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Tough night for SBS as MAFS dominates all viewing

Another show finds it tough to launch against reality juggernaut, with SBS experiencing low overnight audiences so far this year.

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Let’s pause for a moment to reflect on SBS numbers which have been struggling in early evenings this year.

Against the might of Nine’s reality juggernaut it’s tough to be launching any new show such as The Swap.

But SBS numbers had already dipped to just 72,000 for the 7pm portion of SBS World News, then lower still to 65,000 for Wildlife ER.

That left The Swap with an uphill battle leaving it with just 97,000 for its debut. It will be up to SBS on Demand (and probably a Gogglebox review) to help extend those numbers.

Meanwhile Seven attempted some retro comedy last night with little success against Nine’s dinner party mayhem.

Married at First Sight topped the night at 897,000, easily in front of Hard Quiz (515,000), 7:30 (446,000), The Dog House (326,000) which was a season high and The Best of Russell Gilbert (237,000).

Later The Weekly with Charlie Pickering pulled 403,000 then Under Investigation (355,000), QI (236,000), The Front Bar (232,000), Law & Order: SVU (155,000) and The Swap just 97,000.

Nine network easily won Wednesday with 36.2% then Seven 24.6%, ABC 16.4%, 10 15.2% and SBS 7.5%.

Nine News was 725,000 / 706,000 for Nine then A Current Affair (667,000) and Hot Seat (328,000 / 205,000). Nine News Late was 204,000.

Seven News won its slot at 824,000 / 821,000 then Home & Away (482,000) and The Chase (479,000 / 297,000). Kitchen Nightmares Australia was 101,000.

ABC News drew 540,000 for ABC then The Drum (131,000) and Zoe Coombs Marr: Bossy Bottom (76,000).

The Project managed 251,000 / 171,000 for 10 then 10 News First (227,000 / 146,000). Fire Country was 83,000.

On SBS it was SBS World News (103,000 / 72,000), Bloodlands (85,000), Wildlife ER (65,000) and Mastermind (62,000).

10 BOLD topped multichannels with NCIS at 88,000.

Sunrise: 194,000
Today: 187,000
News Breakfast: 90,000 / 50,000

In Total TV numbers last Wednesday were:

Married at First Sight: 2.02m
Home & Away: 924,000
The Weekly with Charlie Pickering: 709,000
Under Investigation: 621,000
The Dog House: 470,000

OzTAM Overnights: Wednesday 8 March 2023

22 Responses

  2. Poor old SBS. As the ratings diminish and they produce fewer innovative shows, they really do risk becoming irrelevant. The major networks along with youtube and streaming channels all promote ethnic diversity as well as SBS ever did. So, what role can SBS now play in our culture from here on in?

    I suggested it last year and I still believe the government should hand the SBS budget and control of the network over to NITV.

    Imagine what amazing and fantastic stories NITV could contribute to Australian culture if they had the SBS platform and budget and associated marketing power.

    I for one would love to learn more about our First Nations’ stories and how they developed a culture that survived for so many thousands of years in this land.

    And put Rachel Perkins in charge.

      1. Have you seen the ratings for NITV? And they do often (and unnecessarily) simulcast on SBS. If you want to reorganize the network, bung all the interminable sport onto Worldwatch ch35-you won’t upset its non existent (almost) viewership and SBS would then have a consistent set of programming.

        1. Increasing budget would lead to new commissions & ratings. Imagine a new Redfern Now on NITV, or a daily soap, fully funded breakfast show, nightly current affairs, entertainment formats, first run local content across primetime through First Nations lens.

          1. We see what the current SBS budget provides-and it doesn’t do any of that at any level for them!

  3. This is what I said, people watching TV now have dead taste when choosing shows, The Swap is a great production but only 97000 in ratings, but shows like 6pm news current affairs have higher ratings. soon HYBPA also only very low ratings compare to 6pm news.

  4. Looking at the Russell Gilbert special ratings, I remind myself of the interview you did with Brook Hall, Seven’s Head of Scheduling prior to the rating year.

    What about Hey Hey it’s Saturday specials?
    “We’re still looking at the next thing we can do in that space. We just want to make sure it’s something slightly different. We did Red Faces, we did 100 years. I don’t know if you can do 200 years.”

    1. Ah but the Red Faces specials are great. What better way to show what lengths people will go to just to be on TV. My personal favourite was Tony Fisher dressed in a cooks outfit banging away on a stove happily singing “We Will Rock You”. But that wasn’t all about is talent he was interviewed by Wendy Moonie at his home playing another stove with a phone, a golf club attached and a wire which he played with a bow happily singing away again “Summertime Blues”. I remember thinking I could do with a Tony out in the shed banging away inventing, recycling and singing as free endless entertainment right there in your own home…. What’s not to love. This world could do with more Tonys in my opinion. 🤣

        1. Yeah sure have, but that also involves being a “hit” on social media etc. which wasn’t even a thing when Red Faces was made. It was for the sheer pleasure in most cases of showing “your dubious talent” and there’s nothing about talent on MAFS (In my opinion….threw that one in for Cathode Ray🤣)

  6. I think we are a nation spoilt for choice. It’s not just FTA anymore there is so much on offer. 5 channels with multi channels and their apps to watch even more shows, on demand, catch up, streaming services, pay TV, or those who record to watch shows later etc. You don’t need to be home to watch TV anymore. You take your devices everywhere you go, you see people at the beaches, on buses, on trains even kids in parks and playgrounds watching something that’s been downloaded. I do exactly that myself. It’s obvious to me this country never had it so good, we have all the resources to make good TV in this country but we’re still subjected to a lot rubbish TV as well. That’s just my opinion.

  7. No sympathy for 7 for its schedule on Wednesday prime time. I never expected to watch these repeats during the ratings season. I think 7 needs to drop this whole ‘nostalgia/recycling’ strategy. I am starting to be put off by all the Hey Hey repeats and its cast’s best offs. Hope it doesn’t ruin the legacy of these shows and stars.

  8. Who ever thought programming the Russel Gilbert special should be sacked. Even a repeat of an old movie would have done better surely. 7 seem to have given up completely.

    1. But you need to look at the economics of it. The repeat of Russell Gilbert would have cost hardly anything. A show like Idol to compete more seriously would be multiple of this for only another 200k viewers. Seven is doing the smart thing by letting MAFS to run its course as no matter what they do they will not beat that juggernaut.

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