MAFS: 1.3 million nationally, end of story. That meant it was Nine’s night, helped by ACA — 962,000 — the hour of News (6 to 7pm) 1.1 million and an “encore” (TV speak for repeat) of Under Investigation — which was really a repeat of a program about the origin of the coronavirus.

It’s bit rich when a hyped true crime type investigation program runs a repeat of an old foreign story that is not crime related. It’s not that every network and their canine haven’t pawed over COVID’s origins. The repeat averaged 727,000.

Seven ran a special called Declassified: The Royal Scandals — so gripping that only 408,000 national viewers tuned in from 7.30 to 8.30pm.

Even worse was Hughesy, We Have A Problem on Ten at 9pm. The problem was a lack of viewers: 293,000 nationally and no solution (like more laughs). It’s warming the slot of Have You Been Paying Attention? and not doing it very well.

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Sunrise ticked over with Nat Barr joining David Koch in the hosting slot for her first time at the start of a week and a new life as full-time co-host of the top rating daytime program Monday to Friday — 439,000. Seamless.

Today is still weak (297,000) and the ABC’s News Breakfast is gradually slipping: 268,000.

So it was Nine’s night from a very distant Seven, Ten and the ABC in total people, and Nine, Seven, the ABC and Ten in the main channels. A week ago it was all Megs and Harry for Ten — last night was a void in comparison.

Breakfast: Sunrise, 439,000 nationally and 248,000 metro; Today, 297,000 and 199,000; News Breakfast, 268,000 and 178,000.

Regional top five: Seven News, 594,000; Seven News 6.30, 565,000; Home and Away, 371,000; 7pm ABC News, 331,000; MAFS, 322,000.

Network channel share:

  1. Nine (33.2%)
  2. Seven (22.9%)
  3. Ten (18.6)
  4. ABC (17.9%)
  5. SBS (7.4%)

Network main channels:

  1. Nine (25.5%)
  2. Seven (15.0%)
  3. ABC (13.2%)
  4. Ten (11.2%)
  5. SBS ONE (4.6%)

Top 5 digital channels:

  1. 10 Bold (4.2%)
  2. 7TWO (3.7%)
  3. 10 Peach (2.6%)
  4. 7mate (2.5%)
  5. ABC Kids/Comedy/Plus (2.4%)

Top 10 national programs:

  1. Seven News — 1.573 million
  2. Seven News 6.30 — 1.543 million
  3. MAFS (Nine) — 1.301 million
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 1.111 million
  5. Nine News — 1.097 million
  6. 7pm ABC News — 1.008 million
  7. A Current Affair (Nine) —962,000
  8. Home and Away (Seven) — 945,000
  9. 7.30 (ABC) — 878,000
  10. Australian Story (ABC) — 808,000


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

Losers: Seven, Ten

Metro news and current affairs:

  1. Seven News 6.30 — 978,000
  2. Seven News — 973,000
  3. Nine News — 860,000
  4. Nine News 6.30 — 848,000
  5. ACA (Nine) — 689,000
  6. 7pm ABC News — 678,000
  7. 7.30 (ABC) — 617,000
  8. Australian Story (ABC) — 577,000
  9. The Project (Ten) — 454,000
  10. Four Corners (ABC) — 453,000

Morning (national) TV:

  1. Sunrise (Seven) — 439,000/248,000
  2. Today (Nine) — 297,000/199,000
  3. News Breakfast (ABC) —268,000/178,000
  4. The Morning Show (Seven) — 225,000
  5. Today Extra (Nine) — 153,000
  6. Studio 10 (Ten) — 55,000