Ratings: 2017 Network PR Reports

Here are some edited highlights of the 2017 ratings year according to network PR:

Seven continues to dominate the broadcast television landscape: primetime, news, major sports, breakfast television and morning television.

Seven is the most-watched network for total viewers. 7TWO is the most-watched digital channel for total viewers. 7mate is the most-watched digital channel for 25-54s. Seven + 7TWO + 7mate + 7flix is number one for total viewers on the combined audiences of primary and digital channels.

This is Seven’s eleventh consecutive year of market leadership in primetime.

Building on this leadership in primetime, Seven News is number one in 2017. Sunday Night is the leading public affairs programme. Seven is number one in breakfast television for the fourteenth consecutive year and number one in morning television for the eleventh consecutive year.

Seven delivers in the most-watched programmes in metropolitan markets

The AFL Grand Final (2.715 million) and The Australian Open Men’s Final (2.686 million) are the top two most-watched events on television across the five major metropolitan markets. The Melbourne Cup delivers 1.821 million in-home viewers.

The Good Doctor (1.348 million) is the break-out hit of 2017 and Australia’s most-watched drama series.
My Kitchen Rules (1.290 million) and House Rules (1.115 million) underpinned Seven’s primetime across the year. Little Big Shots (1.201 million) delivered on Sundays. The final of My Kitchen Rules delivers 1.594 million. and the final of House Rules scores with 1.222 million.

Across 2017, more Australians watched Seven News. Seven News is Australia’s number one at 6:00pm, leading Nine News across the five major metropolitan markets.

Sunday Night averaged 845,000 metropolitan markets viewers. Sunday Night increased its audience on 2016 by 9% in metropolitan markets.

Sunrise is the number one in breakfast television, leading Today across the five major metropolitan markets.
Sunrise 289,000
Today 277,000

The Morning Show delivers another win in morning television.
The Morning Show 136,000
Today Extra 123,000


The Nine Network is the No. 1 television network for 2017 across the five mainland capitals with all key demographics.

On primary channel shares, Nine is also No. 1 for 2017 with all key demographics. With Total People, just one-tenth of a share point (0.1) separated Nine from Seven – the closest margin between the two leading free-to-air networks in more than a decade.

Nine is also the only free-to-air network to increase its share in 2017 across all key demographics and Total People compared to 2016:

  • People 25-54: Up by 1.4 share points
  • People 18-49: Up by 1.7 share points
  • People 16-39: Up by 1.5 share points
  • GB + Child: Up by 1.9 share points
  • Total People: Up by 1.2 share points

Nine’s primary channel is also the only one to boost its free-to-air share in 2017 compared to 2016 across all key demographics and Total People.

The breakout smash hit of the year was Australian Ninja Warrior, which captivated audiences of all ages across Australia. With a national series average audience of 1.767 million Ninja has cemented itself as a ratings phenomenon and the best performing new series since The Voice in 2012.

The Block, in its 13th series, dominated ratings in the back half of the year. The “Winner Announced” moment of this year’s series holds the title of the No. 1 entertainment program of 2017 (metro + regional).

Kick-starting Nine’s bumper year was a stripped series of Married at First Sight, which delivered an average audience of 1.193 million.

Nine introduced a range of new formats in 2017, including the smash-hit comedy True Story with Hamish & Andy.

This Time Next Year, Nine’s feel good program about everyday people’s life transformations, hosted by Karl Stefanovic, debuted in 2017.

Also new in 2017 was the hugely popular Travel Guides, which returns for a second series early in the New Year.

Nine’s drama slate was spearheaded by the top-rating Doctor Doctor, which concluded its second series with an average audience of 855,000.

Nine is the home of the big special events, with the TV Week Logie Awards securing an average audience of 950,000.

Nine’s sports slate in 2017 provided a year-long calendar of nail biting spectacles, including Nine’s Summer of Cricket and world-class NRL coverage.

The third State of Origin Rugby League match takes out the title of the No. 1 sports program of 2017 (metro + regional).

The second Socceroos World Cup Qualifier against Syria is the No. 1 multi-channel program of 2017,

A Current Affair consistently dominates the 7.00pm timeslot night after night and wraps up the 2017 ratings survey period with an average audience of 802,000.

60 Minutes, which next year celebrates an historic 40th series, increased its audience in 2017 with Total People and all demos, and delivered an average audience of 859,000 (excluding “Late” episodes).


Record audiences and strong viewing growth for several local series, timeslot wins in key age groups and the continued expansion of online and social media audiences were among the highlights for Network Ten in the 2017 ratings year, which concluded last night.

Network Ten ended the year with a 28.3% commercial share in its key target market of people 25 to 54, ranked #1 in prime time on Thursdays in 25 to 54s and under 55s.

The online catch-up and streaming service tenplay cemented its position as one of the leading entertainment products in Australia, recording a 21% jump in video segment views and a 19% increase in video starts. Network Ten’s social media accounts ended 2017 with 14.4 million followers, up 18% on 2016.

“Gogglebox, The Bachelorette Australia and Have You Been Paying Attention? recordedtheir biggest audiences ever this year, while several others grew their year-on-year audiences or commercial shares including I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, the KFC Big Bash League, the Rebel Women’s Big Bash League and Studio 10.

“Many of those shows – plus MasterChef Australia, The Bachelor Australia, Offspring, the Bathurst 1000, TEN Eyewitness News First At Five and others – dominated their timeslots in our core target market of people 25 to 54,” she said.

Key points

  • Audience growth for key shows, including The Bachelorette Australia, I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out
  • Of Here!, Gogglebox, Have You Been Paying Attention? and Studio 10.
  • Record audiences for The Bachelorette Australia, Gogglebox and Have You Been Paying Attention?.
  • Key shows dominated their timeslots in 25 to 54s, including the KFC Big Bash League, MasterChef
  • Australia, Offspring, The Bachelor Australia, Bathurst 1000 and TEN Eyewitness News First At Five.
  • Seventeen of the top 50 non-sport programs in 25 to 54s.
  • Four of the top 10 Australian reality programs in 25 to 54s.
  • Four of the top five Australian game show programs in 25 to 54s.
  • Seven of the top 10 US drama series in 25 to 54s.
  • The Bachelorette Australia: biggest online catch-up viewing for any television program in Australia, ever.
  • Weeks 1 to 5, 2017: highest commercial shares in 25 to 54s and under 55s since 2001.
  • ONE: Highest ever commercial share in total people.
  • ELEVEN and ONE: #1 multi-channel combination in day time in 25 to 54s and total people.

Studio 10
• 9.30am to 11am: 89,000, up 5% on same point in 2016
• 8.30am to 9.30am: 55,000, up 5% on same point in 2016
• 8.30am to 11am: 75,000, up 5% on same point in 2016.
• 11am to midday: 75,000. 37% timeslot growth.

5 Likes

Well done Ten lol

2 Likes

I laugh at how Seven in particular will change their metric to suit them all the time, in the above report focussing on metro.

So inconsistent.

Just a few days ago, they claimed Sunday Night at No. 1… On national :thinking: