Viewers were invited free, but not to many turned up to enjoy the grand final of Hotplate on Nine last night. The winners’ announcement averaged 1.152 million national viewers, the rest of the grand final, 1.048 million. But more viewers were at the meat market, sorry, The Bachelor (1.325 million national viewers and the most watched non-news program last night), to watch another excruciating trimming of the herd, which will be completed tonight.

But that was enough to push Nine to a metro win, Seven into second, Ten a stronger third, and the ABC fourth. But in the regions, a very different result. Seven was a clear winner, from Nine, with the ABC third and Ten fourth — The Bachelor doesn’t cut the mustard with viewers in regional Australia like Border Security, Home and Away and The Force do. But The Bachelor did do a bit better than the grand final of The Hotplate and the winner’s announcement in the regions. The 7pm part of The Project had a strong night last night with 985,000 national viewers.

The Weekly with Charlie Pickering ended its run last night and deserves to return. Its final episode had a solid 1.023 million national viewers. In fact, Nine Network, Pickering would be a smarter host for your new late night chat show than Karl Stefanovic — he would bounce well off Mark Latham’s verbal jabs and jibes. Could be a dynamic duo (just a thought).

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (27.7%)
  2. Seven (26.0%)
  3. Ten (21.1%)
  4. ABC (19.0%)
  5. SBS (6.2%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (20.0%)
  2. Seven (16.5%)
  3. Ten (15.6%)
  4. ABC (13.8%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.8%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (5.8%)
  2. GO (4.2%)
  3. 7mate (3.6%)
  4. Gem (3.5%)
  5. Eleven (3.3%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.517 million
  2. The Bachelor (Ten) — 1.325 million
  3. Border Security (Seven) — 1.255 million
  4. The Force (Seven) — 1.249 million
  5. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.246 million
  6. Seven News — 1.240 million
  7. ABC News — 1.237 million
  8. The Hotplate – Winner Announced — 1.152 million
  9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.128 million
  10. Nine News 6.30 — 1.049 million

Losers:  Anyone who watched Hotplate and The Bachelor –– especially the latter. It is among the least satisfying program on TV for old farts like me — but not young females. I know that. But it is demeaning. Hotplate was just a struggle — less so than Restaurant Revolution on Seven tonight.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Nine News — 1.066 million
  2. Nine News 6.30 — 1.049 million
  3. Seven News — 970,000
  4. Seven News/Today Tonight — 955,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 953,000
  6. ABC News — 844,000
  7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 765,000
  8. Ten News — 617,000
  9. 7.30 (ABC) — 611,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 528,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 343,000
  2. Today (Nine) – 310,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 150,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC 1,  90,000 + 50,000 on News 24) — 140,000
  5. Mornings (Nine) — 110,000
  6. Studio 1o (Ten) — 60,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. LifeStyle  (2.7%)
  2. Fox Sports 4 (2.5%)
  3. Fox8  (2.4%)
  4. UKTV (2.1%)
  5. TVHITS  (1.8%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) — 101,000
  2. Charlie’s Chelsea Garden (LifeStyle) — 90,000
  3. AFL: Dan Menzel: A Long Way Home (Fox Footy) — 76,000
  4. Matty Johns Big Weekend (Fox Sports 1) — 76,000
  5. The Simpsons (Fox8) – 71,000

*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.