Their ABC? Viewers turned off aunty in 2014

AUDIENCES across the board have turned off the national broadcaster at three times the rate of commercial channels, ratings figures show.

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AUDIENCES across the board have turned off the national broadcaster at three times the rate of commercial channels, ratings figures show.

The ABC lost 3.95 per cent of group audience across all channels last year, even suffering a 3.8 per cent decline in prime time among its traditional older demographic of over-55s, The Australian reports.

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The figures from ratings body OzTAM show the ABC’s main channel suffered the largest drop in audience share of the main networks, falling from 11 per cent in 2013 to 10.08 per cent last year in the 16-54 age group.

The ABC as a whole lost audience at about twice the rate of the Seven, Nine and Ten networks, and about three times the rate against their main channels.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten gives a speech at a rally against the ABC media cuts.

Jonathan Holmes holds up a petition he planned to present to the to ABC Board.

“The ABC’s main channel does not have enough fresh programming to maintain the eyeballs,” media analyst Steve Allen told The Australian.

The audience drops came before the government announced the much-publicised budget cuts to the organisation of $250 million over five years.

The commercial networks, operating in a contracting advertising market, mostly held on to its audiences.

ABC supporters, including Greens leader Christine Milne, rally outside Parliament House.

The May 2013 federal budget allocated $1.07 billion to the ABC.

An ABC spokesman said he “strongly rejects” the suggestion that the national broadcaster performed badly in 2014, pointing to the success of online catch-up service iView.

“It’s worth noting the ABC is actively encouraging uptake of viewing on iView and it once again finished the year as the number one online TV destination — iView program plays saw an increase of 29 per cent year-on-year,” he said.

Gino Luglietti takes a selfie at the ABC rally in Civic Park against funding cuts.