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Front Bar beats Footy Show on Thursday

Ratings: Australian Survivor dips but wins demos. Single Wives falls behind SBS.

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Numbers continue to be a problem for The Footy Show, last night beaten by Seven newcomer The Front Bar both nationally and in Melbourne.

While Seven drew 362,000 for its Mick Molloy-led panel Nine’s Footy Show (including a later NRL edition in Sydney) was 348,000. Comparing Melbourne AFL audiences alone the gap is much bigger with 274,000 for Seven vs 139,000 for Nine. How it can improve on those numbers is anyone’s guess….

On a complex night of scheduling it’s hard to draw too many other comparisons but Australian Survivor emerged as the top-ranking entertainment show, despite losing ground on its second night. It drew 615,000 viewers, down by 101,000, yet still managed to top the demos.

Home and Away followed at 613,000 for Seven.

By SBS standards Tony Robinson: Britain’s Ancient Tracks did good business at 335,000 ahead of The Single Wives flopping on just 293,000.

ABC is still seeing a big switch off after Grand Designs Australia ends and Everyone’s a Critic, clearly the latter is true. Pointless was also hit hard at just 222,000.

Seven News, ACA and The Chase won their slots.

Nine won the primary channels but Seven network won overall with 28.8% then Nine 27.45, TEN 19.4%, ABC 15.9% and SBS 8.4%.

Seven News was #1 for Seven at 934,000 / 924,000 then Home and Away (613,000), The Chase (587,000 / 361,000), The Front Bar (355,000), The Single Wives (293,000) and The Real Full Monty replay (232,000).

Nine News (929,000 / 900,000) was best for Nine followed by A Current Affair (738,000), Hot Seat (484,000 / 304,000), Thursday Night NRL (381,000 in 2 cities) and The Footy Show (384,000). Driving Test was 283,000 and RBT was 215,000 -both in 3 cities.

Australian Survivor (615,000) was best for TEN then The Project (502,000 / 279,000), TEN Eyewitness News (377,000), Law & Order: SVU (239,000) and Pointless (222,000).

ABC News (672,000), 7:30 (517,000), Grand Designs Australia (472,000), Sammy J (328,000), Everyone’s a Critic (241,000), Think Tank (226,000) and Victoria (143,000).

On SBS it was Tony Robinson: Britain’s Ancient Tracks (335,000), Alcatraz: Escaping the Rock (223,000), SBS World News (122,000), Building Star Trek (98,000).

7TWO’s Father Brown topped multichannels with 215,000.

OzTAM Overnights: Thursday 2 August 2018

Updated.

24 Responses

  2. Excellent results for Sir Tony on SBS1, the Alcatraz escape thing wasn’t a patch on the epic ‘Mythbusters’ ep (my personal favourite of the whole series) and the ‘Star Trek’ special was at least the 3rd screening of it-SBS2 had the 3rd showing of the George Lazenby biopic at the same time-apparently Thursday has been abandoned by them as well!

  4. So basically 2,000 people in Sydney and 5,000 people in Brisbane are up at 1am watching the Front Bar on 7Mate by those figures. Given it was an encore of The Full Monty in those capitals last night (which was shown after TFB in other capitals) and those ratings aren’t anything to write home about, as we’re heading into finals if I was Seven I’d roll the dice and put it on at the same time in Sydney and Brisbane just to see what happens. I mean next week all they’re showing is Beach Cops in The Front Bars place in Sydney and Brisbane, to which it airs after TFB in the other capitals, surely they’d break even at least on the ratings.

  5. wow look at the numbers for home and away …it is really sinking this year … and being its 30 years as well …. well looks like the river boys and crime made ratings thou …..

  7. I know it is early days David, but based off those numbers, is Survivor getting renewed?

    As someone for whom this is a life dream in getting on the show, I want to know if I should get my tape organised now?

    1. No one wants or needs a game show at 6pm.

      They’ve got some of the best news reading talent in the country in Sandra Sully and now Jennifer Keyte. Move them into prime time. And make them work Sunday – Thursday.

    3. @bobk On the mediaspy forums someone said they know a person that auditioned for the show and they told them that the show was commissioned for a 6 month 130 episode run with an option for a further 130 episodes.

  10. If I were seven I’d be creating an NRL version of the Front Bar.
    Surely there would be some funnymen keen to critique the NRL in a comedic manner.

    1. Any suggestions on any NRL-following comedians that might be suitable for this type of show?

      I think the AFL has an advantage on this type of show because Australia’s stand-up comedy scene is definitely stronger in Melbourne and Adelaide than the rest of the country. I could name at least a dozen comedians who openly support AFL in their routines/social media/media work, but I can’t really think of any off the top of my head that comment about the NRL in the same way.

    2. I’m hoping 7 are considering creating a Cricket edition of The Front Bar for the summer, same hosts & format would work just with cricketing legends as guests.

  12. Why the ABC thought people critiquing art would be a success in prime time, I am not sure. The Single Wives won’t get another season either. If shows flop on Thursday night, the easiest night of the week to succeed, they are destined for the scrap heap.

    2. I happen to love art and like this show, at least the abc try and give you something different! Lets face it the abc are the only australian channel that you can rely on for drama.

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