Most Watched Programs:

1 Prime News Monday to Friday PRIME 80000

2 Deal or no Deal PRIME 60000

3 Seven News Monday to Friday PRIME 59000

4 Border Security PRIME 56000

5 NBN Evening News Sunday NBN 56000

6 60 Minutes NBN 53000

7 McLeods Daughters NBN 53000

8 Seven News Saturday PRIME 50000

9 It Takes Two PRIME 50000

10 All Saints PRIME 49000

Station Ratings:

                    Week 28
2007     Week 28
2006     Prog
2007     Prog
2006

NBN                 27.0                 32.9                     30.6             32.8

PRIME             33.8                 34.9                     31.8             29.9

TEN                 20.1                 19.0                     19.6             20.4

ABC                 15.3                 10.4                     13.0             12.4

SBS                 3.9                    2.9                      4.9                4.4

Popularity: 1%

Most Watched Programs:

1 Sea Patrol NBN 106000
2 A Current Affair NBN 102000
3 NBN Evening News Monday to Friday NBN 97000
4 1 VS 100 NBN 96000
5 NBN Evening News Sunday NBN 95000
6 Big Dog Goodnight NBN 90000
7 Backyard Blitz NBN 88000
8 Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show NBN 84000
9 It Takes Two PRIME 81000
10 Getaway NBN 80000

Station Ratings:

                    Week 28 2007     Week 28
2006     Prog
2007     Prog
2006

NBN                 34.7                     37.0                 35.5             36.9

PRIME             24.2                     24.2                 25.2             22.5

TEN                 18.0                     17.8                 17.3             19.6

ABC                 16.3                     15.7                 16.3             15.7

SBS                 6.8                         5.3                 5.7                5.4

Popularity: 1%

Global warming rocked the boat for the cops in Sea Patrol last week, not by causing freak waves but by tempting 300,000 of their viewers over to the ABC.

The documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle pulled 1.1 million in the mainland capitals on Thursday night, and the debate that followed held onto 969,000 until 11pm — an extraordinary result for the national broadcaster. Against it, Sea Patrol attracted 1.7 million, down from nearly 2 million the previous week.

It was a solid result for Nine but not enough to help it win the week, even with the 1.3 million who watched Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on Saturday. The average prime time audience shares ended up as Seven 28.7 per cent, Nine 27.6, Ten 21.1, ABC 16.5 and SBS 6.1. SBS scored with Top Gear (753.000) and The Roman Empire (416,000)

Channel Ten began a Wednesday recovery when Thank Good You’re Here passed on a healthy audience to Dr House.

But Big Brother is suffering its worst season ever. At this nearly final stage, a BB episode should be at least in the ratings top 20. But BB’s best manifestation last week was the Friday Night Games, ranked at No 42 for the week, with 1.08 million.

Strangely, BB enjoyed a resurgence on Sunday. Whether because of the insertion of the talk jock Kyle Sandilands, or because, even with this boring bunch of housemates, there is some curiosity about the winner, the eviction show suddenly approached the kind of numbers it was getting back in the glory days.

Thanks to Midsomer Murders and The Worst Jobs in History, the ABC captured 20.1 per cent of the prime time audience, but Nine won the night with 28.2 per cent.

What Australia watched, week ending July 14

1 BORDER SECURITY Seven 1,867,000
2 IT TAKES TWO Seven 1,838,000
3 THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE 3 Ten 1,771,000
4 SURF PATROL Seven 1,694,000
5 SEVEN NEWS – SUN Seven 1,689,000
6 60 MINUTES Nine 1,677,000
7 SEA PATROL Nine 1,662,000
8 NINE NEWS SUNDAY Nine 1,642,000
9 GREY’S ANATOMY Seven 1,567,000
10 HOUSE Ten 1,517,000
11 ALL SAINTS Seven 1,464,000
12 SEVEN NEWS Seven 1,461,000
13 WHERE ARE THEY NOW Seven 1,391,000
14 TODAY TONIGHT Seven 1,387,000
15 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES Seven 1,369,000

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Popularity: 5%

Media Hunter is experiencing a very busy period at the moment. What do they say about the one-armed wallpaperer?

Besides my day job, there has been the recording, editing and release of the Hunter Region’s mighty new rock anthem "We Can’t Be Beaten" with Craig Rosie Rosevear and friends. The song is all part of the forthcoming concert on Newcastle Foreshore which has been quite an event to co-ordinate.

On Monday 16 July the Age of Conversation book will be released world-wide including my chapter on "Bringing it Back to Local". The book has been an amazing collaborative effort which I am proud to have been associated with.

Amongst all this is Media Hunter’s favourite annual sporting event…le Tour de France. Its not easy staying up to 2am watching skinny guys on bikes riding through the French countryside for 3 straight weeks, then going to work, but it wll be worth it if we manage an Aussie victory. Go Cadel!!!

In other news, local blogger The Marketer has taken on the task on compiling the Hunter’s Top 25 Blogs. This is a real sign of the times as blogs and other social media become more influential in our media mix. Thisis a great idea and I await the list with eagerness.

Popularity: 5%

Nielsen Media could be in danger of losing its long running reign on the radio ratings surveys following Commercial Radio Australia putting the lucrative market survey to tender.

The organisation has reportedly asked six parties to tender for the contract.

Nielsen has held the rights to the surveys for the last forty years and currently still employs the traditional diary method for data collection, but the industry representative is now considering migrating to electronic data collection.

Joan Warner from Commercial Radio Australia confirmed interest in moving to electronic data collection pending trials in overseas markets:

    “While we believe the diary system is working well and is the only proven and reliable ratings method used in the majority of the world at present, we are mindful that we must look at ways to improve the system.”

