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Seven dominates 2011 ratings

Seven Network has dominated 2011 ratings, winning primetime share, total people, demographics, weeks won and multichannels.

Seven Network has completed its dominance of the 2011 ratings survey after a blistering performance.

Seven led the year in primetime share, total people, demographics, weeks won and multichannels. The only crown it missed was the highest rating title of the year, which went to The Block: The Winner Announced.

It was 2004 when any network last came close to such a comprehensive glory, when Nine swept the field with 38 of 40 weeks in Total People. In 2003 it won 39 weeks. They were before multichannels made the landscape far more complex.

But Nine finished the year much stronger than it started and looks forward to 2012 with the Olympics in its arsenal. By contrast TEN’s first half was better than its second, it will finish a challenging year leaner and ready to welcome its new CEO on January 1st.

Network shares: (2010 in brackets)
Seven: 31.0% (28.7%)
Nine: 26.3% (27.7%)
TEN 21.4% (21.1%)
ABC: 15.8% (16.9%)
SBS: 5.4% (5.6%)

Primary Channels:
Seven:  23.0%  (24.7%)
Nine: 19.5%  (23.5%)
TEN: 15.8%  (20.0%)
ABC1: 12.3% (14.5%)
SBS ONE: 4.6% (5.00%)

Multichannels:
7TWO: 4.6% (3.4%)
GO!: 4.0% (3.8%)
ELEVEN: 3.5%
7mate: 3.4% (2.7%)
Gem: 2.8% (1.7%)
ABC2: 2.3% (1.6%)
ONE: 2.1% (1.4%)
SBS TWO: 0.8 (0.6%)
ABC3: 0.5% (0.5%)
ABC News 24: 0.7% (0.5%)

25-54 Demos:
Seven Network: 29.7% (27.8%)
Nine Network: 28.9% (29.9%)
TEN Network: 24.8% (24.3%)
ABC Network: 11.7% (12.4%)
SBS Network: 5.0% (5.7%)

18-49 Demos:
Seven Network: 29.9% (27.7%)
Nine Network: 28.9% (30.1%)
TEN Network: 25.9% (25.6%)
ABC Network: 10.6% (11.0%)
SBS Network: 4.8% (5.6%)

16-39 Demos:
Seven Network: 29.7% (26.8%)
Nine Network: 28.8% (29.8%)
TEN Network: 27.5% (27.8%)
ABC Network: 9.7% (10.1%)
SBS Network: 4.3% (5.5%)

Commercial networks all managed to put a positive spin on their results via Press Releases.

Seven said, “Seven dominates primetime in total viewers, 16-39s, 18-49s and 25-54s on primary channels and is number 1 on primary channels in primetime for the fifth consecutive year.

“Seven is number 1 in total viewers, 16-39s, 18-49s and 25-54s in primetime on the combined audiences of all multiple channels. Seven is number 1 overall across the 6:00am-midnight broadcast day for the sixth consecutive year.”

It claimed wins in news and public affairs, breakfast television, morning television, and 7TWO as the top multichannel.

Nine focussed on individual programme triumphs, claiming the #1 drama episode with Underbelly‘s premiere, documentary, comedy, sports event. Nine News won Sydney and Today won in Sydney and Melbourne. It also reiterated it was the only commercial network to grow its audience share second half on first half. But this year it failed to win either of its target demos 18-49 and 25-54 as well as the network being unable to win a single week in Total People.

TEN’s big success this year was the launch of ELEVEN, which has taken the fight up to GO! It claimed a win in 16-39 and 18-49 in multichannels. Network TEN also claims have grown its year-on-year audience in Total People by 3.5% -the average number of people watching the network each night, including ELEVEN. Channel TEN also won Daytimes (9am-6pm).

“2011 has been a year of significant growth for Network Ten. The successful launch of ELEVEN in January, followed by the important re-launch of ONE as a male-skewing general entertainment destination, has helped to grow our total audience by 3.5 per cent this year,” said Programming Chief David Mott.

“With its bold, innovative and entertaining formats, the Network’s primary channel, TEN, remains at the heart of our multi-channel strategy. Despite an uneven second half performance, TEN has achieved a 30 per cent plus Primary 3-Station share in every critical demographic between 7:00 and 10:30 pm, making it one of the most valuable and attractive platforms for Australian advertisers.”

