The Winners: Seven News was tops with 1.644 million (and boosted nicely by running the St Kilda/Collingwood final up to close to 6pm, especially in Melbourne). Dancing With The Stars was second with 1.572 million for two and a half hours from 6.30pm to 9pm for Seven. Nine News was 3rd on 1.296 million and 60 Minutes averaged a slid 1.2 million at 7.30pm for such a fluffy program. 5th was Midsomer Murders on the ABC from 8.35pm to 10.10pm with 1.176 million. The five minute ABC News update around 8.30pm averaged 1.097 million. The St Kilda-Collingwood game wasn’t in prime time. The game averaged 1.077 million, with 592,000 watching in Melbourne. Nine’s Domestic Blitz was 8th at 6.30pm with 1.070 million. Stephen Fry in America averaged 986,000 at 7.30pm on the ABC. Seven’s movie at 9pm, The Queen, averaged 839,000.

The Losers: Ten and Australian Idol last night, 883,000 for two hours from 6.30pm. Rove, 777,000: hurt by having the rotten Australian Idol lead in (but Rove won its target audience demo of 16 to 39s). Rescue Special Ops on Nine at 8.30pm, 910,000. CSI Miami, 708,000 at 9.30pm on Nine. Ten’s movie, Me, My Self and Irene after Rove at 9.50pm, 381,000.

News & CA: Seven News again won nationally and in every market but Sydney where Nine News won. Ten News averaged 538,000; the 7pm ABC News, 875,000. SBS News at 6.30pm with 202,000. In the morning, Weekend Sunrise with 394,000, Today on Sunday on Nine, 256,000. Insiders on the ABC at 9am 206,000. Landline at Noon, 157,000, Inside Business at 10am on the ABC, 154,000, Offsiders on the ABC at 10.30pm, 150,000. Meet The Press on Ten at 8pm, 62,000.

The Stats: Including the digital channels (See below), Seven won with a 6pm to Midnight All People share of 30.3% (27.4%). Nine was on 25.6% (26.5%), the ABC was third with 19.2% (22.9%), Ten was 4th with 17.9% (19.1%) and SBS was on 6.9% (4.0%). Seven won all five metro markets. But in regional areas WIN/NBN won for Nine with 27.2% from Prime/7Qld with 26.1%, the ABC on 21.5%, Ten (Southern Cross ) with 16.9% and SBS with 8.3%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: Seven won narrowly from Nine last week in All People because Seven’s Saturday night was once again weak, even though the losing Australian Rugby Union team actually won. A Current Affair was marginally stronger last week; only one night under 1 million viewers and that was Friday. Nine News was under one million on Saturday night. Apart from that it was another boring week of ratings with not much to watch.

The weekend saw the AFL finals start: Here’s the figures for the game and Melbourne (which is the only market that matters.

  • Seven’s Essendon-Adelaide game averaged 1.022 million viewers nationally and 491,000 in Melbourne.
  • The Geelong-Bulldogs game on Ten on Saturday afternoon averaged 781,000 viewers nationally, with 424,000 in Melbourne.
  • The Saturday night thriller from Brisbane between Carlton and the Lions topped the list with 1.1409 million watching nationally and 576,000 in Melbourne.
  • Yesterday’s example of the Collywobbles saw St Kilda and Collingwood watched by 1.077 million, 592,000 in Melbourne.
  • The Rugby Union averaged 424,000 on Saturday night on Seven.

Last night saw a win to Seven thanks to Dancing with the Stars ending with 1.57 million, but while that was handy for last night, it does show the format is slowly going the way of all its predecessors: viewers are not as interested before.

Seven returns Sunday Night to 6.30pm next week, as well as Border Security and The Force, and an 8.30pm movie. That gives Seven an old fashioned Sunday night make up.

Digitally: Nine’s GO won with a 3% share, which cut the main channel share to a less than impressive 22.60%. ABC 2 with 0.90% (Main Channel, 18.30%) and Ten’s ONE tied. Ten’s main channel averaged 17.0%. SBS TWO averaged 0.20%, SBS ONE, 6.70%. Seven was on 30.30%. Its digital channel is not broken out yet.

TONIGHT: City Homicide on Seven is a highlight at 8.30pm. Australian Story on the ABC at 8pm. Top Gear and Flight of The Conchords on SBS at 7.30pm and 9pm. Nine. The Farmer wants a Wife. The 7pm Project on Ten and take your chance on Good News Week.

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks reports