Ratings: Seven Network First Half 2021 Audience Report

TV Ratings News Articles
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Seven fires up in first half

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  • #1 network for past nine consecutive weeks

  • #1 network for 14 of past 26 weeks

  • #1 news program: 7NEWS

  • #1 breakfast TV program: Sunrise

  • #1 winter sport: AFL

  • #1 Australian drama: Home and Away

  • #1 nightly game show: The Chase Australia

  • #1 multichannel group: 7two, 7mate, 7flix

The Seven Network has finished the first half of the year with strong momentum ahead of the highly anticipated Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Seven ranked #1 in 14 of the past 26 weeks and is the only commercial free-to-air television network to increase its audience share during the first half of the calendar ratings year .

Seven’s tally of #1 weeks includes wins across the past nine consecutive weeks. From late April to yesterday, Seven was the #1 network in total people, people 25 to 54 and 16 to 39s.

Seven’s success on television has been matched by the strong performance of 7plus, which increased its audience 18% in the past three months.

Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Warburton, said: “Our strategy of investing in new and proven content across television and digital is delivering powerful results.

“Seven is the only network that has grown its audience share this year in 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and total people. Since late April, we have been #1 every week in those three demographics and in under 50s.

“The tentpole shows Big Brother and Dancing With The Stars: All Stars delivered great results, as did 7NEWS Spotlight and our dominant content ‘spine’ of 7NEWS , Sunrise , The Morning Show , The Chase , Home and Away and Better Homes and Gardens . The AFL is Australia’s #1 winter sport by a significant margin and Supercars have roared back onto Seven in a big way,” he said.

“At the same time, 7plus is having a remarkable year. It continues to drive the digital transformation of our business and is drawing new users, day in, day out.”

Seven’s Director of Network Programming, Angus Ross, said: “After a successful first half, we are ready to deliver our strongest second-half content line-up in many years, with the best sport on TV, the best news and public affairs content, and an impressive collection of proven entertainment hits.

“The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be the biggest media event in a long time. Before they start, we have the new season of our #1 entertainment show last year, Farmer Wants A Wife . After the Olympics, we head straight into the brilliant new season of The Voice , followed by AGT , an incredible new series of SAS Australia that takes the format to a whole new and shocking level, and Big Brother VIP with the noisiest celebrity cast ever seen on Australian television.

“We also have the AFL Final Series, Bathurst 1000, the best horse racing in Australia, and a lot more. It’s an incredible line-up, one that is on track to return Seven to market leadership in 2021. Summer brings the highly anticipated Ashes Test series, and the BBL and WBBL, and then the Olympic Winter Games Beijing to launch 2022 ,” he said.

Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, said: “We delivered excellent results for our partners in the first half of 2021 and the second half is going to be even better.

“Our line-up of tentpole shows is best in market. 7NEWS , Sunrise , The Morning Show and The Chase dominate their timeslots. Home and Away is having a fantastic year. The AFL Final Series, horse racing and Supercars will be big winners with viewers and advertisers.

“The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will be the country’s biggest-ever broadcast and digital event. For the first time in Australian free-to-air television history, there will be 45 dedicated Olympic Games channels across Seven and 7plus, all live, free and in HD. Let the games begin,” he said.

First half 2021 highlights

Commercial audience shares (%)

Network First half 2021 First half 2020 Change*
Total people Seven 37.1 35.6 +1.5
Nine 38.0 38.8 -0.8
10 24.9 25.6 -0.7
25 to 54s Seven 33.2 32.1 +1.1
Nine 37.2 38.2 -1.0
10 29.6 29.7 -0.2

Commercial audience shares (%) 25 April to 26 June

Network 2021 2020 Change*
Total people Seven 39.1 37.0 +2.1
Nine 36.2 36.2 0.0
10 24.7 26.9 -2.1
25 to 54s Seven 36.1 33.6 +2.5
Nine 35.0 34.9 +0.2
10 28.9 31.5 -2.6

* Change in percentage points

NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

7NEWS Sunday

  • 1.5 million viewers nationally, 992,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 Sunday news program

  • Won every week in first half of 2021

  • 21% more viewers than Nine News nationally, 7% more in the capital cities

7NEWS Monday to Friday

  • 1.42 million viewers nationally, 939,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 weeknight news program

  • Won every week in first half of 2021

  • 27% more viewers than Nine News nationally, 5% more in the capital cities

7NEWS Saturday

  • 1.21 million viewers nationally, 787,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 Saturday news program

  • Won every week in first half of 2021

  • 20% more viewers than Nine News nationally, 5% more in the capital cities

7NEWS.com.au

  • #1 news website in 18 to 29s

  • #4 news website in total people

Sunrise

  • 439,000 viewers nationally, 254,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 breakfast TV program

  • Won every day in first half of 2021 (has won every day for more than three years)

  • 45% more viewers than Today nationally, 25% more in the capital cities

The Morning Show

  • 228,000 viewers nationally, 136,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 morning TV program

  • Won every day in first half of 2021

  • 46% more viewers than Today Extra nationally, 21% more in the capital cities

The Latest

  • 180,000 viewers nationally, 121,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 in timeslot in total people

7NEWS SPECIALS

7NEWS Spotlight: The Phenomenon

  • 1.18 million viewers nationally, 731,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 in its timeslot in total people and 25 to 54s

  • Increased timeslot audience 15% nationally year-on-year, 4% in the capital cities

