Well, Nine and Seven shared the night but it was one of those nights where viewers were out enjoying themselves, or turned on the digital channels which again collectively had considerably more viewers than any of the network’s main channels or the network groups. 36.7% of the free to air audience was watching the digital channels in the metros. In the regionals, it was 39.6%. Adding Foxtel to the mix in the metros (18.3%), and adjusting the free to air digitals for that (29.0%) 47.3% of the TV audience last night was not watching the main channels of the five free to air networks, four of which (Seven, Nine, Ten and SBS) charge fat ad rates for audiences watching those channels. Makes you wonder!

It’s a Date (592,000 national viewers) and Upper Middle Bogan (829,000) ended last night on ABC. Catalyst held up at 8pm for the ABC with 964,000 metro viewers. And Home and Away again dominated the post 7pm schedule with 1.249 million national viewers. The sneering TV hack critics online and in print are still taking a whack at this program, but viewers still watch, for better or for worse. It provides employment and training for a growing list of on-air talent and behind the scenes workers. And it is very Australian. It is also the success that Neighbours should still be, but isn’t because past managements at Ten and its producers lost their way. Home and Away isn’t my demo, but every time I dip in, I can see why it works and keeps going — good storylines, good sets and great camera work, and imaginative up to date producers. To me it is again the success story of 2014 for Australian TV.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (27.4%)
  2. Nine (26.3%)
  3. Ten (21.5%)
  4. ABC (19.0%)
  5. SBS (5.9%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (16.9%)
  2. Seven (15.9%)
  3. Ten (13.8%)
  4. ABC (12.3%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.4%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. GO (6.3%)
  2. 7TWO (6.2%)
  3. 7mate (5.3%)
  4. Eleven (4.8%)
  5. ABC2 (4.0%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Nine News  – 1.311 million
  2. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.249 million
  3. Seven News — 1.160 million
  4. ABC  News — 1.024 million
  5. 7.30 (ABC) — 964,000
  6. Catalyst (ABC) — 964,000
  7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 901,000
  8. Nine News 6.30 — 885,000
  9. Upper Middle Bogan (ABC) — 829,000
  10. Seven News/ Today Tonight  — 826,000

Losers: Stormy days and nights, and thankfully they tell us to be cautious watching TV and using electrical devices when there’s lightning about. That’s as good excuse as ever for not watching this sort of TV — so are a Christmas Party, drinks, dinner, a book, visiting friends, and the very wide gamut of indoor games Crikey readers are no doubt very capable of playing themselves.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 924,000
  2. Nine News 6.30 — 885,000
  3. Seven News  — 874,000
  4. Seven News/ Today Tonight  — 826,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) – 736,000
  6. ABC News – 680,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 622,000
  8. Ten Eyewitness News — 563,000
  9. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 517,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 411,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 316,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 312,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC 86,000, News 24, 46,000) — 136,000
  4. Mornings – Summer (Nine) — 121,000
  5. The Morning Show (Seven) — 120,000
  6. Studio 1o (Ten) — 45,000

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Grand Designs Australia (LifeStyle) – 109,000
  2. A league: Sydney v Perth (Fox Sports 4) — 79,000
  3. Modern Family (Fox8) — 58,000
  4. Family Guy (Fox8) – 55,000
  5. Seinfeld (TVHITS) – 53,000

*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.