0/5

Out of the final, Eurovision down for SBS.

Ratings: Seven scores with Spotlight, Celebrity Apprentice tops entertainment.

Without Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest final this year viewing numbers were down on 2019.

The primetime final averaged 165,000 compared to 2019’s 246,000 when Kate Miller Heidke performed. A dedicated 123,000 watched the live morning broadcast (Winner ann: 170,000). But it did lift SBS share compared to the previous Sunday.

Meanwhile a Spotlight special on Martin Bryant averaged 702,000 metro viewers for Seven. That was ahead of Celebrity Apprentice at 682,000 (rising to 812,000 for the boardroom segment).

At slightly later starts were MasterChef Australia (541,000) and Spicks & Specks (475,000).

Later 60 Minutes led with 551,000 then movie: Jack Reacher (354,000), FBI: Most Wanted (225,000) and Wakefield (173,000).

Nine network won Sunday with 29.3% then Seven 28.0%, 10 19.2%, ABC 14.3% and SBS 9.3%.

Nine News was #1 at 1.01m with a late edition at 301,000 in 4 cities.

Seven News (991,000) was best for Seven.

The Sunday Project was 416,000 / 271,000 for 10. 10 News First drew 240,000 / 212,000.

ABC News was 573,000 for ABC. Compass (232,000) and Smother (133,000) followed.

SBS World News was 127,000 / 105,000 for SBS.

NCIS led multichannels at 154,000.

OzTAM Overnights: Sunday 23 May 2021

11 Responses

  1. Seven and Nine should both be pleased with their performance last night, especially the former who’ve been winning the past couple of months thanks to weekends/AFL and after a horror Q1 with failures in Holey Moley and Ultimate Tag against Nine’s MAFS slaughter.

    I think 10 and ABC, while certain programs are performing strongly with loyal audiences, will always find it tough against a Seven-Nine battle.

  2. I watched Eurovision prime time (always do) but thought the Australian host inserts way over-produced. Maybe having two hosts was too much, maybe all the scripted nonsense is just unnecessary when the main feature are the songs themselves?? The old days of English hosts were boring, but this just seemed too contrived and even Joel Creasy sometimes winced as he read the gags off the autocue.

    1. I agree. The commentators believe Eurovision is more about them than the songs. Myf & Joel were good the first two years and quite deferential; since 2019 they have really injected themselves, with the worst being talking over interviews, songs and giving away much too many spoilers during the postcards. They described performances to such a degree that it was almost pointless watching them. Even Iceland relying on a rehearsal performance due to covid, why tell viewers that in advance? Part of covid management was integrating such performances for those that couldn’t be there, so wait until after the performance to tell people.
      PS: Thanks David for the ratings info about the semi finals in their respective rating articles.

      1. Whether Joel & Myf or Julia & Sam, they traditionally chat in between the songs, bringing a sense of colour and local enthusiasm and encouraging social posts so you get a sense of group viewing / parties. I didn’t have any problem with the extra info, myself.

      1. I was paying attention to start time over runs last night-L ‘n O was listed to start at 10.19 on the updated EPG but actually began at 10.25, mins some 15 mins later than advertised earlier in the week-the Eurovision repeat managed to be 20 mins over time!

  3. Watched Spotlight while waiting for MasterChef. Seven should have just rerun their Sunday Night episode from March 2016 with Mike Willesee. Much better done.
    tvtonight.com.au/2016/03/sunday-night-march-6.html

Leave a Reply