One of those nights that going out, sleeping or reading (or watching something on the shrinking Netflix list) would have been better. Except for The Checkout which returned to ABC TV last night. Over produced in places, but it did contain a very interesting bit of news that the ACCC is examining third party parity clauses that hotel/travel booking sites like Expedia/Wotif/Priceline etc force hotels and other accommodation groups sign to get access to their websites. The story also confirmed that Expedia/Wotif/Priceline etc are ripping us off by putting up their fees or commissions and forcing many hotels to put up their prices. So much for online disruption: it’s more like online rorting and Air BnB will head down the same route if they get a chance. Now do you think ABC News or 7.30 or Lateline will follow up that very obvious news tip?

Nine won the night. It had a weak whale wresting match between the Brisbane Broncos and St George — boring to the max. 520,000 desperate metro viewers. Total national audience on Nine and Gem was 873,000. OK, but nothing to write home about. Having a Sydney and Brisbane team in the game helped, but the national pay TV audience of 243,000 exceeded the Sydney audience of 236,000, but not the Brisbane audience of 250,000 (which is to be expected given the way the Broncos are worshipped in the Deep North). Nine won Sydney and Brisbane. Tonight it’s two Sydney sides, — Souths and easts — which should do better than last week’s Brisbane v Gold Coast game in Sydney.

In regional markets the top five programs last night were: Home and Away, 494,000; The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 401,000; Nine News, 394,000; NRL (Nine/WIN/Gem), 352,000; ABC News, 340,000.

Today moved back in front of Sunrise 342,000 to 333,000. The week may have been decided this morning — we will know over the weekend. Seven News scored another win in Sydney over Nine News at 6pm: 259,000 to 247,000. Small bragging rights. Studio Ten had another nice gain yesterday: 86,000 metro viewers. It doesn’t sound much, but at least the audience is growing.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (31.4%)
  2. Seven (25.5%)
  3. ABC (18.3%)
  4. ABC (17.8%)
  5. SBS (7.1%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (23.8%)
  2. Seven (16.3%)
  3. Ten (14.0%)
  4.  Ten (12.7%)
  5. SBS ONE (3.8%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7TWO (4.4%)
  2. GO, 7mate (3.5%)
  3. ABC 2 (3.3%)
  4. 9Life (2.1%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Nine News — 1.334 million
  2. Seven News — 1.276 million
  3. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.200 million
  4. ABC News — 1.164 million
  5. My France With Manu (Seven) — 1.031 million
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.026 million
  7. The Chase Australia 5.30 (Seven) — 1.008 million
  8. 7.30 (ABC) — 970,000
  9. The Checkout (ABC) — 955,000
  10. Nine News 6.30 — 954,000

Top metro programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.003 million

Losers: Apart from The Checkout and I suppose Gogglebox Australia, the rest of what was on last night was pretty mild. Janet King — contrived. Manu in France and Spain — overworked, like flat bread.Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 1.003 million
  2. Nine News (6.30pm) — 954,000
  3. Nine News — 941,000
  4. Seven News/ Today Tonight — 917,000
  5. A Current Affair (Nine) – 870,000
  6. ABC News – 824,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 662,000
  8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 502,000
  9. Ten Eyewitness News — 465,000
  10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 384,000

Morning TV:

  1. Today (Nine) – 342,000
  2. Sunrise (Seven) – 333,000
  3. The Morning Show (Seven) — 153,000
  4. News Breakfast (ABC, 91,000 + 45,000 on News 24) — 136,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 129,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 86,000

Top five pay TV channels:

  1. Fox Sports 1 (3.4%)
  2. LifeStyle  (2.4%)
  3. Fox 8 , TV HITS (2.2%)
  4. Arena, Discovery, Fox Sports 5  (1.7%)

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. NRL: Brisbane v St George (Fox Sports 1) – 243,000
  2. NRL: Thursday Night (Fox Sports 1) — 131,000
  3. NRL: Thursday Night (Fox Sports 1) — 94,000
  4. The Simpsons (Fox8) – 94,000
  5. The Simpsons (Fox8) – 87,000

*Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2016. 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.