With the 2014 ratings year now concluded, the Nine Network boasts three of the highest rating programs of the year. 

The second Rugby League State of Origin match between NSW and Queensland is the No. 1 show of the year, with a massive combined metro and regional average audience of 4.064 million. It is also the only program to smash through the four million viewer mark. 

The first Rugby League State of Origin match is the second most watched program of 2014, with a national average audience of 3.981 million. 

And the NRL Grand Final, in which the South Sydney Rabbitohs won their first NRL Premiership in 43 years when they defeated the Canterbury Bulldogs, becomes the third most watched program of the year, with a national average audience of 3.965 million. Furthermore, the 2.621 million metro audience for the NRL Grand Final gives it the honour of being the highest rating NRL match of all time, across the five mainland capitals.

Seven is the most-watched network on primary channels and combined audiences of primary and digital channels. This is Seven’s eighth consecutive year of market leadership in primetime. Building on this leadership in primetime, Seven is number 1 in breakfast television for the eleventh
consecutive year and number 1 in morning television for the eighth consecutive year.

Driven by My Kitchen Rules, House Rules and The X Factor, Seven dominates the most-watched series on television with 5 of the top 10, 8 of the top 20 and 16 of the top 40 programmes. A Place To Call Home and Downton Abbey dominated Sunday nights.

Commenting, Seven’s Director of Programming, Angus Ross, said: “Seven is all about consistency and trust. With the right mix of Australian-made programming, live sport and the best of international programming, Seven is number one for the eighth year in a row. You can’t get much more consistent than that. We also continue to acknowledge the leadership of Sunrise and The Morning Show across breakfast and morning television.”

Commenting, Seven’s Director of Production, Brad Lyons, said “We’ve made more local shows this year than ever before and the audiences have demonstrated they love it. My Kitchen Rules is the number one programme of the year and House Rules continues to build as the biggest new franchise. Our success with INXS and The Killing Field, the continuing delivery of Better Homes and Gardens and the massive inroads we have delivered at 5.30pm with Million Dollar Minute coupled with Home and Away’s extraordinary performance at 7:00pm underline our 2014. We’re looking forward to 2015.”

Network Ten ended the 2014 ratings year as the only free-to-air television network to increase its audience among 25-to-54-year-olds.

Network Ten’s prime time 25 to 54 audience grew 2.2% during the year, while its total people audience was up 2.6%. The network also posted audience growth in under 55s and over 55s. The growth in 25 to 54s and total people represented the first time Network Ten had achieved increases in those demographics since 2011. 

After early May, the main TEN channel lifted its prime time audience 38.3% in 25 to 54s, 34% in total people and 37.3% in under 55s compared with the preceding 10 weeks (excluding Easter), thanks to the success of programs such as MasterChef Australia, Offspring, Family Feud, The Bachelor Australia, The Living Room, the XX Commonwealth Games and others.

Network Ten Chief Executive Officer, Hamish McLennan, said: “Our strategy of focusing on 25 to 54s and Event TV, including premium live sport, was fully implemented from May this year. That strategy, plus a sharper focus on promotions and marketing, is attracting more viewers and creating more consistent results. 

“We saw strong audience growth for the TEN channel from early May on, particularly among 25 to 54s. Across the year, TEN increased its audience in 30 of the 63 half-hours in prime time each week. TEN also increased its prime time audience on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

“Our multi-channels ONE and ELEVEN performed very well during 2014. ONE increased its total people audience 29.3%. In late July to early August, ONE posted the biggest weekly audience ever for any multi-channel thanks to the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland,” Mr McLennan said.

Nine News is Australia’s No. 1 nightly news service for the second year running, wrapping up the ratings period with an average weeknight audience of 1.109 million across the five mainland capitals, compared to 1.081 million for Seven News – an average lead of 28,000 viewers each weeknight. 

·         In Sydney, Nine News achieved an average weeknight audience of 334,000,compared to Seven News which recorded a 2014 average weeknight audience of 256,000 (down 9% year-on-year) – an average lead of 78,000 viewers each weeknight. Nine News in Sydney won all 40 of the 2014 ratings weeks and has not lost a ratings survey week since November 2012. Nine News in Sydney has won the past 82 ratings weeks back-to-back. 

·         In Melbourne, Nine News achieved an average weeknight audience of 378,000,compared to Seven News which recorded a 2014 average weeknight audience of283,000 (down 7.6% year-on-year) – an average lead of 95,000 viewers each weeknight. Nine News in Melbourne won all 40 of the 2014 ratings weeks and has not lost a ratings survey week in more than three years. Nine News in Melbourne has won the past 121 ratings weeks back-to-back. 

·         In Brisbane, Nine News achieved an average weeknight audience of 235,000,compared to Seven News which recorded a 2014 average weeknight audience of 212,000 million (down 15.6% year-on-year) – an average lead of 23,000 viewers each weeknight. Nine News in Brisbane won 36 of the 40-week ratings year in 2014. Nine News in Brisbane this year recorded some of its biggest ever margins over Seven News since the introduction of OzTam in 2001.

 

Full list of Top 100 programs of the year (Metro and Regional combined) as follows: