Seven wins week while ABC rises

Source: David Dale, Sun Herald blogs

The ABC is going gangbusters at the moment, and not just because of youth-appeal shows such as Spicks and Specks and The Gruen Transfer. Last week, for the first time in living memory, the ABC's news beat Channel Nine's news, by averaging 1.21 million viwers to Nine's 1.20m. Its documentary series Wild China (1.26m) and The New Inventors (1.06m) made up for the surprisingly modest performance of the Jane Austen bonnet drama Northanger Abbey (931,000).

The other national broadcaster, SBS, is also doing well, thanks to Top Gear (826,000) and Food Safari (443,000).

Channel Seven won the week with 28.2 per cent of the prime time audience, while Nine got 26.3, Ten 20.7, the ABC 18.8 and SBS 5.6. The most watched shows were Seven news Sunday, with 1.88 million; 60 Minutes (9) 1.62m; and Australia's Got Talent (7) 1.59m (Top 40 below).

The most watched programs on Pay TV included Australia's Next Top Model (Fox8) with 311,000; the rugby league match between Storm and Cowboys (FoxSports2) with 269,000 and Selling Houses Australia (Lifestyle) with 204,000.

What Australia watched, week ending June 21
1 SEVEN NEWS - SUN Network 7 1,878,000
2 60 MINUTES Network 9 1,616,000
3 AUSTRALIA'S GOT TALENT Network 7 1,593,000
4 SEVEN NEWS Network 7 1,575,000
5 NCIS Network TEN 1,572,000
6 DOMESTIC BLITZ Network 9 1,544,000
7 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS Network 7 1,510,000
8 SEA PATROL II - THE COUP Network 9 1,489,000
9 BORDER SECURITY - AUSTRALIA'S FRONT LINE (R) Network 7 1,456,000
10 CSI Network 9 1,449,000
11 BATTLE OF THE CHOIRS Network 7 1,447,000
12 NINE NEWS SUNDAY Network 9 1,435,000
13 TODAY TONIGHT Network 7 1,414,000
14 SEVEN NEWS - SAT Network 7 1,406,000
15 DAVID ATTENBOROUGH'S ELEPHANT - A SPY IN THE HERD Network 9 1,389,000