Tennis did the job again for Seven last night, although for a third night it was on the nose in Brisbane, where viewers seem to be very unenthused about the Open and the success of the Australian players. Still that’s Queensland and viewers up there have had to battle daylight saving, fading curtains and anxious cows waiting to be milked. But a bigger reason though to avoid the TV  this year is the current election campaign — if you have the TV on and watch the tennis, you may have an uninvited political guest or three asking to be trusted and for your vote (Campbell Newman particular). A hideous and odious request to have to consider and more than put you off Bernie, Rafa and our Sam at the tennis.

A total of 1.442 million people watched the various matches during the night session nationally on Seven’s channels last night. Seven’s main channel had 905,000 viewers and 7TWO had 537,000. A Further 1.050 million watched the late session (which included Bernie’s game) with 622,000 on Seven’s main channel and 388,000 on 7TWO. These are very good figures and Seven’s advertisers and the Open’s sponsors must be thrilled with the increased coverage of the tournament. More Australians are playing today, including Lleyton Hewitt and Sam Stosur. Another emotional rollercoaster for viewers.

Ten’s tip and run cricket saw it move past Nine into second spot in Melbourne, well behind daylight and then Seven’s broadcast of the night’s thrilling play in the tennis. Last night’s Big Bash game averaged 784,000 national viewers — so Seven’s national audience for its night session was almost double that of the Big Bash.

Bernie (as Bruce calls him) Tomic is forgiven. Like Lleyton (as Bruce also calls him), Bernie’s wayward youth is now behind him, the greybeards and other taste masters of tennis have prevailed and Bernie is now an Aussie battler and playing another Aussie, Sam Groth (who seems to have been well behaved) for a place in the quarter finals. Rafa (as Bruce calls him), or Rafael Nadal to us outsiders, survived a dramatic five-setter last night. Bernie’s match went well beyond 11pm and viewers had to mix and match with the Nadal thriller as well. Bernie or Sam will be in the quarters finals on Sunday/ Sunday night on Australia Day eve, great for Seven.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (33.7%)
  2. Nine (23.4%)
  3. Ten (22.3%)
  4. ABC (15.0%)
  5. SBS (5.6%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (20.3%)
  2. Nine (15.9%)
  3. Ten (13.2%)
  4. ABC (10.4%)
  5. SBS ONE (3.8%)

Top digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (9.6%)
  2. ONE (5.3%)
  3. GO (4.1%)
  4. 7mate, Eleven (3.8%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.450 million
  2. Seven News — 1.205 million
  3. Customs (Nine) — 1.072 million
  4. ABC News — 1.013 million
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.013 million
  6. Nine News 6.30 — 1.012 million
  7. To Catch A Smuggler (Nine) — 912,000
  8. Australian Open Tennis Night 3 (Seven) — 905,000
  9. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 856,000
  10. Hot Seat (Nine) — 832,000

Top metro programs:

  1. Nine News 6.30 — 1.012 million
  2. Nine News — 1.004 million

Losers: Tennis haters and those who dislike Australian sporting nationalism (especially with Australia Day approaching).Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News 6.30 — 1.012 million
  2. Nine News — 1.004 million
  3. Seven News — 959,000
  4. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 856,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) – 825,000
  6. ABC News  – 691,000
  7. Ten Eyewitness News — 564,000
  8. 7.30 Summer (ABC) — 538,000
  9. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 483,000
  10. The Project 630pm (Ten) — 420,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 364,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 287,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC 1,  93,000 + 44,000 on News 24) — 137,000
  4. Mornings Summer (Nine) — 124,000
  5. Studio 1o (Ten) — 75,000

Top pay TV channels:

  1. Fox 8  (2.6%)
  2. TVHITS (2.3%)
  3. LifeStyle, Cartoon Network  (2.1%)
  4. Arena (1.7%)

Top pay TV programs:

  1. The Flash(Fox8) — 68,000
  2. Location Location Location (LifeStyle) — 61,000
  3. The Real Housewives of Beverley Hills (Arena) — 50,000
  4. Modern Family (Fox8), Family Guy (Fox8), Coronation Street (UKTV) – 48,000

*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.