Without the news, there’s no good news for the five free-to-air channels

The highlight from TV yesterday? That the second cricket test with the Windies starts in Adelaide this afternoon — it’s a pink ball test. 

So, about last night: if I told you the various non-main channels of the five free-to-air networks had a total share of 36.9%, you’d have a good idea how unattractive the night was. Collectively, more people watched repeats and lower-tier programming on those channels than watched repeats and lower-tier programming on the main channels.

And if you take out the 6-7.30pm news broadcasts and the ABC’s 7.30 from the five main channels, then the actual audience watching non-news programming last night was laughably low.

Network channel share:

1. Nine (27.8%) 
2. Seven (26.0%)
3. ABC (20.4%)
4. Ten (17.2%)
5. SBS(8.7%)

Network main channels:

1. Nine (17.4%)
2. Seven (17.0%)
3. ABC (14.3%)
4. Ten (10.0%)
5. SBS ONE (4.6%)

Top 5 digital channels: 

1. 7TWO (4.5%)
2. Gem (4.2%)
3. 10 Peach (3.3%)
4. ABC Kids/TV Plus (3.1%)
5. 10 Bold (2.9%)

Top 10 national programs:

1. Seven News — 1.217 million
2. Seven News 6.30pm — 1.192 million
3. Nine News 6.30pm — 901,000
4. Nine News — 889,000
5. 7pm ABC News — 815,000
6. A Current Affair (Nine) — 794,000
7. 7.30 (ABC) — 683,000
8. The Chase Australia 5.30pm (Seven) — 676,000
9. Hard Quiz (repeat) (ABC) — 565,000
10. Better Homes and Gardens Summer (Seven) — 524,000

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

Regional top 5: Seven News, 482,000; Seven News 6.30pm, 458,000; The Chase Australia 5.30pm, ACA, 270,000; 7pm ABC News 258,000.

Losers: the whole night was a loser.

Metro news and current affairs:

1. Seven News — 735,000
2. Seven News 6.30pm — 734,000
3. Nine News, Nine News 6.30pm — 665,000
4. 7pm ABC News — 557,000
5. A Current Affair (Nine) — 524,000
6. 7.30 (ABC) — 463,000
7. The Project 7pm (Ten) — 234,000
8. 10 News First — 220,000
9. The Project 6.30 (Ten) — 192,000

Morning (national) TV:

1. Sunrise (Seven) — 368,000/208,000
2. Today (Nine) — 290,000/194,000
3. ABC News Breakfast (ABC, ABC News) — 251,000/162,000
4. ABC News Mornings — 192,000
5. The Morning Show (Seven) — 185,000
6. Today Extra (Nine) — 140,000
7. Studio 10 (Ten) — 32,000

Top 5 pay TV programs:

1. Credlin (Sky News) — 47,000
2. Paul Murray Live (Sky News) — 46,000
3. NCIS (Fox Crime) — 42,000
4. The Great British Bake Off (Lifestyle Food) — 41,000
5. The Bolt Report (Sky News) — 36,000