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2010 Ratings winners

So who won the 2010 TV Ratings year? Everyone. No-one. It depends who you ask. It depends what Press Release you want to buy into.

So who won the 2010 TV Ratings year?

Everyone. No-one. It depends who you ask. It depends what Press Release you want to buy into. The devil is in the detail.

This year more than any other has been an extraordinary one.

We’ve had Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games, two AFL Grand Finals, the FIFA World Cup and digital channels. The ABC now has 4 channels, TEN has two. And we now have timeshifted data (which isn’t even completed for last week yet). How can we possibly compare all this information fairly?

Deep breath. Here goes….

TEN’s Press Release included data that removed Olympics and Commonwealth Games but only supplied figures for three commercial networks. And even then it was only for the Primary channels. TEN claimed to win 16-39, 18-49 (but only from 6pm -10:30pm) and Daytime.

Seven’s Press Release included both Olympics and Commonwealth Games (despite them airing on rival networks) and even Easter non-ratings, with data for both 6am – midnight and 6pm – midnight. It claimed a win in Total People, News and Public Affairs, Breakfast Television, Primetime, Advertising Revenue and Overall. In demographics it claimed victories in 16-39, 18-49 and 25-54 for its Primary Channel from 6am-midnight.

Nine’s Press Release claimed wins in 16-39, 18-49 and 25-54 across its three channel network from 6pm – midnight, but includes the weeks of both Olympics and Commonwealth Games. It also trumpeted a win in 25-54 and 18-49 on its Primary channel.

All of the data is true, if assisted by shifting the goalposts. None used the same methodology.

In fact we now even have two definitions of “Primetime.” For Seven and TEN it is 6pm – 10:30pm, for Nine it is 6pm – midnight. Oddly, Nine calls 6pm-10:30pm “Peak.”

TV Tonight applied the industry standard to the data as follows:

– 6pm – midnight, 5 City Metro.
– 5 Network share / Primary channels / Digital channels
– Weeks 7-48 excluding Easter, Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Advertisers have traditionally removed 2 weeks each for extraordinary events such as Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Nine takes the view that these were Winter not Summer Olympics, aired from 9:30pm. Seven says there are now so many extraordinary events it is questionable whether the TV year can ever really be considered ordinary anymore, so it measures them all as is. With the Commonwealth Games performing so dreadfully TEN is probably relieved to abide with historic practice and drop them from results.

With all of this in mind, here is the data for 2010:

NETWORK
TOTAL PEOPLE*
Seven: 28.63%
Nine: 27.64%
TEN: 21.22%
ABC: 16.89%
SBS: 5.61%

16 – 39*
Nine: 29.82%
TEN: 27.81%
Seven: 26.80%
ABC: 10.10%
SBS: 5.47%

18 – 49*
Nine: 30.09%
Seven: 27.71%
TEN: 25.58%
ABC: 11.05%
SBS: 5.59%

25 – 54*
Nine: 29.84%
Seven: 27.78%
TEN: 24.30%
ABC: 12.38%
SBS: 5.71%

The bottom line?

Seven wins in Total People. Nine wins in Demos. TEN has the #1 audience of the year with MasterChef Australia: The Winner Announced on 4,028,882 viewers.

PRIMARY CHANNEL:
TOTAL PEOPLE*
Seven: 24.65%
Nine: 23.49%
TEN: 19.98%
ABC1: 14.55%
SBS1: 4.99%

16 – 39*
TEN: 26.11%
Nine: 23.61%
Seven: 23.16%
ABC1: 7.63%
SBS1: 4.90%

18 – 49*
Nine: 24.42%
TEN: 24.01%
Seven: 23.97%
ABC1: 8.66%
SBS1: 4.96%

25 – 54*
Nine: 24.60%
Seven: 23.97%
TEN: 22.77%
ABC1: 9.95%
SBS1: 5.04%

* 5 City Metro Consolidated Data, Survey Wks 7-48 Exc Easter, Winter Olympics (13th Feb – 1st March) & Comm. Games (3rd – 15th Oct). Overnight Data – Week 48.

