Glenn Dyer’s TV ratings: The Beast is back

A big win for Seven in metro and especially regional markets, thanks to The Beast (AKA My Kitchen Rules) and the Russell Crowe movie, The Water Diviner (which Seven helped finance and produce), which you’d have to say under-performed last night given it was on TV only three months after premiering in Australia (and in the US this week). It managed 1.393 million national viewers, but only 868,000 metro viewers. The national audience would have been a top notch one for the metros, given its profile, the amount of promotion and Crowe’s involvement. But in any case, it certainly boosted Seven to a clear win last night. And that’s why Seven helped finance and produce the movie — simply to use it in its lead up to Anzac Day programming — and why free-to-air got the movie before pay TV did.

Nine’s The Block was solid as it approaches its finale — the 1.442 million national viewers was an OK figure — but it was still a huge 700,000 short of The Beast’s 2.174 million viewers last night. The  solid figures for the Water Diviner added to those of The Beast and offset another weak Monday night for Seven from 6-7pm. Ten was fourth, blitzed by the ABC’s usual strong Monday night line up, which was capped by a solid Q&A.

I know that the Anzac overkill is boring us, but one to really watch tonight (or record and watch, I will know if you haven’t at least peaked) is the Sam Neill presented effort on ABC called Why Anzac at 8.30. He at least had family who fought in WW1 at Gallipoli and in France. It at least goes against the tide of nostalgia and maudlin triumphalism/ nationalism that we are seeing in the print media especially (News Corp tabloids). Commemorative coins, sheeesh. And was that a live read ad by David Koch (who was Istanbul) for these coins at the end of Sunrise just after 9 am today?

Network channel share:

1. Seven (34.1%)
2. Nine (26.6%)
3. ABC (19.0%)
4. Ten (15.2%)
5. SBS (5.1%)

Network main channels:

1. Seven (27.5%)
2. Nine (20.7%)
3. ABC (15.6%)
4. Ten  (10.0%)
5. SBS ONE (4.2%)

Top digital channels: 

1. 7TWO, 7mate (3.3%)
2. Gem (3.0%)
3. GO (2.9%)
4. ONE, Eleven (2.6%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. My Kitchen Rules (Seven) – 2.174 million
2. Nine News — 1.712 million
3. The Block (Nine) — 1.442 million
4. Seven News — 1.420 million
5. The Water Diviner (Seven) — 1.393 million
6. ABC News — 1.341 million
7. The Big Bang Theory (Seven) — 1.255 million
8. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.255 million
9. Australian Story (ABC) — 1.212 million
10. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.211 million

Top metro programs:

1. My Kitchen Rules (Seven) – 1.491 million
2. Nine News — 1.223 million
3. Nine News 6.30 — 1.184 million
4. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.027 million

Losers: None, really. Ten was its usual weak self on a Monday night. It will pick up tonight.Metro news and current affairs:

1. Nine News — 1.223 million
2. Nine News 6.30 — 1.184 million
3. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.027 million
4. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 972,000
5. ABC News  – 903,000
6. Australian Story (ABC) — 809,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 792,000
8. Four Corners (ABC) – 768,000
9. Media Watch (ABC) — 708,000
10. Ten Eyewitness News — 648,000

Morning TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) – 318,000
2. Today (Nine) – 302,000
3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 163,000
4. News Breakfast (ABC 1,  99,000 + 33,000 on News 24) — 132,000
5. Mornings (Nine) — 120,000
6.  Studio 1o (Ten) — 65,000

Top five pay TV channels:

1. Fox 8 (4.4%)
2. Fox Sports 1, Showcase (3.7%)
3. Fox Footy, UKTV (2.0%)

Top five pay TV programs:

1. NRL: Cronulla v Souths (Fox Sports 1) — 338,000
2. Game of Thrones (showcase) – 293,000
3. Game of Thrones (showcase) – 209,000
4. Monday Night With Matty Johns (Fox Sports 1) – 151,000
5. AFL: Open Mike (Fox Footy) – 127,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2015. 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.