The Seven Network today confirmed that it had won its 17th week of the 2020 ratings survey year, levelling the score with Nine, with one week drawn. Commercial audience shares for the survey year to date are also both level between Seven and Nine at 37.6 per cent. The win comes after the first ever prime time AFL Grand Final, which secured Seven a record-setting 76.0 per cent network commercial share, the highest ever recorded by OzTam, and the hugely successful launch of SAS Australia, which debuted as the #1 entertainment show on Monday and Tuesday.
Seven’s momentum is a reflection of its strong performance across the second half of the survey year. From June 2020, Seven has led in Total People and all key demographics, including 25-54s and 16-39s. The success of Big Brother, Farmer Wants A Wife and now SAS Australia, combined with the AFL, Australia’s #1 winter sport, and Seven’s dominant content spine of 7NEWS, Sunrise, The Chase, Home and Away, Better Homes and Gardens and The Morning Show, delivered these results.
We lead every key demo since June, a huge turnaround from the first half of the year. The success of our new prime time tentpole strategy, with Big Brother, Farmer and now SAS, has proven hugely successful for us. Add to that the AFL, which has seen significant year on year ratings growth, and our unbeatable content spine, and it’s clear that momentum is with us at Seven. It’s going to be a tight race to the end of the year.
Angus Ross, Director of Programming
Prime time tentpoles Big Brother, Farmer Wants A Wife and SAS Australia have proven hugely successful on 7plus as well as broadcast. Big Brother was the most live-streamed show launch in BVOD history, and SAS Australia is already well on track to being the most popular show in 7plus history. The cumulative effect is that 7plus is secure as the #1 CFTA BVOD service in Australia, growing considerably faster than competitors.
We’ve been able to level the score in 2020 with a schedule significantly impacted by COVID-19 – we’re down two and a half prime time tentpoles and lost the AFL for two months. Imagine what we’ll be able to do in 2021 with a fully loaded prime time schedule, a full AFL season and of course, the Tokyo Olympics – set to be the biggest event ever.
Angus Ross, Director of Programming
