Amid the stupor of Saturday night’s TV (a boring reminder of what the federal election night will be with the wrapping up of the four NSW byelections), Ten had the unfortunate experience of getting one of the lowest main channel readings ever (well, since people meters kicked in back in 2020) — 3.1% and beaten by SBS’s main channel with 4.3%. That put Ten fifth and last among the free-to-airs on Saturday night in prime time.
MAFS (1.31 million) and 60 Minutes (Uke Man, 832,000) saw Nine top Seven and its Winter Olympics marathon last night. Ten ran a distant fourth behind the ABC.
But unfortunately for Uke Man and Nine and the soft 60 Minutes profile on the prime minister and his family, it was easily beaten by the imported UK crime drama Vera with 929,000 on ABC TV and fourth nationally on the night (seventh nationally against 60 Minutes — the two programs went head to head from 8.40pm or so). Vera had more viewers in the metro and in the regions.
Muster Dogs from 7.40 to about 8.40pm ended with the winner — Annie — and 912,000 viewers. Annie also got a gift in the shape of her litter brother, Lucifer. Compared with the PR program on 60 Minutes, Muster Dogs was real TV.
Network channel share:
- Nine (30.3%)
- Seven (29.6%)
- ABC (17.6%)
- Ten (15.7%)
- SBS (6.8%)
Network main channels:
- Nine (24.4%)
- Seven (22.6%)
- ABC (14.9%)
- Ten (11.7%)
- SBS ONE (4.3%)
Top 5 digital channels:
- 7mate (3.3%)
- 7TWO (2.5%)
- Gem (2.0%)
- 10 Bold (1.9%)
- ABC Kids/TV Plus, 10 Peach (1.9%)
Top 10 national programs:
- Seven News — 1.468 million
- MAFS (Nine) — 1.314 million
- Nine News — 1.143 million
- Vera (ABC) — 929,000
- Muster Dogs (ABC) — 912,000
- 7pm ABC News — 866,000
- 60 Minutes (Nine) — 832,000
- 2022 Winter Olympics, evening nine (Seven) — 759,000
- Australian Survivor (Ten) — 670,000
- 2022 Winter Olympics, night nine (Seven) — 648,000
Top metro programs: Seven News — 1.002 million
Regional Top 5: Seven News, 466,000; MAFS, 353,000; Vera, 342,000; Muster Dogs, 338,000; Nine News, 294,000.
Losers: 60 Minutes and Uke Man — soft-as-marshmallow current affairs.
Metro news and current affairs:
- Seven News — 1.002 million
- Nine News — 849,000
- 7pm ABC News, 60 Minutes (Nine) — 574,000
- Sunday Project 7pm (Ten) — 328,000
- Nine News Late — 279,000
- Ten News First — 254,000
- Sunday Project 6.30 (Ten) — 202,000
- SBS News — 156,000
Morning (national) TV:
- Insiders (ABC, ABC News) — 633,000
- Weekend Sunrise (Seven) — 414,000
- Landline (ABC) — 352,000
- Weekend Today (Nine) — 282,000
- Offsiders (ABC) — 233,000
Top five pay TV programs:
- Cricket: ODI Aust v Sri Lanka, innings break (Fox Cricket) — 201,000
- Cricket: ODI Aust v Sri Lanka (Fox Cricket) — 182,000
- Cricket: ODI Aust v Sri Lanka (Fox Cricket) — 181,000
- Cricket: ODI Aust v Sri Lanka, post game (Fox Cricket) — 164,000
- Outsiders (Sky News) — 76,000