The Block: Winner Announced tops 2011

Source: OzTAM Consolidated Data. Consolidated data to 18/11/11. Weeks 7-48, 2011 (excl. Easter). 6pm-Midnight. The television audience data used to prepare this report (Data) is sourced from OZTAM Pty Limited (OzTAM). The copyright in the Data is owned by OzTAM. This report is provided to the recipient on the basis that OzTAM’s ownership of the Data must be appropriately and at all times attributed to OzTAM in writing. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM.

16 Responses

  1. While Ch7 have done a good job, I feel that the quality of some shows was lacking, but the majority still watched them. There were some personal faves, so well done.
    Try to improve on next year with even more consistant programming.
    E.g show Rafters without mucking the audience about. Also a show like Four Weddings, the Amazing Race & Happy Endings had multiple time slots.
    Please schedule Today Tonight to go for 30 minutes and try to make it more professional and current affairs by digging deeper into news stories not lifestyle fluff pieces..
    Finish Live shows and all reality eliminations on time.
    I realise there are “secret reasons” for running over to avoid channel switching, but if you stand by your products resorting to “cheating” isn’t as convincing with your strategy. Tery something new and you may be rewarded and pleasantly surprised.

  2. To be honest, Because of Nines strong performance in 2010 ratings, I would of thought that 9 would of almost eclipsed 7 this year and been closer to taking back the ratings crown.

    Well give it a few years Nine will eventually get viewers back and be The One again.

    Just remember, through the 80’s and 90’s when Neilsen ratings existed. Seven was struggling as much as Nine has this year, now look at them, No.1 for 4 years in a row.

    2018 Im guessing Nine will have rights to the Brisbane Commonwealth Games, which should deliver strong ratings for the network and contribute to the annual share.

  3. Now this report shows exactly how good Seven was. Thanks for the article David. It puts a lot of things in perspective. Sure Seven had a drop on primaries but it wasn’t by much compared to Nine. If you actually look at it Nine had a worse year then TEN year on year. At least TEN rose, Nine actually fell. Overall though it shows Seven is the clear market leader and you can put all the spin you like on it but Nine and TEN had a pretty poor year if you ask me.

    Oh and this single episode bull that the PR people pull at Nine and even TEN is absolutely ridiculous. They are just trying to spin it but figures don’t lie. Nine had a worse year than TEN. Good work Seven and keep it up.

  4. Don’t ya just love tv exec bull shit. They are world class at it.

    Ch9 are desperately clutching at straws, Ch10 forget to mention that they have diluted their audience and increased their cost base…durr, ch7 have done well

    The bottom line is that at some point ch7 will get complacent, ch9 do have a partial plan next year by targetting the 7pm slot and ch10 are totally stuffed and will make it up as they go along.

    Finally amongst all this info and exec BS it is worth remembering the old adage…’there are lies, damned lies and then there are statistics’…

  5. These raw figures clearly show Seven is well ahead of its rivals. But simply having percentages based on age is a pretty inexact science for advertisers. What would be interesting is some qualitative analysis,i.e the nature of the audience within the demographic – income, education, spending habits. Without knowing this putting advertising dollars into a network is really like throwing paint on a wall. I’m sure millions are spent on this research but remain in confidence. But would love to see this research.

  6. Eleven didn’t win any demographic at all between 6pm-midnight, placing second to GO! All a bit of spin from Ten.

    The real winner is Seven, winning every demographic in both primary and network shares between 6:00pm-10:30pm and 6:00pm and midnight. Ten were so desperate to spin their third placing amongst the demos that they invented a new time measurement – 7pm to 10:30pm!

  7. Yet they can’t afford to pay for the staff Christmas party. Does this mean they just aren’t able to turn their big ratings into advertising sales? I’m not buying it.

  8. I’m interested as to how the primary shares show such a big gap between 7 & 9 when all the demos show only a 1% difference.

    Also interesting how 7 claim to have dominated the demos when they only got them all by 1%…

    Can’t wait to see smug 7 knocked off their perch in the coming years.

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