ABC’s election night coverage beats the commercial stations, as Seven claims victory for the week
The ABC’s election coverage, Australia Votes, was the most watched program of Saturday night as Australians across the nation tuned in to watch the cliff hanger election result.
According to the Oztam preliminary numbers, the ABC had an average metropolitan audience of 858,000 at its peak compared with 606,000 for Nine’s Election 2016: Australia Decides and Seven’s Federal Election 2016 coverage which had 318,000.
Seven’s ratings result was impacted by Saturday night’s AFL game between the Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs which which drew 295,000 in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Meanwhile the Oztam numbers show that the ABC metro audience peaked between 8pm and 11pm at around 1.2m.
The ABC has, this afternoon, sought to trumpet the ratings result, noting that nationally average audiences was much higher peaking between 8.00-9.30pm AEST when it had an average audience of 1.7m across the two channels of ABC and ABC News 24.
The public broadcaster also saw strong number of Australians watching online with the ABC’s digital division recording some of the highest number it has ever recorded, with news and current affairs achieving 2.8m visitors, 4.3m visits and 20.5m page views, a result that is double the traffic recorded for the 2013 election.
Over on Ten, which did not have rolling coverage of the close election result, it’s most watched show was Bondi Vet with 304,000 viewers while a repeat of the Tom Cruise movie Mission Impossible drew 295,000 viewers.
In the overall viewing audiences for the week, Seven has narrowly claimed another week in the ratings year with a 19.5% share to Nine’s 19.4% share while Ten, buoyed by the strong performance of Masterchef had 16.4% share on its main channel.
Seven has now won 15 weeks of the ratings year to Nine’s four.
I found the ABC’s coverage to be far more accurate and reliable than the commercial stations. The ABC had called the seats and virtually had it done and dusted while the Nine panel was grovelling to one of the Nine directors (Peter Costello) and Seven was broadcasting endless interviews with Hanson and Xenophon. Judging by the ratings, most people thought the same and realised that he real action was on Aunty which from almost the moment counting started was leaving Nine and Seven long behind.
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I normally can’t stand Alan jones but he was an inspired choice by channel 7. Excellent coverage surprisingly.
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Seven actually showed the AFL match between Carlton and Collingwood in Melbourne and Adelaide. The Swans-Bulldogs clash was shown on 7mate in Sydney only.
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I flicked around and felt the ABC’s coverage was by far the best
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Agree Megan, was glued to Seven’s broadcast.
The grub comment live to air [You Tube] and Latham’s/Sam’s barbs…the best.
Seven won the night hands down for the most entertaining night.
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Interesting that 30% of the electorate has voted for a party other than the LNP and Labor.
Rather than slogans, it would be a good idea for politicians to just be upfront leading up to an election. ‘Jobs and growth’, ‘budget deficit’ – splurge, zzzzz, yeah right, pull the other one… Many independents are up front and honest and saying it as it is. The Greens and Xenophon are too. They seem to have integrity. Bipartisanship is a good thing. Keep the bstard’s honest.
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Switched over to SBS once the TDF started. Then found their roundup later in the night most interesting especially as it was all female presenters. That has to be a first for any channel
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