Who is number one in television?
Seven West Media has taken a direct, and public, swipe at competitor Nine Entertainment over the sometimes vexed question of who leads in television ratings.
Nine hasn’t responded to claims its reading of the ratings numbers is “desperate” and “misleading”.
The fight broke out as networks started pitching their viewpoints at the end of the ratings year.
Seven West CEO James Warburton released a statement at the weekend: “Seven is disappointed to read a number of false and misleading statements by Nine in its 2022 survey year ratings report.
“Seven is the #1 network nationally, #1 in metropolitan markets, #1 in regional markets, #1 in total TV and #1 in total TV advertising revenue.
“Nine can rightfully lay claim to winning the demographics in metropolitan markets, but it is not the most-watched or the #1 network. Those positions were won by Seven.
“While we all enjoy healthy competition in a hard-fought ratings race, Nine’s claims are desperate, misleading and wrong.”
This came after Nine on Friday released its ratings assessment: “The 9Network is Australia’s No.1 network, with Nine’s clear strategy of creating and distributing Australia's most watched content year round.
“The end of the 2022 ratings survey year marks the fourth consecutive year the 9Network has made a clean sweep of all key demos. 9Now is the clear number 1 commercial BVOD platform.”
No.1 network with all key demographics 25-54, 16-39, GS + Child across calendar year.
No.1 network with Total People across calendar year.
No.1 primary channel with all key demographics and Total People - across both calendar year and ratings survey period.
No.1 network and No. 1 primary channel with all key demographics and Total People - across both calendar year and ratings survey period (excluding Commonwealth Games).
No.1 commercial free-to-air BVOD platform - 9Now - with all key demographics and Total People.
No.1 highest rating program of the year. The Australian Open Women’s Final - Presentation recorded a Total TV audience of 4.1 million.
No.1 highest rating non-sports program of the year. The Block - Winner Announced with a Total TV audience of 2.664 million.
Channel 9 has 16 of the Top 20 programs of 2022 with Total People and 17 of the Top 20 programs with People 25-54 and 16-39, including all five of the Top 5.
In 2022, 9Now has recorded 15.7 billion Live + VOD minutes - a year-on-year increase of 19%.
Live streaming on 9Now has driven the huge increase with 7.9 billion live minutes streamed in 2022 to date - a year-on-year increase of 50%.
Michael Stephenson, Nine’s chief sales officer, said: “It doesn't matter how you want to look at it or how you want to cut the numbers, for the fourth year in a row, Nine is the undisputed leader.
“Number 1 16-39, number 1 25-54, number 1 Grocery Shopper with Child and number 1 in BVOD.
“We've got the biggest formats. We dominate from the beginning of the year until the end of the year. We've got the most consistent schedule, available across every screen. And next year is going to be even bigger.”
The day before, Seven said: “The Seven Network has finished the official 2022 ratings survey year as the undisputed #1 total TV network across Australia, ranking #1 nationally and across the capital cities.”
Australia’s #1 network and growing
#1 in 2022 survey year + calendar year
#1 in 16 to 39s
#1 in news, sport, drama, breakfast
#1 in 29 of 40 survey year weeks nationally
#1 in 21 of 40 survey year weeks in the capital cities
7plus: Up 16%, 10.6 billion minutes streamed
Kurt Burnette, Seven chief revenue officer, said: “We have a clear strategy for continued growth in content, audience and technology. With that in mind Seven has been building for something special over the course of 2022 into 2023 and beyond.
“This year was a winning year for Seven as the most-watched network. Our content and innovation plans for 2023 are electric.
"They include five new massive tentpole programs, new cultural sporting events to stop the nation, a brand new linear and live streamed channel with thousands of hours of new BVOD content, and 7NEWS leading nationwide. They will all help to create growth for partners in a trusted, easy and brand safe way.
“While our streaming numbers continue to soar and offer enormous opportunity for advertisers, it will be the combination with the powerful linear TV audience in a converged approach that will play a key part in advertiser success. Total TV is still unquestionably the most powerful way to reach Australians at scale and with Seven it will only get bigger next year.”
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