The Sun-Herald

The TV year 2009: The spins are in

To mark the end of the "official" ratings year, the networks have started telling their tales. Amazingly, it seems that everybody won. First, lets look at the undisputed top 40 most watched shows of the year. Then we'll see how each network told its story.

The most watched programs of 2009
1 Masterchef Australia - Winner Announced (10) 3.74m; 2 AFL grand final (10) 2.88m; 3 Melbourne Cup - The Race (7) 2.67m; 4 Underbelly: A Tale of Two Cities (9) 2.58m; 5 NRL grand final (9) 2.53m; 6 Tennis: Australian Open, Dokic last game (7) 2.32m; 7 State of Origin Game 1 (9) 2.32m; 8 Hey Hey Reunion part two (9) 2.31m; 9 Tennis: Aus Open Men's Final (7) 2.24m; 10 Hey Hey Reunion (9) 2.17m; 11 State of Origin 2 (9) 2.13m; 12 Cricket: Twenty/20 Aus v South Africa Game 2 (9) 2.12m; 13 The Biggest Loser: Winner Announced (10) 2.10m; 14 Cricket: Twenty/20 Aus v S. Africa Game 1 (9) 2.04m; 15 Packed to the Rafters (7) 2.07m; 16 State of Origin 3 (9) 1.91m; 17 Logies (9) 1.69; 18 Seven news bushfire edition (7) 1,64; 19 Talkin Bout Your Generation (10) 1.60m; 20 Seven News Sunday (7) 1.59m; 21 Thank God You're here (70 1.52m; 22 World's Strictest parents (7) 1.51m; 23 Border Security (7) 1.50m; 24 Find My Family (7) 1.49m; 25 Seven News Mon-Fri (7) 1.48m; 26 The Zoo (7) 1.47m; 27 NCIS (10) 1.45m; 28 Dancing With The Stars (7) 1.44m; 29 RSPCA Animal Rescue (7) 1.43m; 30 Midsomer Murders (ABC) 1.42m; 31 Surf Patrol (7) 1.41m; 32 Nine News Sunday (9) 1.40m; 33 Triple Zero Heroes (7) 1.39m; 34 Customs (9) 1.38m; 35 Last Chance Surgery (7) 1.38m 1.38m; 36 Australia's Got Talent (7) 1.37m; 37 AirWays (7) 1.37m; 38 Today Tonight (7) 1.37m; 39 Merlin (10) 1.36m; 40 Highway Patrol (7) 1.35m.

CHANNEL NINE'S SPIN
". Nine wins 25-54 demographic across 5 city, official OzTAM results, 6pm-midnight, network on network
. Across all programing, Nine finishes year with 10 of the 20 best performing shows
Nine has the Number 1 rating program -- Underbelly: Tale of Two Cities.
. The Nine network has again delivered on its target demographic in 2009 by claiming for the second consecutive year the number one spot in the advertiser-preferred 25-54 demographic across the 5 city metro."

THE ABC's SPIN
"In a year dominated by fierce competition between networks and the launch of four new free-to-air channels, ABC TV has increased its share of free-to-air viewers in 2009 by broadening its appeal through ABC1 and ABC2.
ABC TV recorded a prime time share of 17.1% (weeks 7- 48, free-to-air 5 city) 0.1 of a point higher than 2008, which had previously been its most successful ratings year ever.
Complementing the increase in share within the free-to-air TV market, ABC iView has recorded a 140% increase in monthly average visits compared to 2008 and in October there was a record 1 million visits. In addition, more than 7 million vodcasts of ABC content have been downloaded in 2009 (to end of October).
2009 is the first full year that ABC2 has been part of the ratings cycle and its people share during prime time increased to 1.2% - double that of 2008. In week 46, ABC2 hit a new peak to reach 2.6 million viewers or 17.6% of the 5 city population.
Kim Dalton, Director of ABC TV said "The free-to-air TV landscape this year is hardly recognisable from even just 12 months ago. I'm delighted that ABC TV has been able to grow its audience in this tough environment, and in fact, has been at the forefront of this revolution. Come December 4, even more viewers are set to come on board with the launch of the new kids' channel, ABC3.
Top 6 Programs on ABC1
5 Cities
Spicks and Specks - 27th May (1.6 million; 32.5% FTA Share)
The Chaser's War on Everything - 27th May (1.5 million; 32.1% FTA Share)
Midsomer Murders - 4th October (1.5 million; 31.2% FTA Share)
The Gruen Transfer - 20th May (1.3 million; 26.1% FTA Share)
New Tricks - 13th June (1.3 million; 31.2% FTA Share)
Australian Story - 22nd June (1.3 million; 24.7% FTA Share)"

