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Audience Inventory: Free to Air results

Results are in on TV Tonight's annual reader survey. ABC is the most reliable channel, Seven never starts on time and Nine is the most unreliable at Programming.

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The readers of TV Tonight have spoken.

More than 1000 Audience Inventory surveys were completed this year, more than any survey yet conducted on the site. And at 27 questions long, that shows serious dedication to your feelings on television and the industry.

In the first of a 2 part report, here are the results of questions about Free to Air TV.

81% of readers watch Free to Air TV, with both ABC1 / TEN tied as the most popular channels, followed by Seven, GO!, Nine, ABC2, 7TWO and SBS ONE. Imparja was voted the least popular, but regional and community channels notwithstanding ABC3 was the lowest of the broad channels.

When it comes to reliability of programming viewers held very strong opinions.

On the question of starting programmes on time ABC blew the competition out of the water. Foxtel ranked a decent second place. ABC also won this question in 2009.

There was division on the channel considered the most unreliable for starting on time. But readers gave it to Channel Seven, just ahead of Nine, which was last year’s ‘winner.’

ABC was also a clear leader on the most Trustworthy network at delivering shows, as it was in 2009. Foxtel again came second.

On the question of being Untrustworthy, Nine received the most votes. This time it was considerably ahead of Seven. So while viewers slapped Seven for starting shows late, they were clearer in their verdict on Nine’s overall programming. Nine also took out this category last year.

They also gave Seven a nod for being best at rescheduling cancelled shows, with ABC a close second place. Again, Nine was deemed the worst at returning shows that have been cancelled. Both Seven and Nine were voted best / worst for returning cancelled shows in 2009.

On Screen EPGs and Online Guides were almost neck and neck as the most widely used form of Guide. iPhone and iPad Guides ranked surprisingly low.

A huge 90% of readers have already made the switch to HD, up from 80% last year, with HD TVs the runaway winner over an HD Set Top Box. 38% of readers do not own a PVR of any kind.

As best digital multichannel it was ABC2 that got the big tick from readers followed by 7TWO and GO! Least engaging readers were ABC3 and SBS TWO.

Once again the burning issue for viewers was the question of finishing a series once it has started. This also ranked the highest votes in the 2009 survey.

– If networks continue to falsely claim they will fastrack and then not leave series to play, they will continue to loose viewers to other formats inc illegal downloads.

– I find it amazing that commercial tv is about getting viewers to watch, yet treating them with complete contempt when it comes to scheduling and programming. They want people not to pirate, then give them plenty of reason by not making it easy to watch shows due to constantly changing timeslots and innaccurate start times!

– FTA needs to be consistent in showing series from start to finish.

– Get shows started on time and stop promising shows and not delivering.

– Would prefer to watch tv on dvd so that I at least know how a series finishes.

– They need to commit to airing whole series, otherwise make it all available online.

It was followed by readers wanting the EPG kept up to date and a desire for shows to start / end on time. The importance of Fastracking also raked in many votes.

– Nine, Seven and Ten – get the shows to start on time!! Can’t you people read the time?

– Nine/GO! Need to start their shows on time! And GO! needs some goddamn consistency in programming!

– Don’t stuff around with times – and please be honest as to what time a show will start. i don’t mind if a show starts at 8:41pm – just don’t tell me it starts at 8:30!

– If only Channel 7 could start Packed To The Rafters on time! Also, all of the ad breaks should be the same distance apart – don’t leave a big gap at the beginning and then quick short breaks after that.

Other issues ranking high this year include Playing Live Sport on time, Reducing on screen clutter, and Regional viewers are unhappy about missing out on digital channels (take note Gillard govt).

– As a Perth viewer, having access to live sport is number 1 issue. eg Friday night AFL being delayed by 3 hours (coverage starts when game finished). Let Main Event show the friday night games live in WA (like they do in NSW and Qld).

– Want more live sport on FTV. It’s ridiculous that networks cannot screen live TV on their digital networks (e.g. AFL live into Sydney and N NSW on 7Two or One) without doing the same on their main channel.

– Being a region area its frustrating we dont get ALL the channels the mainland gets. Its also frustrating when you get the same thing on 3 channels due to catering to the analogue market.