DIGITAL CHANNELS:
TOTAL PEOPLE:
GO!: 3.8%
7TWO: 3.4%
7mate^ : 2.7%
GEM^: 1.7%
ABC2: 1.6%
ONE: 1.4%
SBS2: 0.6%
ABC3+: 0.5%
ABC News 24^: 0.5%

16 – 39:
GO!: 5.8%
7mate^: 4.9%
7TWO: 2.8%
GEM^: 2.2%
ABC2: 1.9%
ONE: 1.8%
SBS2: 0.6%
ABC News 24^: 0.6%
ABC3+: 0.3%

18 – 49:
GO!: 4.9%
7mate^: 3.7%
7TWO: 3.1%
GEM^: 2.1%
ABC2: 1.9%
ONE: 1.7%
SBS2: 0.7%
ABC News 24^: 0.5%
ABC3+: 0.2%

25 – 54:
GO!: 5.3%
7mate^: 4.2%
7TWO: 3.0%
GEM^: 2.1%
ABC2: 1.9%
ONE: 1.7%
SBS2: 0.6%
ABC News 24^: 0.5%
ABC3+: 0.3%

5 City Metro Consolidated Data, Survey Wks 7-48 Exc Easter. Overnight Data – Week 48.
^ not on air all year.
+ ABC3 share: 6-9pm.

33 Responses

  1. Hard to imagine Go! would rate at all, there’s never anything on other than American repeats. In most households I know, ABC2 is far and away the most watched digital channel. (in some it’s watched more than ABC1)

    The comments here only serve to prove what a false construct ratings are.

  2. Share should be calculated over 24 hours, or at a minimum 6am-midnight. Why do people who watch during the day not count? Just because there’s less of them than during primetime isn’t a reason. These are often mums at home who do the weekly shopping, so you’d think the advertisers would think they’re important! One has the absolute bulk of it’s live sport on outside primetime, so it’s at a huge disadvantage against the others that only primetime counts.

    @jerome, Ten didn’t decide to show the games on both channels all the time, the government made that decision for them. Unlike Seven and Nine, Ten have shown a commitment to show sport in HD (which is a good thing), but the anti-syphoning list meant they then had to also have it on 10 (not a good thing, but in the process of being fixed). They had to get special permission just to breakaway to the evening news on 10!

    @oh yeah, Go hasn’t always done well. It does well when it runs repeats of Big Bang, 2.5 Men, and Top Gear. On the 2nd last day of ratings they yet again pre-empted a movie to show another TBBT marathon to leg-up their ratings again. Take away these shows and the figures for Go will be much more pedestrian.

  3. do you have ratings for regional markets? It’ll be interesting to see which network dominates (I predict Prime will be #1 in regional Victoria) and how regional ratings compare to their metropolitan cousins.

  4. @ supercujo… well done GO! yes they are indeed the number one digital channel….. its always has done well and it shows in the ratings…..
    people are not stupid and nor is the ratings a joke….. its so sad that people have to be so negitive when they dont like the outcome….

    yes 72 and mate did well…. but really…GO! out gunned them both!

    next year will be interesting…. it will be a battle between GO! and CH11….. and what about 72 and mate….. they will be left behind…. and thats no joke!

  5. GO! the leading digital secondary channel? I think this just proves the ratings system is a joke. Or people are stupid. Either way, it doesn’t help us.

  6. All i have to say is wait for the Analogue switch off. The current information on the digital channels is meaningless. When the Analogue signal is switched off thats when we will see real results. ONE HD will reign supreme when that happens they have good content and it can only get better. Hopefully it will be given that chance. I am talking to you James Packer.

  7. So confusing.

    The thing i did notice was that although Seven may of won, it only did so by a small margin.

