0/5

It takes 0.2 for Seven to win

It was the week Seven conceded Nine was fighting back, SBS was found in preach of the Codes of Practice, two ABC comedies were nominated for international awards, Underbelly began its appeal, a former Blue Heelers production manager won an Oscar, a Nine reporter commenced legal proceedings against her employers, Aaron Jeffrey was ‘mistaken’ for Wayne Carey and Zach Douglas insisted “I wasn’t boned.”

And it was the tightest week so far in ratings.

Just 0.2% separated Seven and Nine as we headed into Saturday -a figure that would remain by week’s end.

Seven has won its second week of national ratings with a 28.1% share over Nine’s 27.9% and TEN’s 21.0%. The ABC had 16.6% while SBS got 6.4%.

Seven won in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while Nine took Sydney and Melbourne. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday fell to Seven with Sunday, Thursday and Friday won by Nine.

Top show of the week was RSPCA Animal Rescue at 1.6m viewers. Seven’s other top shows were The Force, Border Security, Desperate Housewives, It Takes Two, Home and Away, All Saints, The Real Seachange, Seven News, Today Tonight, The Zoo and The Vicar of Dibley (a smart acquisition from the ABC, it seems). But Sunday nights are damaged by its audience flocking to TEN’s SYTYCD. Grey’s Anatomy is down to 1.1m. It’s a worse situation however on Thursdays, when most of Seven’s post 7:30pm shows are underperforming yet the only big opposition is RPA. Out of the Question hit its lowest audience so far and needs addressing in the Easter non-ratings period.

Nine’s biggest audience was 1.45m for its Sunday News, thanks to the lead in from One Day Cricket. RPA was a close second. But it is Underbelly which remains the true hit, holding onto its audience (down only 70,000 across three weeks). Were it not for the injunction in Melbourne, Nine would have now swept the first three weeks of ratings. Nine’s other top shows were weeknight News, A Current Affair and Getaway. By splitting Kitchen Nightmares USA / Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares in different markets on Thursdays, Nine denied a big single figure, for Gordon Ramsay who has emerged as a 2008 hero. The Oscars audience may have been down on 2007, but it was also broadcast an hour later. Nine’s 7:30pm timeslots remain a problem with Year with the Royal Family, 20 to 1 and Chopping Block all underperforming. It has little help from the Two and a Half Men lead-in. Cashmere Mafia lost 200,000 in its second outing and Terminator dropped around 150,000.

SYTYCD maintained its audience of 1.5m. Also strong were House, Law & Order: SVU and Back to You. All but two editions of The Biggest Loser increased on the previous week, though Bondi Rescue took a tumble –it remains a good performer nonetheless. Women’s Murder Club lost about 130,000. Supernatural isn’t exactly hitting the twilight zone, only 2 more new eps remain. Saturday the network had an appalling share of only 13.5% -more than 9 points behind the ABC. On those figures they should have been voted out by SMS voting.

For the ABC it’s all about the Brits. A repeat of Doc Martin was again the best for the ABC, great news as new episodes are due. Also winners were Dalziel and Pascoe, Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple, then ABC News, Spicks and Specks (down due to Underbelly) and Collectors.

SBS best performers were 2002 eps of Top Gear followed by Mythbusters. Saturdays is its strongest night.

Ratings week nine.

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