– Tassie shouldn’t be treated as an after thought for additional channel rollout.

– Why no digital channels in south west WA?

But there was also praise for the introduction of new channels and online catch-ups.

-I can’t wait for ELEVEN. Then the suite of general entertainment channels will actually include something worthwhile. TEN will rock.

– Improving with more choice and digital stations, as well as online catchups which I use quite a bit.

– The new choice that we already have is great and can’t wait for ELEVEN and 7mate.

– The ABC is fast becoming the only channel I ever need to watch. And please make a point that the Iview player, is far better than channel 7 or channel 9’s.

– Improving with the additional channels but there is still a long way to go insofar as giving us GOOD tv.

– Love my TV

One reader summed up their passion pretty well, simply saying “Love TV, Hate TV.”

Far and away the most unimportant issue was 3D television, clearly being considered a fad. There was also a strong vote against merging public broadcasters, either as a bad idea or a low priority.

52% of viewers said neither Violence, Sexual content or Strong Language offended them, although 32% put Violence ahead of other choices.

And when it comes to the demographic make-up of TV Tonight readers, you are more male than female, 66% aged between 18-39, 63% in NSW and Victoria with 79% visiting the site once a day or more.

94% voted the site Excellent or Very Good. Across the two surveys in 2009 / 10 nobody has yet voted Disappointing.

Thank you for the truly fabulous comments about the site, they were overwhelming.

Results of the Pay TV questions are coming soon.

34 Responses

  1. I resolved to never follow a series on Nine when then CEO Eddie Maguire responded to complaints about late starts by suggesting viewers pad out recordings by a couple of hours. When Nine makes a commitment to starting shows on time and letting them run their course I will consider watching again. Wake up Gyng, it’s time for a culture change. You can’t afford to keep treating viewers with contempt.

  3. Thanks David – I’d be telling you straight away if I ever got my hands on one of those darn things!!

    Come one people – has anyone here got a ratings box, or ever had one?

  5. I wouldn’t rate ABC better than Foxtel at starting programs on time.
    Too often an ABC program meant to start at 8.30pm (for example) won’t start until 8.39pm, after a news update, an ad or two (ABC shop) and a program preview plus a station promo.
    We now record all ABC shows as well as 7,9,10 etc, so we can FF through the unwanted stuff.
    BTW, my pet peeve is when 5-10 minutes into a program, they give a news update. Or even worse, a sport update. Not because there’s anything new to report…… if something major has happened then OK, but otherwise WTF?
    This is a speciality of 7, 9, 10 and usually has me going crazy at the stupidity of the placing.

  6. “79% visiting the site once a day or more.”

    And this site deserves that!,Accurate Info,reliable Ratings Update,Great Website!

    If ABC is the Most reliable Channel,Then TV Tonight is the most reliable Website for TV and Entertainment news! Great job,David!

  7. ABC’s not that trustworthy. Mostly, yes, but not entirely. I’d put SBS ahead I think.

    I can think of a few shows ABC’s mistreated to one extent or another, and there are probably a couple of others I’ve forgotten: Billable Hours had an episode skipped when it was airing around the end of last year/start of this one, and now I’m waiting to watch it during its current repeat run. They also skipped an episode of that British/Indian sitcom about the call centre last year.

    Two worse examples are the That Mitchell and Webb Look, which I think they used as filler for about three episodes between series of The Hollowmen and then moved it to late Friday nights a few months later; and Teachers, which had series three cut short in 2005 (when it aired in the UK in 2003) and then added those episodes onto series four in 2006.

  8. David if it wasn’t for this website i’d have no idea when and where some shows have been moved to as the various channels chop and change their programming. I do wonder if the television programmers who make these seemingly random changes understand that the public loathe what they do and thus become more and more disillusioned with the Networks. From your results, it appears not.

    Anyway David i’d also like to thank you for the terrific work you do, it is much appreciated.

  9. I’m surprised that SBS2 rated so lowly – prehaps it’s because a lot of the programmes and movies shown there get very little review space and so people don’t know what’s on offer. Sometimes I stumble across something and it’s great but would never have known otherwise. One aspect of the expansion of the FTA networks which gets very little coverage is the fact that most media has not adapted – they still ignore most of the non-major channels (I’m not sure of the correct jargon) and merely list the programmes without much, if any, critical evaluation. Once they shift their reportage of those channels, perhaps the numbers will lift, particularly with regards to viewers for movies. One of the reasons I log on here is because you give more converage than most.

