Crikey

Today Tonight’s ‘gaff’: We presume the current affairs program wasn’t trying to be clever with their caption to accompany a story about live TV gaffes:

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: 15 programs with a million or more viewers. Another solid win to Seven, setting up the week. Seven had the top six programs. Medical Emergency was tops with 1.734 million people and RSPCA Animal Rescue was second with 1.731 million people (They swapped positions from previous weeks). Seven News was third with 1.466 million people, Today Tonight was next with 1.459 million and Home And Away was 5th with 1.372 million. All Saints was 6th with 1.370 million people. Ten’s NCIS was 7th with 1.320 million, Nine News was next with 1.221 million, the 7pm ABC News was 9th with 1.211 million and A Current Affair was 10th with 1.207 million people. Nine’s Temptation was 11th with 1.131 million, Crime Investigation was 12th with 1.126 million and won the 9.30pm slot with a look back at the Anita Cobby Murder. Nine’s 7.30pm program, Things To Do Before You Die averaged 1.049 million for 13th spot and the 7.30pm and 8pm Simpsons averaged 1.033 million and 1.024 million respectively and were both repeats. (So three Simpsons repeats last night on Ten in prime time). Animal Rescue is probably the simplest and most effective program this year. Why Ten or Nine didn’t think of it is beyond me. It’s not rocket science TV, but not every program can be. A risk was taken with a fairly wooden Wiggle as a host, but he’s getting better. Nine and the ABC has had a go at animals in the past (and this year and last on Thursday nights for the ABC). There’s a message there. Keep The Idea Simple (Ten has had success with the British It’s Me Or The Dog , but fluffed a local dog training program at the start of the year). Deal or No Deal on Seven at 5.30pm, 896,000 people.

The Losers: CSI Miami at 8.30pm, 898,000 people. All Saints and NCIS just cover more viewer interests than a derivative US cop show does these days. Life Begins on Seven at 9.30pm, 853,000, beaten by CSI Miami , which is a pity, but it’s not a loser, yet. Ten’s repeat of Numb3rs at 9.30pm, 8.20,000. Nine has brought Bargain Hunt back at 5pm and its 354,000 was no better than the repeat of Bert’s Family Feud the week before. If it’s not one timeslot, it’s another for Nine these days.

News & CA : Seven News again won nationally and in every market but Melbourne. Today Tonight won nationally and in every market. Nine’s Nightline averaged 235,000. Ten News At Five averaged 843,000. The Late News/Sports Tonight, 444,000. The 7.30 Report With Autocue Kerry, 821,000. Lateline, 217,000, Lateline Business, 100,000. World News Australia on SBS, 171,000, at 6.30pm, 153,000 at 9.30pm. 7am Sunrise, 387,000, 7am Today, 248,000. The Morning Show on Seven at 9am, 185,000, KAK at 9am on Nine, 121,000, 9am With David & Kim 88,000.

The Stats: Seven won with 31.4% (32.5% a week ago. from Nine with 26.6% (24.0%), Ten with 23.1% (24.1%), the ABC with 14.2% (14.7%) and SBS with 4.7% (unchanged). Seven won all five markets, including a huge 14 point-plus margin in Perth. Seven leads the week 28.9% to 25.7%. In regional areas Prime/7Qld won with 31.6%, WIN/NBN for Nine with 26.8%, Southern Cross (10) with 24.5%, the ABC with 12.4% and SBS with 4.7%.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: Seven has attempted to shore up the week and the night tonight but it has a week before Nine brings back the strongly performing RPA Where Are They Now next Wednesday night at 8.30pm. Tonight though its The Force and Murder Squad up against Spicks and Specks and The Chaser repeat on the ABC, and Cold Case on Nine, followed by Without A Trace. Seven has Air Crash Investigations at 9.30pm. But the action is at 7.30pm with Ten’s Thank God You’re Here. Seven has Most Shocking, Nine has McLeod’s Daughters battling valiantly away. And an extra episode of Thank God has been added: it will run a bit longer, probably allowing Ten to go to around 8.45pm. Seven will be using City Homicide on Monday nights, not Wednesdays. Finally, SBS got 256,000 viewers to look at Insight last night and its John vs. Max ep on the Battle for Bennelong. And although Jenny Brockie is earnest at times, she did a good job. The PM is a terrifying prospect and Max is also a bit on song, as they say. It’s the sort of story you would be shooting now off and on if you were Four Corners, 60 Minutes etc for the Sunday or Monday after the election… a fly on the wall look at this unique battle. Insight can claim to have got a head start on Seven, Nine, Ten and the ABC in an area where they have bigger budgets and egos!