Nielsen is set to trial its electronic People Go Meter system later this year.

    “The results of these technical trials combined with results of consumer trials planned in the UK, Canada and the US this year and into 2008 will help us determine the future for electronic testing in this country.”

Tenders for the new ratings contract will close in September.

Source: The Australian

Popularity: 1%

Lara Sinclair, The Australian, July 10, 2007

THE commercial radio industry has given the clearest signal yet that the advertising industry could return to buoyant growth after metropolitan stations experienced a 10 per cent increase in revenues last month, compared with June 2006.

The increase, which included a marked uplift in the Sydney market, pushed revenues for the June half to $301 million, a 7.1 per cent increase on the same period last year.

Media buyers are predicting growth this year of up to 7 per cent across all media, with many tipping the strength in the market to continue into 2008.

But while online and pay-TV advertising were expected to be the key contributors, few expected a return to double-digit increases in more traditional media such as radio, while TV advertising has also been stronger than expected.

"Radio tends to have month-to-month-type changes but there’s no doubt an increase is under way," said media buyer Harold Mitchell, founder of the Mitchell Communications Group.

Mr Mitchell said upturns in the radio advertising market traditionally followed television, which is tipped to show growth of close to 7 per cent in the six months to June when official figures are released later this month.

"The last half for TV has done well," Mr Mitchell said.

"We’re yet to see over time whether that’s going to (continue) for radio."

Figures from Commercial Radio Australia, released yesterday, showed strong growth for the half in the Perth and Brisbane markets, while the biggest market of Sydney recovered from a weak December half to grow 5.3 per cent for the six months to June.

That was an improvement on the 12 months to June, when the industry grew 3.7 per cent to $619.5 million.

It was held back by a flat result in Sydney, which generates more than one in three dollars spent on metro radio.

Popularity: 1%

Speaking of community efforts…. a great initiative has been undertaken by local muso’s and marketers to say thanks to all the volunteers and heroes of the recent storms and floods in the Hunter Region.

Craig "Rosie" Rosevear, formerly of the Screaming Jets, currently with The Retro Rockets and DV8 and owner of Rosie’s School of Rock has decided to hold a tribute concert on the Newcastle Foreshore on July 22.

As part of the tribute he and a bunch of Newcastle music legends got together to record a roaring version of the old Rose Tattoo hit "We Can’t Be Beaten". The song was recorded at Tighes Hill TAFE, and an alternate version has been recorded featuring local SES workers.

Newcastle advertising agency Sticky is producing an accompanying video clip featuring the band, SES, Hunter Jaegers and images of the storm event. Sticky have also been co-ordinating the publicity and sponsorship for the CD and concert.

NBN Television have thrown their support behind the concert with a free advertising schedule, while ONE80 Digital Post are donating editing facilities for the production of the video clip.

Adding to the community driven flavour, the CD cover art is largely made up of images sourced from Flikr and used with permission of the owners.

Companion Credit Union have come on board as major sponsor of the event with a generous donation. The CD will be available from Companion branches from 18 July.

Finally, Newcastle-based "citizen powered media" site Hunters Best have become the information base for the event and CD launch.

This has all come together in a matter of days and demonstrate the power of a community pulling together fr a common cause.

Congratulations everyone involved.

Popularity: 1%

The Age of Conversation is coming.

A remarkable project involving over 100 of the world’s foremost marketing thinkers has resulted in  a new book called the Age of Conversation.

In only a few months Gavin Heaton and Drew McLellan have conceived, assembled and produced this project which is all about the power of community in marketing.

Launch date:  Monday, July 16th (world-wide)

Formats/Prices:

Hardbacks $29.99

Paperbacks $16.95

E-book $9.99

Background

Proceeds from the sale of the book will go to Variety.

Popularity: 5%

Most Watched Programs:

1  Sea Patrol  NBN  91000

2 State of Origin Game 3 Match NBN 88000

3 Prime News Monday to Friday PRIME 72000

4 60 Minutes NBN 70000

5 State of Origin Game 3 – Post Match NBN 68000

6 NBN Evening News Sunday NBN 62000

7 Where Are They Now PRIME 60000

8 State of Origin Game 3 – Pre Match NBN 60000

9 Seven News Monday to Friday PRIME 58000

10 Greys Anatomy PRIME 56000

Station Ratings:

                Week 27
2007     Week 27
2006     Prog
2007     Prog
2006

NBN             33.3                 34.8                     30.8             32.8

PRIME         31.2                 31.3                     31.7             29.6

TEN             17.9                 19.7                     19.6             20.5

ABC             13.2                 11.4                     12.9             12.5

SBS             4.4                   2.8                        5.0              4.5

Popularity: 1%

Most Watched Programs:

1  State of Origin Game 3 – Match  NBN  136000

2 NBN Evening News Sunday NBN 121000

3 State of Origin Game 3 – Post Match NBN 110000

4 Sea Patrol NBN 108000

5 A Current Affair NBN 103000

6 NBN Evening News Monday to Friday NBN 100000

7 Big Dog Goodnight NBN 87000

8 State of Origin Game 3 – Pre Match NBN 85000

9 60 Minutes NBN 83000

10 CSI: Miami Rpt NBN 79000

Station Ratings:

                    Week 27
2007     Week 27
2006     Prog
2007     Prog
2006

NBN                 38.1                     39.4                 35.5             36.9

PRIME             22.5                     21.0                 25.3             22.4

TEN                 18.4                     19.2                 17.3             19.7

ABC                 15.1                     15.4                 16.3             15.7

SBS                 5.8                       5.1                   5.7                5.4

Popularity: 1%