Nine gets dropped a few blocks

After 57 episodes, the 2019 version of The Block ended last night on Nine. It was a mini-marathon — the current season was three weeks or 10 episodes longer than 2018, but not as long as the 2012 season at 69 episodes, or the 107 episodes across two series in 2013.

So how did The Block rate? Well the peak is always the winner’s announcement at the end and last night there was a nice turn-on of half million viewers. The announcement averaged 2.56 million nationally (1.92 million metro and 643,000 in the regions). That was only down a total of 50,000 from 2018’s 2.61 million nationally. Both years were down sharply from 2017’s 3.47 million. From 2017 to 2019 the audience fell by nearly 900,000 nationally. It’s still big but is no longer the mega hit it once was.

It did well to hold its appeal this year given the obvious slack in the final months as viewers got bored. Nine ran extra episodes to pick up more revenue in a weak ad market and to make sure it beat floundering Seven in the annual ratings battle. 2020 will see more of the same — weak ad revenues, a floundering Seven, Nine struggling to maximise its shrinking ratings assets, a quietly resurgent Ten continuing to make inroads while streaming video services eat their cream.

In regional markets it was The Block announcement with 643,000, then The Block final with 525,000, Seven News with 456,000, 60 Minutes with 353,000 and the 7pm ABC News with 326,000.

Network channel share:

1. Nine 42.4%)
2. Seven (24.4)
3. ABC (14.2%)
4. Ten (11.4%)
5. SBS (7.7%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (32.6%)
2. Seven (15.2%)
3. ABC (10.1%)
4. Ten (7.2%)
5. SBS ONE (5.2%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7mate (5.0%)
2. Gem (4.3%)
3. GO (3.4%)
4. 10 Bold (2.8%)
5. 7TWO (2.3%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. The Block – Winner Announced (Nine) — 2.567 million
2. The Block – Final (Nine) — 2.066 million
3. Seven News — 1.409 million
4. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 1.254 million
5. Nine/NBN News —1.175 million
6. 7pm ABC News —975,000
7. Total Control (ABC) — 755,000
8. Bride & Prejudice (Seven) — 685,000
9. Grand Designs – The Street (ABC) — 635,000
10. Sunday Night (Seven) — 584,000

Top metro programs:

1. The Block Winner Announced (Nine) — 1.9241 million
2. The Block Final (Nine) — 1.541 million

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 953,000
2. 60 Minutes (Nine) — 901,000
3. Nine News — 860,000
4. 7pm ABC News — 649,000
5. Sunday Night (Seven) — 375,000
6. Sunday Project 7pm (Ten) — 305,000
7. Ten News First — 275,000
8. Sunday Project 6.30pm — 214,000
9. SBS World News — 143,000

Morning (National) TV:

1. Insiders (ABC, ABC News) — 513,000
2. Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 401,000
3. Landline (ABC) — 375,000
4. Weekend Today (Nine) — 299,000
5. Offsiders (ABC) —204,000
6. Sports Sunday (Nine) — 160,000

Top five pay TV programs:

1. Supercars: Sandown  (Fox Sports) — 225,000
2. Supercars: Sandown  The Grid (Fox Sports) — 152,000
3. Supercars: Sandown  Trackside (Fox Sports) — 146,000
4. Dunlop S2 Series Sandown  (Fox Sports) — 133,000
5. Supercars: Sandown  Supports (Fox Sports) — 107,000