  10. David do you know if any of your survey respondents have a ratings box? I think it is a very important point considering 10 is the most popular channel on here but this does not always reflect in the ratings.

    My parents live in south west WA and while they don’t get Go! and the likes they do get all the extra ABC / SBS channels – or is that person just meaning FTA digital channels?

    Thanks David, all you hard work is mightily appreciated!!

    1. Shelley, absolutely, that’s why I gave an indication of the kind of demos that completed the survey.

      Goonies, no. But very few readers have ever voluntarily expressed having a ratings box in the time I have been running the site.

  12. Even when the EPG is updated to a start time of 8.39pm, it doent help those of us that have a PVR. The change in time on EPG is on the night. Those who programmed the PVR a few days earlier, or have a link still get the show before hand and have to add 15-20 mins to the end of each recording.

  14. i agree with nate, as long as the accurate to-the-minute startime is there in the EPG for anyone to easily check. it shouldn’t be a problem that they round to the nearest 30min in the ad. i don’t think this is the biggest problem in tv like the way people are making i sound.

  15. Honestly I think Seven are th worst at everything. I wanted to watch PTTR last night, it was advertised for 8.30pm – did not start until 8.40pm or later. There should be something we should be able to do – I mean it’s misleading advertising.

    Everyone should complain to Freeview – they’re pushing people to get PVRs but what’s the point if nothing starts on time?

    I think Nine has improved this year on their primary channel. GO! is another story though. It has to be the worst.

  18. The ‘what offends you’ question was so simplified it made it very hard to answer.

    Graphic violence or surgery in itself can make you squirm or look away but not necessarily incite outrage. But then there’s the context of where and how and who, and the responsibilities of news organisations, and whether the kiddies are watching. Damn your survey for making me think.

    By the way I voted excellent for the site.

  19. Interesting that for us digital-savvy survey-takers that GO! is more popular than 9. If it wasn’t for Top Gear I wouldn’t ever watch it.

    David – congrats on the 94% rating. It’s well and truly deserved.

  20. Now shoot these results off to the networks and let’s see if they can actually start showing tv shows On Time.

    Honestly i hardly watch tv anymore. There was a time years ago when there were too many shows on at the same time that i had to give up watching some. Then i got a dvd recorder, and would go crazy watch something, while record something else. Now i’m that fed up with free-to-air tv, there’s so many repeats, and they never start on time so i simply record 1 program and go to bed and watch a dvd instead. I’ll watch it the next day, fast forward the 10 minutes of the previous program that ran overtime and then skip through ads.

  21. As one of those 79% who visit more than once a day may I say that TVTonight is the best website out there for Australian TV. A truly valuable resource that I can’t live without.

    Thank you again David for all of your hard work and dedication.

  23. So to sum it up, things really haven’t changed in the past twelve months. Will be very interesting to see the results in a years time, when the three commercial networks all have a third channel up and running.

    And yeah, TVTonight is simply the best web site about tv there is. Thanks for all your work over the past years David, and for many more to come

  24. I’d be interested to see what the differences in voting was between those with IQs/inbuilt EPGs and those that don’t have them for the question about unreliability with start times.

    Out of the 3 commercial networks that do often start late, 10’s EPG updates are almost always perfect. 7 has improved a lot since I got IQ (they used to claim everything started on time) and really now are only unreliable if they have a live show on that night that runs over which pushes everything out (their Tuesday shows regularly finish 5 minutes after their EPG time as an example).

    9 on the other hand, still doesn’t bother, everything always states it’ll start on time, when in reality they can start as late as some of 7’s programs (10-15 mins). As a result of that and not offering a series link for any of their programs on 9 or Go! I manually program in every show of theirs I watch, which saves me having to remember to press the “extend 20mins” button on every 9 show I tape and to remember to re-select the show each week.

    Go! has different problems, as they still start programs, particularly the midnight or 1am repeats as much as 5 minutes earlier than scheduled.

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