News

NRL season opener audience drops as Seven’s State of Affairs also slides

The return of the NRL last night saw a more muted welcome than last year with 653,000 Sydney and Brisbane viewers tuning in to see the Brisbane Broncos take on South Sydney Rabbitohs at 7.30pm on Channel Nine.

The audience was down from last year’s round one match audience of 756,000 which was also broadcast in the two territories only. The Footy Show, airing directly after the game in Brisbane and Sydney at 9.50pm, pulled an audience of 286,000.

The depleted audience for the ‘Grand Opener’ meant Nine was pipped by Seven in terms of audience share, despite a poor ratings result for Seven’s American espionage thriller series State of Affairs.

Nine managed a share of 20.6 per cent while Seven won with a share of 21.6 per cent. Ten claimed third place with a share of 13.9 per cent as the ABC settled for a share of 11.1 per cent.

State of Affairs saw its audience plummet on its third outing, dropping from 523,000 metro viewers to 389,000 metro viewers in the 9pm timeslot.

In time-shifted viewing, State of Affairs was watched by an extra 125,000 viewers, taking last week’s episodes total audience to 649,000.

Seven’s My Kitchen Rules in the 7.30pm timeslot was the most-watched show of the evening, pulling a metro audience of 1.433m, with the show the most watched across all the demographics.

It easily out-rated Ten’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here which was watched by 614,000 metro viewers, up on last week’s audience of 562,000. It was beaten by the ABC’s 7.30 which was watched by 671,000.

Also on Ten, Gogglebox continues to improve its ratings, claiming an audience of 503,000, up on last week’s audience of 493,000. It was the second most watched show amongst people aged 16-39.

Nine showed an array of other programs in the three other markets in place of the NRL, with kings Cross ER the common thread at 7.30pm picking up 185,000 viewers.

Meanwhile on the ABC, Outback ER was watched by 514,000 at 8pm and drama Hiding at 8.30pm pulled a metro audience of 383,000.

In news, Nine News at 6pm won the night with a metro audience of 935,000, dropping to 917,000 at 6.30pm. Seven News at 6pm was watched by 836,000, dropping to 788,000 at 6.30pm.

Top 15 Shows:

1 MY KITCHEN RULES-THU Network 7 1,433,000
2 NINE NEWS Network 9 935,000
3 NINE NEWS 6:30 Network 9 917,000
4 SEVEN NEWS Network 7 836,000
5 ABC NEWS-EV Network ABC 815,000
6 SEVEN NEWS / TODAY TONIGHT Network 7 788,000
7 HOME AND AWAY Network 7 759,000
8 7.30-EV Network ABC 671,000
9 THURSDAY NIGHT NRL LIVE Network 9 653,000
10 I’M A CELEBRITY…GET ME OUT OF HERE! THURS Network TEN 614,000
11 A CURRENT AFFAIR Network 9 613,000
12 FAMILY FEUD Network TEN 559,000
13 HOT SEAT Network 9 529,000
14 TEN EYEWITNESS NEWS FIRST AT FIVE Network TEN 528,000
15 OUTBACK ER-EV Network ABC 514,000

Audience Share:

Network 7 21.6%
Network 9 20.6%
Network TEN 13.9%
Network ABC 11.1%
Network 7TWO 6.2%
Network SBS ONE 4.4%
Network GO! 4.3%
Network 7mate 4.0%
Network Gem 3.1%
Network ABC2 2.5%
Network ELEVEN 2.5%
Network ONE 2.4%
Network ABC News 24 1.7%
Network ABC3 0.8%
Network SBS 2 0.8%
Network NITV 0.1%

Total Audience Share:

Network 7 TTL 31.8%
Network 9 TTL 28.0%
Network TEN TTL 18.7%
Network ABC TTL 16.1%
Network SBS TTL 5.3%

Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2013. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of OzTAM.

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