    Again, i think if TEN next takes away from Seven’s audience with it’s new News cycle and Eleven, it may be enough to bring down Seven by a peg and let Nine take back the No.1 spot

  8. I don’t care what the ratings say! As far as I am concerned ABC and SBS have won the ratings for having the most “intelligent” programming on television overall. The commercial networks bombarded their schedules with brain dead cooking shows, stupid cop soaps and programs which generally would garner no interest whatsoever. Good Dodumentaries is what sustains ABC + SBS above the rest, as does well produced dramas such as East West 101. These 2 networks are the victors!!

  9. Owl 12.23 – the ads aren’t the reason for the low share on SBS. The lack of viewers is. SBS has never performed well in comparison to other FTA networks in the ratings. Buuuut, SBS performs better now than it did say 8 years ago – this is due in a large part because Top Gear brought in a chunk of new viewers. Top Gear going to Nine is the main reason for a drop in share this year. Regardless, I think to be fair, you either gauge SBS’s success (or lack of) on what they offer in the Australian media landscape or you gauge them on ratings. If you want them to get more ratings you need programs with broad appeal – unfortunately this is not thought provoking docos & world movies – it’s cooking shows and world cups. The ads help fund content on SBS – less ads means less programs. I agree SBS should be providing a point of difference to the other commercial networks, and perhaps they don’t do that as much as they should – but delivering content comes at a cost that the government won’t pay and to get the advertising dollar, they need programs with a broader appeal. It’s a tough line to walk.

  10. @owl. I will comment on SBS, I absolutely love this channel. They have great shows on and if people are too stupid to realise it’s their problem.

    Sat night i watched Delicatessen and last night Pan’s Labyrinth both awesome movies (think these were on SBS 2). Also love monday nights line up of Shameless and Entourage (even thought have seen this season of Entourage already but am watching again). They also have Mad Men which is great and Big Love another fantastic show.

    My only gripe with SBS is that they take so long to air shows after they are already on overseas. Where is Big Love???

    The adds annoy me too but it was a necessary evil as they were not receiving enough funding from the government. At least their adds as no where near as often or as long as ch 10,7,& 9. If funding is cut by government then it will be add all the time… is that what you want?

    People for some stupid reason have an aversion to this channel, for example when Top Gear was on SBS it didn’t rate nearly as well as on Ch 9 (even though it had no adds) go figure!

  11. One of the things that I find strange is the lack of comments on how badly SBS is rating, and that it seems, from memory, to be going backwards. I’ve thought about this a lot, particularly as this is the year they are celebrating their 30th. There is no doubt in my mind that they have lost their way. Their concept of multiculturalism seems to be as much soccer as possible, and now more and more cooking shows. Once you could at least rely on them for showcasing world movies, and while they still do, they are inserting more and more ad breaks, and their use of floating advertising (eg for their 30th birthday or Tour de France) is really annoying and distracting. Maybe with all the advertising on SBS now, they shouldn’t receive any govt funding anymore – yes it really does annoy me. It seems people just accept SBS doesn’t need to rate and so don’t comment. The pity is that they do have some really great shows hidden amongst the ads!!

  12. @ chk chk – yup Nine won the demos that matter and by a fair bit. Same thing happened in 2006 – Nine just hung on thanks to TP while Seven cleaned up in the under 55s.

    And for those interested that’s four in a row in TP for Seven. Remembering Nine has won all but one year from 1956 -2006,so 49 out of 50. All up it’s now 49-5 so Seven are catching up!

  13. The whole rating system is a joke, but unfortunately it’s what we have to live with at the moment. Oztam definately needs to get more ratings boxes out there.

    Agree that the lumping of all channels together should not be used. Each channel needs to stand on its own merits.
    If you lump the channels together, I think Foxtel actually won some of the weeks this year (I’m assuming this based on the fact that they did last year!)

  14. now that advertising revenue figures are easier to obtain i don’t think demographic shares are as important. why check the newspaper to see what the weather forcast was suppoed to be when you can just look outside to see if it is raining.

