Australia’s most watched summer network, audience up 6%
Test cricket, the Big Bash League, news, drama and music were a winning line up for the Seven Network in the 2024-25 summer, with the network taking the top spot with viewers.
Across the 10-week OzTAM summer period, which ran from 1 December 2024 to 8 February 2025, Seven reached 21.3 million people and captured a 44.4% national total TV audience share between 6.00am and midnight, up from 43.3% in the 2023-24 summer.
Driven by key content including the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test Series between Australia and India, the Big Bash League, the Australia v England Women’s Ashes Series, 7NEWS, Sunrise, The Morning Show, Home and Away, The Chase Australia and – since last Sunday – the 2025 season of Australian Idol, Seven’s share also increased among 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and grocery shoppers.
Seven’s total TV audience (6.00am to midnight) grew 6% during summer to an average of 614,000. Its average prime time (6.00pm to midnight) audience was 870,000.
7plus was a star performer: its audience soared 79%, with strong growth across all age groups, and it was the fastest growing commercial streaming platform.
7plus finished the summer period with a 40.8% commercial BVOD share – up from 33.5% in the 2023-24 summer – including a 42.3% share in live streaming and a 38.6% share in VOD.
The growth of 7plus was fuelled by the launch of cricket, with the Test series, Big Bash League and the Women’s Ashes Series available to stream for the first time in Australia.
Seven Chief Content Officer, Brook Hall, said: “An incredible summer of Test cricket, the highest rating BBL season ever on Seven, the most-watched news in Australia and the #1 drama series in the country made it a hot summer on Seven.
“And it’s not just Seven that is growing. Total TV viewing across the three commercial networks was up about 3% during summer, proving that total TV is a strong and growing sector.
“The launch of cricket on 7plus for the first time was embraced by all Australians and 7plus will only get bigger with the arrival of the AFL season in March and our 7plus First strategy, which will see premium overseas shows debut first on 7plus,” he said.
“Australian Idol is off to a great start and it’s just the beginning of a strong and consistent line up of entertainment shows on Seven in 2025, including Farmer Wants A Wife, Dancing With The Stars, The Voice, My Kitchen Rules, The 1% Club, Stranded On Honeymoon Island, Once In A Lifetime and much more.”
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test Series between Australia and India was a smash hit, reaching 13.4 million people across Seven and 7plus Sport and our overall cricket content taking the crown as Australia’s favourite sport this summer.
The five Test series between the two greatest teams in world cricket attracted an average total TV audience of just over 1 million, up 39% on the 2023-24 summer. The series reached 1.29 million people exclusively on 7plus Sport and delivered 120,000 new registered users for 7plus.
BBL 14 reached 11.9 million people on Seven and 7plus Sport. The 2024-25 season drew 21% more viewers on Seven than last summer and delivered BBL’s biggest broadcast audience on Seven in five years.
The BBL season scored a national total TV audience of 573,000. It reached 760,000 people exclusively on 7plus Sport.
7NEWS had a strong summer, increasing its national audience and ranking as the most watched 6.00pm news bulletin. Sunrise and The Morning Show ranked #1 at breakfast and in the morning respectively.
Home and Away returned strongly on 13 January and has increased its audience 10% so far this year, while The Chase Australia was the most-watched game show during summer.
The 2025 season of Australian Idol, which started on 2 February, is up 16% year-on-year. The launch episode reached 2.26 million and had a national total TV audience of 1.03 million, up 30% on the 2024 season launch and making it Seven’s biggest Australian Idol episode ever.
Seven National Television Sales Director, Katie Finney, said: “Australians were glued to their screens this summer, with Seven connecting brands to more audiences year-on-year and total free-to-air viewing on the rise. Total TV remains the most powerful platform for brands to engage audiences at scale and connect to cultural moments.
“With our audience momentum building across cricket, 7NEWS, Australian Idol and the highly anticipated new era of AFL on Seven and 7plus Sport just weeks away, there has never been a better time for brands to engage audiences on Seven.”
Seven Network Director of Sport, Chris Jones, said: “As we look ahead beyond the summer of cricket, we cannot wait to deliver another unbeatable Toyota AFL Premiership Season, live and free on Seven and for the first time, streamed on 7plus Sport.
“With unprecedented access and a new-look coverage headlined by football media’s biggest names including new arrivals Kane Cornes and Nick Riewoldt, plus a seven-days-a-week AFL offering of new and existing programs, there’s never been a more exciting time to be a footy fan.
“Bold new talent, unmissable match ups and football content seven days a week: get ready for a new era of AFL on Seven and 7plus Sport,” he said.
SUMMER NATIONAL TOTAL TV COMMERCIAL SHARES (%):
6.00am to midnight
| Network | All people | 25 to 54s | Grocery shoppers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Network | 44.4% | 42.8% | 44.3% |
| Nine Network | 38.9% | 39.4% | 39.2% |
| Network Ten | 16.7% | 17.8% | 16.5% |
SUMMER NATIONAL TOTAL TV COMMERCIAL SHARES (%):
6.00pm to midnight
| Network | All people | 25 to 54s | Grocery shoppers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Network | 40.4% | 37.3% | 40.3% |
| Nine Network | 41.4% | 42.6% | 41.5% |
| Network Ten | 18.2% | 20.1% | 18.2% |
