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175,000 watch Leader’s Debate on Pay TV

Scomo & Albo debate lifts the slot for SKY News, but how does it compare to previous events?

175,000 national viewers watched Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese face 100 swinging voters last night.

In OzTAM preliminary figures the SKY News People’s Forum last night topped Subscription TV viewing, with Gogglebox in second place at 111,000 viewers and Paul Murray Live third at 85,000.

It’s a lift for the SKY News timeslot and up on a debate on STV held on Friday night in 2019 between Scomo and Bill Shorten (95,000) -but it’s obviously down on recent Free to Air debates. In 2019 a debate on Seven drew 550,000+ metro viewers and another at 600,000 on ABC.

Last night’s event was also available via Foxtel Go, Foxtel Now, SKY News regional channels, SKY News website, Courier Mail, Flash streaming and SBS on Demand, some of which will be added later, and some of which are beyond the remit of OzTAM.

Meanwhile in the ongoing reality battle The Voice led at 629,000 metro viewers to Lego Masters (562,000) and MasterChef Australia (376,000).

Mad as Hell‘s season finale won its slot at 401,000 over Britain’s Got Talent (317,000).

Seven network won with 30.7% then Nine 28.4%, ABC 16.4%, 10 16.3% and SBS 8.2%.

OzTAM survey resumes on Sunday.

OzTAM overnights: Wednesday 20 April 2022

Updated.

18 Responses

  1. Masterchef – 13 years ago, a leaders’ debate was rescheduled to fit around the Masterchef finale. I think both had about 10 times the ratings they do now (yes, I know, different TV environment, etc!).

    Masterchef now – too long each night, too many episodes, too much of the same, drags on unnecessarily.

  2. I am wondering, if it is not available on free-to-air are the politicians out of touch with those that rely on free to air and can’t afford or choose not to pay for television or have poor streaming quality. Or did Foxtel pay big money to attract viewers and commercial and government subsidised broadcasters not express an interest?
    It is just a shame that in a democracy this political debate was not available to a wider audience.

  3. Why was this not on one of the free-to-air channels like ABC News 24? What is the point of just showing this to the small proportion of the voters who have Foxtel?

    1. They said on ABC Radio today that the ABC had bid for the debate but ultimately the “leaders chose to go with Sky”. Both party leaders have to agree on the broadcaster as I understand it.

    1. And for The Voice.

      I watched last night and it’s just as padded out and predictable as the Nine version became, with fairly average contestants and too much focus on the judges. A real let down compared with last year.

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