International travel is out of reach for many but the SBS coverage of the Tour de France offered a weekend tour of the French alps from the comfort of an Australian armchair, as well as bringing to prominence a new local hero in Ben O’Connor, a genuine successor to Cadel Evans. The cycling drew 263,000 viewers nationally from 8.30pm until the very early hours of Sunday morning.
But love, sweat and tears (in the kitchen) were the big attractions Sunday night, with Seven bringing back The Farmer Wants a Wife to strong numbers (1.28 million) while Australian Ninja Warrior on Nine (1.003 million) and Ten’s MasterChef Australia (825,000) brought up the rear.
Breakfast: Insiders, 640,000; Weekend Sunrise, 487,000; Landline, 421,000; Weekend Today, 352,000.
Regional top five: Seven News, 572,000; The Farmer Wants a Wife, 460,000; Nine News, 373,000; 7pm ABC News, 361,000; Australian Ninja Warrior, 278,000.
Network channel share:
- Nine (28.5%)
- Seven (26.7%)
- Ten (19.2%)
- ABC (14.8%)
- SBS (10.8%)
Network main channels:
- Nine (21.2%)
- Seven (20.2%)
- Ten (13.2%)
- ABC (11.06%)
- SBS ONE (7.2%)
Top 5 digital channels:
- 7mate (3.3%)
- 10 Bold (3.0%)
- GO (2.9%)
- 10 Peach (2.5%)
- 7TWO (2.2%)
Top 10 national programs:
- Seven News — 1.759 million
- Nine News — 1.478 million
- The Farmer Wants a Wife (Seven) — 1.28 million
- 7pm ABC News — 1.024 million
- Australian Ninja Warrior (Nine) — 1.003 million
- MasterChef Australia (Ten) — 825,000
- Grand Designs (ABC) — 753,000
- 60 Minutes (Nine) — 741,000
- Insiders (ABC, ABC News) — 640,000
- Jack Irish (ABC) — 613,000
Top metro programs:
- Seven News — 1.187 million
- Nine News — 1.106 million
Losers: 60 Minutes — 30% audience loss from Ninja Warrior.
Metro news and current affairs:
- Seven News — 1.187 million
- Nine News — 1.106 million
- 7pm ABC News — 663,000
- The Sunday Project 7pm (Ten) — 466,000
- Ten News First — 330,000
- The Sunday Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 334,000
- Nine Late News — 291,000
- SBS World News — 189,000
Morning (national) TV:
- Insiders (ABC) — 640,000
- Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 487,000
- Landline (ABC) — 421,000
- Weekend Today (Nine) — 352,000
- Offsiders (ABC) — 276,000
- Sports Sunday (Nine) — 273,000
Top 5 pay TV programs:
- NRL: Wests vs Souths (Fox League) — 284,000
- NRL: Sunday Ticket (Fox League) — 264,000
- NRL: Brisbane vs. Cronulla (Fox League) — 247,000
- AFL: Sydney vs West Coast (Fox Footy) — 167,000
- AFL: Footscray vs North Melbourne (Fox Footy) — 138,000
Many of those in the general population who regard themselves as ‘progressives’ or from the ‘left’ can often be seen to be scratching their heads and wondering why it is that we have so much corruption and malfeasance in the worlds of politics and business. Well, I would ask, is it any wonder when programs such as The Farmer Wants a Wife, Australian Ninja Warrior, Master Chef and Grand Designs feature among the Top 10 National Television Programs. The offerings on the Top 5 Pay TV Programs speak for themselves (I will say no more on that one lest I offend sports fans). A comparable survey of radio stations would reveal a similar abundance of inanity.
But when you think about it (only about 1 attosecond is required) you realize that those who really control this country (and much of the western world) are totally happy with this state of affairs. The last thing that our capitalist rulers want is a population that questions the inequalities and inadequacies that abound in our society. A thinking and questioning population is the last thing that they need. To paraphrase Marx, these distractions are the opiate of the people and they are achieving just the sort of results they are designed to.
Agree totally. The current situation on climate change re lowering emissions etc., I also see as a sham – not enough will be done before some disasters occur around the world. I have come to this conclusion after watching commercial TV and the never ending ads. The world should be in a “scarce resource” mode rather than buy, buy buy til you die. Business rules everywhere. Adverts rule the world via business interests.
Need to get rid of built in obsolescence – can’t be done – too powerful lobby groups work to keep profits up. The stock exchanges of the world will not save our planet.
A victory for marketing over existence.
The latest opiate of the masses – in the “Lotus Land of Entertainment” – where priorities are like a jugglers balls in the air.
It’s an escape from reality, the mundane and precarious things in our lives, from thinking about what can/probably will happen on our current course – and a distraction from what the crooks are doing in our name.
Besides that, when things do turn to merde, they’ll be able to say “We didn’t see that coming (because we were distracted)” and then blame those and what they should have been watching (instead of this pap) but weren’t.
And like those juggler’s balls – “Life’s a ball’s up”.