Seven's (sev.ASX:Quote,News) hit US program Lost last night drew an average audience of 2.12 million viewers, making a clear statement to other networks of their intention to secure viewers before the official start to the ratings year.

Lost, a series about a group of castaways stranded on a Hawaiian island, peaked at 2.26 million viewers.

The launch of the second series was up against Nine's (pbl.ASX:Quote,News) Midsomer Murders, Ten's (ten.ASX:Quote,News) repeat of Medium, ABC's Cutting It and Remote Area Nurse on SBS.

Networks will officially go to battle when ratings season commences on Sunday, February 12.




 




Seven has made no secret of its desire to cement its claim on primetime slots before the competitive period.

"Our strategy is one of building our primetime with key programs in the lead-up to the beginning of the television year," a Seven spokesman said.

"We have Desperate Housewives the breakout number one program of 2005 back next week and look forward to our primetime coverage of the Olympic Winter Games from 11 February."

On Wednesday, Seven's Prison Break made it's Australian debut, grabbing an average audience of 1.94 million viewers.

Despite these ratings victories, Seven weren't keen to make any forecasts.

"We're anticipating a tough and competitive year," the spokesman added.

"We are just focusing on who we are and what were doing. It's early days yet."

With new seasons of House, Medium and Law and Order, plus Australian series The Biggest Loser, Ten says it is confident going into ratings.

"We have had one of our strongest summers ever and the strongest line-up going into survey period," a Ten spokeswoman said.

Nine says it was not unnerved by Seven's recent ratings triumphs, arguing that new local shows including Missing Persons Unit and Clever, and its coverage of the Commonwealth Games in March, would maintain the networks top ratings position.

"As Australia's number one network we're confident our schedule of many fresh and new local shows," a Nine spokesperson said.

"Healthy audience numbers attracted to quality programming only makes for a stronger television market - and there remains no advertising medium that can rival the power of free-to-air TV."

Please include a reference and link to the original source, otherwise I will have to delete this post.

Sorry to be a posting-Nazi, but you also must include a link to where it was originally published.

Thanks Fajo

Maybe members would return faster to correct posts if the 'reply notice' emails were activated? . .at least for Private Messages.. . when somebody has made a mistake it could take ages for them to return . .but a reply notice for PM's could alert them sooner. . .this is the only board I have ever seen that does not do it. . is there a reason?. .    

I think 9 are in denial about the amount of f#ckups they have managed to put forward in such a short amount of time  

10 never seem concerned about ratings

Quoted from aquamonkey

10 never seem concerned about ratings

That's obvious!. .

The new look is heaps good. They changed their entire look except the logo, and the new "You're Back Watching XXXXXX" is also very nicely designed.

Well done Ten, and I love the new song in the promo, plus the people in it.

Ten have a specific demographic they target...and they do pretty well with that demographic ...they get much more loyalty than the other commercials...which means they do ok bringing the $$ in 'cos they can show that they have a higher % of certain demographic and the advertisers will pay to have access to that demographic...so they probably don't need to worry so much about their ratings

and yeah I agree Gizmo it does seem obvious to me...but neither of us is in the target demographic for ten any more  

love it TEN

That tonight on ten bit is a little lame but the new ten promo is cool

10  know the under 40s are a done deal

And nine..they always win and they know it..they're justifiably arrogant.

Quoted from fajo

That tonight on ten bit is a little lame

i know

how long do you think it will last until it's canned?????

Dunno but the 'comedians' doing it were incredibly unfunny. I don't mind the idea but trying to make it a comedy bit is a mistake,just make it matter of fact.