More people combined watched the various digital networks (a share of 32.3%) last night than any of the combined totals for the five networks. That’s a continuing sign of the approach of the silly season in TV when the networks take a rest and we get sport, second and third rate shows, flops, repeats and anything else designed to send us to drink, the beach, a book, out on the town, the garden or in the car, or to watch Netflix or Stan.

The ABC though went out with a bang with a solid final program for the year for Australian Story (1.14 million national viewers) which examined in depth the police killing of Australian Justine Damond Ruszczyk in the US earlier in the year. Four Corners examined the so-called Murphy Tapes (1.02 million national viewers) and the end of the career of former High Court Judge, Labor Attorney General and ASIO raider, Lionel Murphy. Media Watch did well in reminding us that Graham Richardson (the former ALP Senator and factional heavy) on Sky News has his own tax haven experience he didn’t share with his viewers last week.

Seven’s Instant Hotel continues to putter along — 1 million nationally — not bad. Have You Been Paying Attention also did well for Ten (again) with 966,000 national viewers. Seven’s Liar ended its short season with 690,000 nationally. It would have been better suited to the ABC which also likes ITV dramas from the UK. Viewers would have noticed that Seven has started introducing us to the cast of My Kitchen Rules 2018 season. 

In regional areas, Seven again did well, led by the 6pm News with 512,000, followed by Home and Away with 454,000, then Seven News/TT with 430,000, 4th was Instant Hotel with 421,000 and Australian Story was 5th with a solid 359,000.

Network channel share:

  1. Seven (28.7%)
  2. Nine (23.6%)
  3. ABC (22.7%)
  4. Ten (18.2%)
  5. SBS 6.8%)

Network main channels:

  1. Seven (18.8%)
  2. ABC (17.1%)
  3. Nine (15.3%)
  4. Ten (11.8%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.7%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

  1. 7mate (4.3%)
  2. GO (4.0%)
  3. ABC 2 (3.9%)
  4. ONE (3.8%)
  5. 7TWO (3.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News  — 1.46 million
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 1.36 million
  3. Nine/NBN News 6.30 — 1.18 million
  4. Nine/NBN News — 1.16 million
  5. Australian Story (ABC) — 1.14 million
  6. Home and Away (Seven) — 1.14 million
  7. 7pm ABC News — 1.08 million
  8. 7.30 (ABC) — 1.08 million
  9. A Current Affair (Nine) — 1.03 million
  10. Four Corners (ABC) — 1.02 million

Top metro programs: None with a million or more viewers

Losers: No one really… no real losers, just a lower than fair night with the exception of the ABC and Have You been Paying Attention on Ten – entertaining always.

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News — 957,000
  2. Seven News/Today Tonight — 931,000
  3. Nine News (6.30pm) — 910,000
  4. Nine News — 897,000
  5. Australian Story (ABC) — 787,000
  6. A Current Affair (Nine) – 749,000
  7. 7pm ABC News – 749,000
  8. 7.30 (ABC) — 746,000
  9. Four Corners (ABC) — 717,000
  10. Media Watch (ABC) — 631,000

Morning TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) – 513,000
  2. Today (Nine) —394,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC, 161,000 + 93,000 on News 24) — 254,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 228,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 159,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 126,000

Top five pay TV programs:

  1. Outlander (Showcase) — 71,000
  2. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 66,000
  3. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 57,000
  4. The Walking Dead (Fx) — 56,000
  5. The Walking Dead (Fx) — 51,000