Numbers down for second game of AFL season, but footy still the big drawcard

Carlton beat Richmond in the second AFL game of the 2022 season — 677,000 nationally, down from Wednesday night’s opener of 734,000. Another 232,000 watched on Foxtel, down from Wednesday’s 268,000. And of course the AFL accounted for the NRL game between Melbourne and Souths, won by Melbourne in golden point — 517,000 people watched, another 206,000 on Foxtel.

As a result, Seven beat Nine because there was no Married at First Sight on Nine last night. Gogglebox Australia on Ten drew 692,000 nationally.

Q+A needs more answers after one of its weakest ratings on record — 265,000 nationally (after Foreign Correspondent managed 384,000). Can we send a free coffee mug to all those who watched Q+A last night to reward them for staying loyal?

Network channel share:

1. Seven (32.4%)
2. Nine (25.6%)
3. Ten (18.5%)
4. ABC (15.0%)
5. SBS (8.5%)

Network main channels:

1. Seven (22.4%)
2. Nine (18.0%)
3. Ten (12.7%)
4. ABC (9.0%)
5. SBS ONE (4.7%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (4.4%)
2. 7mate (3.9%)
3. ABC Kids/Plus (2.9%) 
4. 10 Bold (2.8%)
5. ABC News (2.7%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.331 million
2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.282 million
3. Nine News — 1.015 million
4. Nine News 6.30 — 933,000
5. 7pm ABC News — 848,000
6. Gogglebox Australia (Ten) — 692,000
7. The Chase Australia 5.30 (Seven) — 691,000
8. 7.30 (ABC) — 657,000
9. AFL (Seven) — 677,000
10. Home and Away (Seven) — 627,000

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

Regional top 5: Seven News, 476,000; Seven News 6.30, 471,000; 7pm ABC News, 267,000; Home and Away, 266,000; The Chase Australia 5.30pm, 244,000.

Losers: AFL arrives — Thursday saved for Seven.

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 857,000
2. Seven News 6.30 — 811,000
3. Nine News — 773,000
4. Nine News 6.30 — 704,000
5. 7pm ABC News — 581,000
6. 7.30 (ABC) — 431,000
7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 282,000
8. 10 News First — 276,000
9. Foreign Correspondent (ABC) — 264,000
10. The Project 6.30 (Ten) — 204,000

Morning (national) TV:

• Sunrise (Seven) — 405,000/244,000
• Today (Nine) — 302,000/202,000
• News Breakfast (ABC) — 272,000/179,000
• ABC Morning News — 246,000
• The Morning Show (Seven) —229,000
• Today Extra (Nine) — 149,000
• Studio 10 (Ten) — 47,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

1. AFL: Richmond v Carlton (Fox Footy) — 232,000
2. NRL: Melbourne v South Sydney (Fox League) — 206,000
3. AFL: Thursday night footy on Fox (Fox Footy) —122,000
4. The Late Show With Matty Johns (Fox League) — 99,000
5. NRL: Thursday night league on Fox (Fox League) — 66,000