Hard Quiz reigns supreme over soft offerings from the commercial networks

Only six sleeps to go until the first NRL State of Origin in Sydney next Wednesday night between NSW and Queensland! And, gee, doesn’t that look attractive stacked up against we’re seeing on TV right now and will see until kick-off?

It’s a collection of barely watchables — Seven’s Big Brother (481,000 nationally last night) and Nine’s Celebrity Apprentice (572,000 nationally last night). Ten’s MasterChef Australia (676,000 nationally) is the best of the lot, even if this year’s production is weak. 

All finished behind Hard Quiz (829,000 nationally) on the ABC at 8pm — a half-hour of enjoyment last night. And yes, Big Brother and Celebrity Apprentice will be boosted by seven-day viewing and streaming figures, but it doesn’t change that these are two flawed programs that reek of the 2000s.

Nine won overall, with Seven a weak second, Ten third and the ABC fourth — the ABC again slipped into third in the main channels ahead of Ten, and Nine won there easily as well. The most watched non-news program was again not in prime time — that was the 5.30-6pm part of The Chase Australia, which averaged 924,000 viewers nationally. That such an early non-news program does so well tells us all about how weak the general entertainment offerings are post 6pm, especially on commercial TV.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (28.4%)
2. Seven (24.4%)
3. Ten (19.3%)
4. Nine (18.8%)
5. SBS (9.1%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (19.4%)
2. Seven (17.0%)
3. ABC (14.3%)
4. Ten (11.8%)
5. SBS ONE (4.9%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (4.0%)
2. 10 Peach (3.6%)
3. 10 Bold (3.3%)
4. GO (2.6%)
5. Gem (2.5%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.575 million
2. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.517 million
3. Nine News — 1.163 million
4. Nine News 6.30pm — 1.132 million
5. 7pm ABC News — 977,000
6. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 924,000
7. A Current Affair (Nine) — 882,000
8. 7.30 (ABC) — 875,000
9. Hard Quiz (ABC) — 829,000
10. Home and Away (Seven) — 813,000

Top metro programs: none with a million or more viewers.

Regional top 5: Seven News, 577,000; Seven News 6.30pm, 536,000; The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 350,000; Home and Away, 323,000; 7pm ABC News, 315,000.

Losers: Celebrity Apprentice and Big Brother — ageing and out of date.

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 998,000
2. Seven News 6.30pm — 981,000
3. Nine News — 857,000
4. Nine News 6.30pm — 834,000
5. 7pm ABC News — 662,000
6. ACA (Nine) — 596,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 565,000
8. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 384,000
9. Ten News First — 362,000
10. The Project 6.30pm (Ten) — 250,000

Morning (national) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) —358,000/210,000
2. Today (Nine) — 290,000/188,000
3. News Breakfast (ABC) — 287,000/184,000
4. ABC News Mornings — 283,000
5. The Morning Show (Seven) — 197,000
6. Today Extra (Nine) — 167,000
7. Studio 10 (Ten) — 45,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

1. Selling Houses Australia (LifeStyle) — 104,000
2. AFL: 360 (Fox Footy) — 69,000
3. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 67,000
4. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 58,000
5. Credlin (Sky News) — 52,000