    @Russell. there already is an industry standard. the problem is there is no rule that it needs to be followed in releases. That is 6-midnight, combined network, weeks 6-48excl. easter+events, 5 city metro, Sun-Sat.

    the only one i have a problem with is excluding entire weeks for the comm. games and winter olympics. summer olympics i don’t have a problem with because they have a huge impact on the environment with competing channels forced into non-ratings type schedules. but te winter hardly ha any impact on primetime, and no one care about the comm. games it was tens decision to show nothing but games across all their chanels all of primetime.

  15. In regard to Leon’s comments, Ten also had: Modern Family, Talkin Bout Your Generation, NCIS, Offspring, Bondi Rescue, Good News Week, Hawke, The Biggest Loser, Hamish & Andy, Bondi Vet, Keeping Up with the Joneses, Undercover Boss USA & Australia, 7PM Project, and a little show called Glee to help drive its schedule in 2010.

  16. Well the loser’s are the viewers because all three commercial networks have treated us like complete crap. I honestly think commercial television is the worst it’s ever been. Not the standard of shows, there are some brilliant shows, but it’s what the networks do with these shows. Timeslot changes, repeats, not fasttracking, axing, running overtime. This is how I judge the winner, so ABC gets it.

  17. Thanks for all the data David, wow big year with lots of changes. And in a matter of weeks TEN will have it’s new channel, along with other changes I hope they can do better in 2011.

    So Seven won, how many years is that then and I can’t remember in the end was it closer this year than last?

    And who won the most weeks?

    Sorry for the added questions.

  18. Thank you. I’ll admit I don’t care about the ratings. Often it causes my favourite shows to be moved or taken off the air. Which makes me want to watch the commercial channels less because they are unreliable. And that’s not mentioning them often being 10-20 minutes late. I’ll admit I’m glad that there are now the digital channels as they are often more reliable (except the main channel). Although they sometimes have the opposite problem of being 10-15 minutes early. Not always. I also like the time shifting or repeats. Especially as I don’t record so I can often catch it the second showing. I wish Seven would do that more eg. Warehouse 13. As I missed most of its last episode as I wasn’t home.

    So thank you ABC and SBS for reliability as well as some great stuff. Including overseas (eg. Doctor Who, Poirot and Sherlock Holmes). I’m glad even though Channel Nine pinched it that they put Sherlock on at 8.30 pm. I hope they do it again. I love the series. As for Ten I can’t wait for Eleven to start. As I’d like to actually watch a whole lot of stuff they stopped showing. I don’t mind the channel change as I especially hope the channel will run on time and be reliable. Unlike the current main channel. Which is ironic as they used to be the more reliable commercial channel (but not always). I hope they can regain it back with at least the new channel.

    Lastly Seven I really wish you’d start Lost and Stargate: Atlantis from the beginning to the end i.e. first episode to last. Don’t put them anywhere near Fringe or Vampire Diaries or like programming and I’ll watch it. I’d like to see them but you keep not starting them from the start. I’ve never watched Lost and I refuse to unless I see it from the pilot. Thank you again David. Sorry but as a viewer I don’t care about ratings: just the reliability of the different Networks and Channels. This year all the commercial networks fail at it. I’m not counting SBS. I hope you can change for the better but I’ll admit I’m not expecting it.

  19. Thanks for all this info David!

    The ratings system is really a big mess, with each network seemingly following different rules and measurements. Oztam needs to get all networks and stations to agree to a standard measure, and they all need to stick to that when reporting ‘official’ figures.

    For starters they all need to agree on a timezone. Primetime should be 6pm-10.30pm. Then all networks need to be included, including ABC and SBS. Not just commercial networks.

    This idea of lumping ‘digital’ channels together with ‘primary’ channels to create a ‘network’ share just needs to go away. Each channel needs to be measured on it’s own merit – so we can see which channel is truly winning, not which ‘broadcasting company’ is winning.

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