The Winners
 Seven, in what turned out to be a slim but convincing win,
especially in some parts of the schedule. Ten and viewers said goodbye to House
and it was number one with 1.619 million viewers. Home and Away was second on
1.436 million and streets ahead of fading Temptation (1.145 million). That is
going to be an unwanted headache for Nine next year that 7pm slot. McLeod’s
Daughters was third with 1.378 million and then came Today Tonight and Seven
news, comfortably ahead of their Nine rivals. Australian Princess
finished with a crown and 1.109 million, putting a smile on Ten’s face.
Merrick and Rosso also graced our screens for the last time in 2005
with 649,000, which was sort of OK. Will they return? If not, then Ten
has a ready-made replacement returning next year after a neat trial
this year – The Ronnie John Half Hour with 520,000 at
the odd hour of 10.05, is coming back in 2006. Glenn Robbins (Mr Kath) is
involved. It’s not The Glass House which also finished up last night on the ABC
with 839,000 people, one of its best figures for the year, but Ronnie Johns does
show promise.
The Losers Temptation is not really a loser, but it’s
finishing the year on a sliding note, which is an uncomfortable position for any
program to be in. But Nine needs product in 2006. Blue Heelers also finished up
in a two hour episode which was watched by an average 1.063 million. Not quite
there any more. The same can be said for CSI Miami (1.143 million). It was not
enough to worry House on Ten but Without a Trace (1.136 million) did win its
timeslot. Air Crash Investigations at 7.30pm on Seven, a summer fill-in for Beyond
Tomorrow did OK with 1.123 million people. That was second for a while after
McLeod’s, but then the final of The New Inventors on the ABC started at 8pm and
averaged 1.141 million over the hour till 9pm.The Kath and Kim repeat averaged
1.016 million from 9pm to 9.30pm, but the repeat of Forensic Investigators on
Seven at 9.30 only did 556,000. These type of programs do not last or work well
in repeat.
News & CA Good night Nine said Seven. Today Tonight beat Nine’s A
Current Affair by around 200,000 people: 1.329 million to 1.107 million thanks
to solid wins in Perth, Sydney and Adelaide. Seven News beat Nine News
nationally by 99,000 people. A big win in Perth ensured that but Seven also won
Sydney, lost in Melbourne and Brisbane but also won Adelaide. The ABC 7pm News
with 902,000 ran behind the 7.30 Report with 921,000.
The Stats Seven with 28.3% to Nine with 27.7%, Ten with 22.9%, the
ABC with 17.7% and SBS down on 3.3%. Seven won Sydney and Melbourne again to
Nine but lost Brisbane to Nine because of the attraction CSI Miami, Without a
Trace, Nine News and McLeod’s have for Brisbane viewers. Nine won Adelaide by
0.2% and Seven won Perth by a wide margin which helped offset Nine’s big win in
Brisbane.
Glenn Dyer’s
comments		 Nine will win tonight with
20 to 1, Getaway and RPA which will dominate. Seven may snatch Friday night, but
Nine will win Saturday and the week because of the premiere on FTA in Australia
of the second Harry Potter movie. And that will be the end of the 2005 ratings
battle. Nine down, so too Ten, Seven up , the ABC off a little, SBS higher
because of the Ashes from the UK and the soccer. The ABC keeps going and should win Sunday night
with the Kath and Kim
telemovie.