Seven might have won the final week of the year, but Nine has emerged as #1 across the survey year, the 40 weeks it has branded its best year ever.
Nine wins for the first time in over a decade, ending Seven’s 12-year run as TV’s #1 network.
Nine’s key achievements cross the 2019 survey year:
• No. 1 Network All Key Demographics
• No. 1 Primary Channel All Key Demographics
• No. 1 Commercial Free-to-air BVOD: 9Now
• No. 1 Overall Program: State of Origin Game 1
• No. 1 Overall Regular Program: Married at First Sight
• No. 1 New Program: Lego Masters
• No. 1 & No. 2 Reality Series: Married at First Sight & The Block
• No. 1 & No. 2 & No. 3 Light Entertainment Series: Lego Masters, Australian Ninja Warrior & The Voice
• No. 1 Comedy Program: Hamish & Andy’s “Perfect” Holiday
• No. 1 Sports Program: State of Origin
• No. 1 Weekly Public Affairs Program: 60 Minutes
• No. 1 Daily Public Affairs Program: A Current Affair
• No. 1 Multichannel Program: The Ashes (4th Test, Day 5, Session 1)
“Four years ago we made the strategic decision to focus on the thing that matters most to advertisers – the key demographics,” said Michael Stephenson, Nine’s chief sales officer.
“We are pleased to have won another year in the key demographics driven by the most consistent slate of premium content that engages millions of Australians every week across every platform.”
In a note to Nine staff as they celebrated the ratings achievement, Stephenson added: “This is also our last year at Willoughby – the place where Australian television was born – and I believe the achievements of this year are a real career highlight for us all and showcase what we can achieve when everyone works together and is at the top of their game.
“It sets us up well for cracking 2020 – where we will again have the biggest and best shows in Australia – and where we’ll move into a new era when we move into North Sydney.
“I am also excited for how television has worked in with publishing. Not only have we showcased our ability to dominate the news conversation through joint investigations (across The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age/60 Minutes) but we have also shown the power television can bring to incredible publishing brands like Domain and Good Food. We have been very pleased with the first series of Your Domain, which has done brilliant numbers on TV and digital and we can’t wait for Australia to get a taste of the Good Food Christmas Special which launches next Saturday.”
Seven highlights wins, prepares to challenge Nine in 2020
New Seven West Media CEO James Warburton didn’t inherit a great second half, although Seven did shine in a number of places. It has reminded commercial partners about those wins and talked up its 2020 schedule.
Commenting on the results of the 2019 ratings survey year, Angus Ross, Seven’s head of programming, said: “We have a lot to be proud of at Seven in 2019. 7NEWS and 7Sport have delivered dominant results, with 7NEWS, Sunrise, AFL and Cricket all number one this year, resulting in Seven being the number one network from 0600-2400.
“Next year, we’re going to build on our news and sport foundation, by refreshing existing programs, and adding six new stripped programs focusing on 25-54s to our prime time entertainment schedule: Pooch Perfect, Farmer Wants a Wife, Big Brother, Mega Mini Golf, SAS: Who Dares Wins and Plate of Origin. With bigger shows and bigger stars, combined with the power of 7NEWS, AFL, Cricket and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics – Seven will deliver in 2020.”
Specific accomplishments confirmed by Seven include:
• 7NEWS was number one for the 16th consecutive year, and has won 312 of 334 nights this year, averaging 940,000 metro viewers each night.
• Sunrise was number one for the 14th consecutive year and hasn’t lost a morning all year. Sunrise reaches an average of 3 million metro viewers every month.
• Seven’s coverage of the AFL was once again the number one winter sport, reaching 15 million viewers across the premiership season.
• Seven’s coverage of the Cricket is set to be the number one summer sport, already reaching 7.84 million viewers since the start of the first test between Australia and Pakistan on November 21.
10 notes recent growth and success with 7.30 formats for under 50s
In its 2019 summary Network 10 has focused on its demos and key timeslots:
Network 10 heads into 2020 with four consecutive months of year-on-year commercial share growth in under 50s and all key demos (16 to 39s, 18 to 49s and 25 to 54s).
10’s second half highlights:
• Australian Survivor achieving its biggest audience ever, up 10% on 2018.
• The Masked Singer Australia launching as 10’s biggest new show since The Bachelorette Australia in 2015.
• The Bachelorette Australia growing 24% year-on-year and becoming 10 Play’s #1 show.
• The Rugby World Cup 2019 seeing significant growth on the 2015 World Cup.
• The 2019 Melbourne Cup Carnival reaching 4.1 million Australians nationally.
10 Bold continuing its momentum, with 43 weeks of year-on-year audience growth.
Network 10’s chief executive officer Paul Anderson said: “Network 10 achieved a lot over the past year, from establishing a powerful new sales team and investing in data and technology, to making television advertising even more effective, to expanding our digital media assets and investing in great new content such as The Masked Singer Australia and the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
“We are growing, across all our platforms. Our commercial share in under 50s and other key age groups is increasing. Our advertising revenue share is growing. Our digital platforms are posting record audiences.
“Our shows are engaging, innovative, noisy and connect emotionally with Australians like few others can. The GoFundMe page set up for Australian Survivor’s Luke Toki after he was voted out of the game and Waleed Aly’s monologue on The Project following the heartbreaking Christchurch massacre are just two examples of our ability to connect with people like no other network.
“Next year, for the first time in our history, we have a true 50-week schedule of known content – content that is familiar, brand-friendly and taps into the younger age groups who are very hard to reach at scale. As part of one of the biggest global content creators in the world, we are absolutely focused on making great content that creates conversations beyond the actual broadcast – across digital and social.”
Network 10’s chief content officer Beverley McGarvey said: “It’s been a big year for 10 as we bedded down our 50 weeks of entertainment programming strategy. It’s great to see strong momentum as we move into 2020 with year-on-year commercial share growth in under 50s and all key demos.
“We took some big swings this year and, in many cases, they paid off – 75% of our big domestic 7.30pm franchises are returning next year.
“Our entertainment programming performed strongly. 10 had the most shows of any commercial network in the top 20 entertainment shows of the year across under 50s and all the key demos.
“We started the year re-inventing summer programming by launching I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! two weeks earlier than in the past, and against the traditional summer sport. The show beat the cricket every single night it was up against it and beat the tennis more than half the nights it competed against it. The show finished with its highest ever commercial share.
“While the 2019 ratings period has finished, we’re continuing to run new content right up until Christmas before we kick it all off again on Sunday 5 January 2020 when we return to the jungle for a brand new season of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!.”
Network 10’s chief sales officer Rod Prosser said: “In 2020, we’ll be delivering a consistent line-up with all the shows you know and love, across more platforms than ever.
“Better yet, we’re also making it easier to trade across these platforms. Our dynamic trading platform Buy10 launched in October and next year, thanks to our partnership with You.i TV, we’re revolutionising the advertising experience on our apps.
“Next year will also see the highly anticipated launch of VOZ, which will better communicate a show’s total audience across all platforms. And we committed to creating a dedicated demand side platform for all agencies to access our inventory.”