The Block & MKR: a tale of two juggernauts
Updated: “These numbers speak for themselves." Nine responds to press articles around Block ratings.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
While The Block is drawing big numbers for Room Reveal episodes, notably with Total TV numbers, media reports are citing a drop in the season average.
In Total TV numbers the Nine show is topping 1.5m viewers (this includes regional and BVOD) for Room Reveal episodes.
No other weekly show is amassing numbers that high, so it does feel harsh to focus on the negative.
On Sunday Nine maintained the show had a season average of 631,271 metro viewers up to Sept 14, higher than MKR‘s 535,207. But The Block also launched earlier, now at 26 episodes v 7 for MKR.
The Block is down around 22% year on year in overnights, with some viewer commentary that the cast are doing too much fighting and bitching. Nine execs recently referred to the volatile drama spanning this season. Even Goggleboxers commented on the minimal renovation work undertaken by the cast on camera.
In-fighting was once a claim levelled at MKR which has conceded past mistakes in its push to get back to basics. This season the show is up around 5%, managing some timeslot wins last week.
As the Nine show heads towards its 20th season in 2024 it would do well to take some of the criticism on board. It’s not all about Room Reveals after all?
Updated:
Michael Healy, Nine’s Director of Television, said: “These numbers speak for themselves. The Block is an unrivalled powerhouse on Australian television. The fact that more than 40% of the country has tuned into this series is a phenomenal achievement. We never take the loyalty of our viewers for granted and look forward to delivering a cracking crescendo to the current season, before an unprecedented 20th series in 2024.”
After the first 26 episodes, more than 10.7 million Australians have tuned into The Block, representing 41% of the total population.
In its target demographic of People 25-54, The Block has reached more than 4.3 million viewers, representing 40% of this highly coveted demo.
Across the series, The Block is averaging 1.280 million Total TV viewers per episode – 31% more than My Kitchen Rules, which is only averaging 977,000 Total TV viewers per episode.
And with People 25-54, The Block is averaging 609,000 Total TV viewers per episode – 34% more than The Voice (453,000) and a whopping 77% more than My Kitchen Rules (344,000).
Sunday broadcasts of The Block soar even higher with the hugely popular ‘Room Reveal’ episodes averaging 1.512 million Total TV viewers per episode – 13% more than its nearest competitor, The Voice, which is averaging 1.328 million viewers for its Sunday episodes.
In the BVOD space, The Block is streaks ahead of all competitors, with an average BVOD audience of 277,000 per episode – a year-on-year increase of 2.5%. Nine episodes have an average BVOD audience in excess of 300,000. As viewers continue to watch at a time of their choosing, these numbers will build in the weeks and months ahead.
3 Responses
that’s an old saw that repeats itself every year..too much drama not enough renovating..yeah right and how many of those would go to youtube and watch a clip on how to miter a joint or plaster a wall?i think this year’s cast are unlikeable and boring.and what i as a former blockaholic has learned..it’s all puffery..basically nothing matters,whether your couch or bedside tables are too small or you’ve used artificial flowers in your styling..if danny wallis likes a particular contestant or house,that’s the one likely to win the auction.last year’s auction,where a millionaire friend of one of the contestants bid up their property to the tune of about $1.5mill over reserve was awful.there should be arm’s length rules established for the auction.then again..the best contestants who get screwed at auction,will just end up getting jobs with 9..like ronnie and georgia or tom the plumber.having said that..i watch the show..their incorporation of ads within the story is masterful.
I guess it has seen a bit of a drop, although last nights ep with more drama has seen it go up…..It should also be noted that the media reporting this are the ones who are in direct competition with 9 and their newspapers….
Sending the villains to be interviewed on Today yesterday morning instead of the winnwers of the room reveal was not a good look. They weren’t even pushed about the bullying.