Battle set for TV ratings year with commercial networks firing in first big test of the year
The stage is set for a fierce TV ratings battle in 2023. There was a clear winner in the first big test of the year. Poll: Which reality TV show do you prefer to watch?
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There was a very clear winner in the first big night of TV ratings for 2023.
In a first snapshot of the overnight viewing figures, Married At First Sight almost doubled the audience of both commercial competitors as Ten launched the latest season of Survivor and Seven pushed forward with a much hyped revamped Australian Idol.
Taking into account five city metro market figures, MAFS drew an audience of 840,000 viewers, ahead of Survivor at 447,000 and Idol at 413,000.
A full picture will be available once catch-up figures are calculated, meaning people watching on demand, in a week.
Media commentator Vivienne Kelly noted that initial overnight figures provide a strong snapshot of appetite for a show.
“The numbers are so split at the moment, and not everyone tunes in at the exact moment it’s broadcasting on linear TV,” Kelly explained.
“So they’ll get some extra wins over the week, as people binge some episodes over the next few days. But overnight ratings give an indication of how effectively a TV show has been marketed and the talkability factor of a show.”
She added that many people would want to watch multiple of the reality formats – MAFS, Idol and Survivor — but when pushed MAFS came out on top.
“There’s quite a lot of people out there that will want to watch at least two of those three programs, so they have to make a choice,” Kelly noted.
“And the choice for people becomes ‘I have to watch MAFS now because this is the one people will be talking about, outraged about, and need to know who the villain and hero is’.
“They can’t wait to catch up because at that point you’re already behind.”
First look national figures, taking in five city metro and regional markets plus initial live streaming, MAFS attracted an audience of 1.224 million people, ahead of Idol at 711,000 and Survivor at 610,000.
James Manning, Mediaweek editor-in-chief and industry commentator, noted that the scene is set for a fierce ratings battle in 2023.
“The Monday after the Australian Open ends is when trench warfare starts in the free-to-air TV industry,” he said.
“It is going to be a long war though, fought out over 40 survey weeks on 280 ratings nights. The new Total TV data (released a week later and including live streaming and on-demand) will reveal who really has a grip on second place.”
Kelly meanwhile said Seven’s Idol figures were lower than they would have hoped for given its hefty media campaign and a strong lead-in from Home And Away.
Idol is back after a 13-year hiatus — with new judges Kyle Sandilands, Meghan Trainor, Amy Shark and Harry Connick Jr — and previously screened on Channel 10.
Comparatively, the first episode of the first season of Idol that aired in July 2003, drew a viewership of 1.64 million people. To be fair, viewing habits have changed dramatically.
Last year, Seven launched The Voice: Generations to start the year. Its metro figure was 529,000 people.
“The risk with Idol is there will be a few key performances that really matter and people can watch those as they do the rounds on social media, rather than investing in the entire program from start to finish,” Kelly said.
“And we’re in a very different time to when Idol was in its heyday. It has the nostalgia factor, and the excitement of bringing something back from peoples’ childhoods, but I don’t know if that’s enough to compel people to tune in.”
Kelly added that Survivor did well, considering Ten’s latest season of The Bachelor was a flop.
“The fact it did outrate Idol is a positive for 10 because far more people would’ve been seeing those ads for Idol than for Survivor, so it’s cut through that noise despite struggling with Bachelors,” she said.
“Everybody would’ve wanted higher numbers last night, for the battle between three tent pole programs, but 10 will be happy to be in there with those numbers.”
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