Television

Seriously Historic Win For Network Ten   Author: eNews staff and agencies | Apr 30, 2006, 14:09

Ten boss Grant Blackley is the happiest man in TV this week

A week of firsts in probably the closest week's competition in TV for years with only 0.4% of a rating point separating first (Ten) from third (Nine).

Ten's win was its first week in the official TV ratings in almost 12 years last week, thanks to the finale of The Biggest Loser, the start of Big Brother and the continuing strong viewer interest in Thank God You're Here on Wednesday nights.

The last time Ten won a week was week one of the Commonwealth games in 1994, which Ten broadcast from Canada.

It was also the first time since then that Ten had won three nights in a week, and of course it was also Ten's first win since Oztam ratings started in 2001.

It was also the first time the Nine Network had finished third in Oztam ratings.

The numbers: Ten won with a share of 27.3%, to 27.1 for Seven, with Nine third on 26.9%.

Interestingly Ten only won one market: Adelaide. It finished second in Sydney between Seven and Nine which tied in first spot; second in Melbourne behind Nine, third in Brisbane behind Nine in first spot and second in Perth behind Seven, with Nine third.

Perth once again proved pivotal: Seven won the week 30.1% to 28.1% for Ten and just 22.7% for Nine: that low third pushed Nine into third spot after Ten won big on Saturday night with the AFL and Seven had a big win Friday night, despite the AFL in Perth on Nine.

Ten took the lead after a strong Thursday night after the TBL finale and held it despite weak nights Friday and Saturday which were both won by Nine.

Nine will be frustrated: it finished the week well, had a solid performance on other nights, did well in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, but still finished third.

Nine will trumpet the fact that it 'won the East Coast' and ignore the performance by affiliates in Adelaide and Perth.

Seven will be happier than Nine: it did well everywhere without a win but had enough in the tank to edge out Nine which had the runs on the board in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Seven just got better numbers from many of its programs, especially in Perth, while Dancing With The Stars was the decisive force on Tuesday night and that kept Seven in the hunt for the rest of the week.

Seven News finished the week strongly, especially in Sydney and the question now is whether the revival in Nine News, especially in Melbourne, will finish with the ending of school holidays around the country.

Watch the early evening audiences for Bert's Family Feud and its lead-in Antiques Roadshow from midweek: Both programs seem to do better Monday and Tuesday before fading.

Ten's week means a lot in terms of future ad revenues and Nine will be the one to feel the hurt.

But this week it's back to regular transmission: After two 'stunt' events: the launch of BB and the ending of TBL, Ten faces a return to third place.

The behind the scenes 'perve' episode of TBL shows tonight(Sunday) after Big Brother and that will be a moderately good night: but Seven and Nine will battle the rest of the week.

Ten had a high six programs in the top 20 most watched list, with TBL's final episode number one, just in front of Seven's Dancing With The Stars.

Seven had seven progams in the top 20, as did Nine, hence Nine's frustration at being pipped for second.

But in the top ten, Ten had five programs, Seven three and Nine two, and that's why they finished in that order over the week: Nine’s highest ranked program was the Sunday evening 6 pm News.

It’s a long time to Saturday in a week in TV land if your best performed program is so early in the week.

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