CHANNEL TEN'S SPIN
". Network Ten Total (TEN + ONE combined) wins the year in prime-time in 18-49 with a 33.7% share
. Network Ten Total (TEN + ONE combined) wins the year in prime-time in 16-39 with a 37.0% share
TEN (primary channel):
. TEN wins the year in prime-time in 16-39 and under 50s
. TEN is competitive in 18-49 with a 33.5% share; Year-on-year share in 18-49 is up by 2.9%; Year-on-year audience in 18-49 is up by 1.5%
. TEN wins 16-39 for 9th straight year; Year-on-year share in 16-39 is up by 2.7%
. TEN's year-on-year share in 25-54 is up by 4.7%; year-on-year audience in 25-54 is up by 4.9%
. TEN's year-on-year total share is up by 5.5%; Year-on-year audience is up by 4.0%.
TEN wins the year in daytime; TEN News At Five is the year's top regular daytime program
. TEN delivers the top 3 shows of 2009: MasterChef Australia - The Winner Announced, MasterChef Australia - Finale Night and The AFL Grand Final."

CHANNEL SEVEN'S SPIN
". Seven wins primetime in total viewers, 18-49s, and 25-54s in 2009
We'll leave Nine and Ten to attempt to spin their stories, and only wonder why you'd combine multiple channel audiences and redefine primetime to get a story. We'd rather let the facts speak for themselves.
. For the third consecutive year Seven is #1 in primetime and also #1 for the fourth consecutive year overall (across the 6am to midnight broadcast day) ...
. We have more total viewers, 18-49s and 25-54s in prime time than anyone else. And while we love our new channel, 7TWO, we don't need to add in its expanding audience to make up a story on how well Seven is going (which is very nicely and thankyou for asking)."

PAY TV'S SPIN
"In the first 48 weeks of the year, subscription TV was the number one choice for TV viewing around Australia with 22.4% of all metropolitan viewing between 6am and midnight, 21.4% of all regional viewing and 58.2% of all viewing in subscription TV homes. Even when the 2009 summer period is excluded (ie looking at weeks 7-48 only), STV was a clear winner. This year demonstrated the traditional strengths of subscription TV with a wide variety of sport, news and entertainment programs.

"The April broadcast of Live: Football: World Cup Qual. Aust v Uzbekistan topped the year for subscription TV with 431,000 viewers and set an all time audience record for the industry. The South Africa cricket tests earlier in the year proved popular, with Live: Cricket: Test RSA v AUS Day 2 S1 being watched by 358,000 people in March. The NRL series also scored significant audiences across the season with the Live: NRL Bulldogs v Storm match getting the biggest audience for the code with 347,000 viewers in May (all on FOX Sports).

"Australia's Next Top Model Live Finale on FOX8 in July topped the year in entertainment with 285,000 viewers watching the live finale. Live: Sound Relief Melbourne on Channel [V] was a major initiative for the platform and set an audience record for the channel with 220,000 viewers watching the charity concert in March.

"Project Runway Australia: Finale on Arena was watched by 191,000 in September and the Sky News' broadcast of Victoria Bushfire Disaster - Live Coverage provided subscription TV viewers with timely and comprehensive updates on the tragedy in February. The Disney Original Movie Princess Protection Program gathered 157,000 viewers to its broadcast in July and the Stargate: Universe premiere on SCI FI in October was watched by 149,000 people."

More to come as the argument proceeds. This is almost as good as the Liberal Party. The Tribal Mind column on Saturday December 5 will explain who were the real winners and losers of 2009 by analysing audience sizes rather than shares of an ever-diminishing cake.

David Dale is the author of The Little Book of Australia -- A snapshot of who we are (Allen and Unwin). For daily updates on Australian attitudes, bookmark blogs.sunherald.com.au/whoweare.