven News — 1.217 million
  5. David Attenborough’s Life (Nine) — 1.162
  6. Criminal Minds (Seven) — 1.116 million
  7. ABC News — 1.059 million
  8. The Chaser’s Media Circus (ABC) — 1.012 million
  9. Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell (ABC) — 987,000
  10. 7.30 (ABC) — 986,000

Losers: Anyone who missed The Roast, Mad As Hell and The Chaser’s Media Circus last night.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News  — 956,000
  2. Nine News — 935,000
  3. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 917,000
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 892,000
  5. A Current Affair — 798,000
  6. ABC News — 709,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 677,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 563,000
  9. Ten Eyewitness News — 531,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 420,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 340,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 290,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 137,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC 44,000 + 34,000 on News 24) — 119,000
  5. Mornings (Nine) — 114,000
  6. Studio 1o (Ten) — 41,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (3.1%)
  2. LifeStyle  (3.1%)
  3. TVHITS! (2.4%)
  4. UKTV (1.8%)
  5. Disney Jr. (1.7%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Family Guy (Fox8) – 76,000
  2. FFA Cup; Post Game (Fox Sports 3) — 69,000
  3. Selling Houses Australia Extreme (LifeStyle) – 68,000
  4. Deadliest Catch (Discovery) – 62,000
  5. Coronation Street (UKTV) – 60,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. The data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM. (All shares on the basis of combined overnight 6pm to midnight all people.) and network reports.