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Nine’s Olympics coverage dominates Sunday, but down on Athens Games

Nine’s Olympic coverage claimed the top two spots for Sunday night on day two of the Games.

London Live: Early Evening won the day taking 2.144m, across the five city metro market, according to preliminary ratings from OzTam. It was followed by London Live: Evening, which took 1.919m.

The figures come after a disappointing audience for the opening ceremony for Nine on Saturday, which recorded the lowest Australian audience since the current OzTam system began.

The figures are about 10% down on the 2004 Athens Olympics, the most similar games to London in terms of time difference.

Steve Allen, of Fusion Strategy told Mumbrella: “The Athens Olympics is the fairest comparison to London due to the time difference. Being two hours later than Athens, we don’t expect the peak night to do as well as Athens. So far we’d say it’s not. But its within 10% or so which is what we expected.”

According to Allen, Day two of Athens had a peak average of 2.31m.

The network’s coverage was dotted throughout OzTam’s top 50 across both Nine and simulcast on HD digital channel, Gem.

London Gold, Sunday’s morning review show from Day One highlights, was sixth, taking 902,000, while London Live: Late was 12th with 656,000 and London Gold’s afternoon show was 14th on 573,000.

London on Gem D2 was the multi-channel’s highest rating show, placing 28th with 316,000.

Foxtel, also broadcasting the Olympics did 770,742 across 8.30pm-10.30pm, according to Nine.

Allen said: “Foxtel has got good lifts out of Saturday and Sunday. But it hasn’t taken much share from free-to-air. It’s nice it has good audiences, but has it taken any share? No.”

Nine News Sunday, at 6pm, rounded out the podium finish for the network, taking 1.737m.

Across the key advertising demographics, Nine maintained the top three placings, while MasterChef Australia All Stars climbed to fourth across 16-39 and 18-49, but was back in seventh spot for 25-54.

Seven New Sunday was fourth overall and the network’s highest show on 1.334m, followed by Sunday Night in fifth spot with 1.219m.

MasterChef Australia All Stars was Ten’s highest rating show with 752,000. The ABC News was the public broadcaster’s most watched show in eighth spot on 728,000.

More to follow

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