7NEWS Spotlight: Craig McLachlan

  • 1.14 million viewers nationally, 767,000 in the capital cities

  • Increased timeslot audience 7% in the capital cities year-on-year

7NEWS Spotlight: Martin Bryant’s Dark Secrets

  • 1.14 million viewers nationally, 737,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 in timeslot in total people

7NEWS Spotlight: Fight Of His Life

  • 916,000 viewers nationally, 719,000 in the capital cities

7NEWS Spotlight: Ride Of Your Life

  • 877,000 viewers nationally, 559,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 in its timeslot in total people

SPORT

AFL Premiership Season (to date)

  • 697,000 viewers nationally, 520,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 winter sport on TV

  • #1 in timeslot in footy markets in total people and 25 to 54s

Cricket

Test Cricket – Australia v India

  • First Test (Adelaide): Day/Night Test 685,000 viewers nationally, 460,000 in the capital cities

  • Second Test (Melbourne): Boxing Day Test 843,000 viewers nationally, 562,000 in the capital cities

  • Third Test (Sydney): 785,000 viewers nationally, up 20% on 2018- 19 Fourth Test; 537,000 in the capital cities

  • Fourth Test (Brisbane): averaged 727,000, up 11% on 2018-19 Fourth Test; 483,000 in the capital cities

Big Bash League

  • Grand Final Day 867,000 viewers nationally, 562,000 in the capital cities

  • Series: 560,000 viewers nationally, 347,000 in the capital cities

Supercars

  • Seven’s two rounds averaged 332,000 nationally, 180,000 in the capital cities

  • Audience up 28% in total people on Network 10’s first rounds in 2020, up 19% in 25 to 54s

  • 7plus: 5.6 million live streaming minutes across two rounds’ race days

The Front Bar

  • 444,000 viewers nationally, 338,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 sport entertainment program in Melbourne

ENTERTAINMENT

Dancing With The Stars: All Stars

  • Finale Winner Announced: 1.33 million viewers nationally, 881,000 in the capital cities

  • Finale: 1.3 million viewers nationally, 852,000 in the capital cities

  • Launch: 1.2 million viewers nationally, 816,000 in the capital cities

  • Series: 1.06 million viewers nationally, 711,000 in the capital cities

  • Increased timeslot audience 18% in total people year-on-year in the capital cities

  • 35 million minutes streamed

  • Over 26.4 million total social media impressions

  • 4.1 million social engagements

  • 4.5 million social video views

Big Brother (series to date)

  • Launch: 1.03 million viewers nationally, 740,000 in the capital cities

  • Series: 927,000 viewers nationally, 644,000 in the capital cities

  • Increased timeslot audience 10% in 25 to 54s and 19% in 16 to 39s year-on-year in the capital cities

  • 392 million minutes streamed

  • Over 80 million total social media impressions

  • 6.1 million social engagements

  • 27.8 million social video views

Holey Moley

  • Launch: 1.67 million viewers nationally, 1.1 million in the capital cities

  • Series: 980,000 viewers nationally, 639,000 in the capital cities

  • Increased timeslot audience 21% in 25 to 54s, 30% in 16 to 39s and 8% in total people year-on-year in the capital cities

  • 62 million minutes streamed

Home and Away

  • 924,000 viewers nationally, 560,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 Australian drama

  • Most streamed drama series on BVOD. Up 40% year-on-year.

  • BVOD minutes streamed up 40%

  • 2 million total social followers

  • 76.7 million social impressions

  • 4.5 million total social engagements

  • 8.8 million social video views

The Chase Australia

  • 814,000 viewers nationally, 499,000 in the capital cities

  • Won every week in first half of 2021

Better Homes and Gardens:

  • 695,000 viewers nationally, 415,000 in the capital cities

  • #1 lifestyle show

  • 20 million streaming minutes

7PLUS

  • #2 commercial free-to-air BVOD platform

  • 36% share of commercial free-to-air BVOD market

  • Active users up 6% year-on-year

  • Audience up 18% in the past three months on the previous three months

7TWO, 7MATE, 7FLIX

  • #1 multichannel group

  • 7mate: #1 multichannel in target market of men 18 to 54s

  • 7mate: equal #1 multichannel in 25 to 54s

  • 7two: #1 multichannel in target market of women 18 and older

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No surprises that they didn’t mention Ultimate Flop.

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Channel Seven struggled so badly at the start of the year due to Holey Moley (which was up against delayed Australian Open and MAFS) and Ultimate tag (which flopped badly in ratings). Nevertheless, Dancing with the Stars All Stars did reasonably well (with Daryl Somers and Sonia Kruger returning as hosts) and Big Brother returned.

During the 2nd half of the year, Farmer Wants a Wife will return. THe TOkyo Olympic Games will provide a big boost in ratings on Seven, 7Two, 7mate and even 7flix. As well, The Voice will be on a new home on Seven (with Sonia Kruger returning as host). SAS Australia is likely to return in the 4th quarter of 2021.

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Stokes’ budget tightening is getting more extreme.

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Must be nationally, because Today Extra has probably won at least a dozen or so days this year so far in 5 city metro.

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Is this entirely true? Could’ve sworn Nine News ranking No. 1 program on Saturday more than once so far this year?

Not a single mention of winning any metric. Ouch!

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See:

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So much for the standard metro data set then

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Didn’t realise it won its timeslot. Mind you, it probably has pretty poor competition.

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And I bet that average timeslot isn’t always head to head exactly with Nine Late News either?

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Who even knows what the timeslot is?

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Who even knows what days it airs?

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And what markets?