Sky News’ coverage of the Liberal Leadership Crisis set new audience records last week as the broadcaster delivered its highest weekly evening ratings and its highest rating day in its history.
The award-winning Sky News Canberra political team featuring Sky News political editor David Speers, chief Political reporter Kieran Gilbert and political reporters Laura Jayes, Tom Connell and Ashleigh Gillon led the week’s events with live rolling coverage, breaking news and exclusive interviews, reinforcing their position as the country’s leading political journalists.
As the political crisis unfolded, 1.2 million unique viewers in subscription television homes chose Sky News, with Sky News Live ranking the number one channel on Foxtel from Monday 20 August through to Friday 25 August.
Friday’s coverage of the leadership showdown was the highest rating day in Sky News Live’s history setting a new overnight daily record of 5.98 per cent share, ahead of Network Ten at 5.5 per cent. This marks the third time Sky News Live has ranked ahead of the free-to-air channel and by the widest margin.
A record number of viewers turned to the Sky News evening programs throughout the week, setting new program records and delivering the biggest weekly evening audiences ever for Sky News Live, with an average audience of 75,004 (Mon-Friday, 6:00pm – 8:30pm).
Credlin: Leadership Special, anchored by Peta Credlin weeknights at 6:00pm, delivered its highest rating episode on record on Friday 24 August with an average audience of 96,806.
Thursday’s episode of The Bolt Report, anchored by Andrew Bolt weeknights at 7:00pm, delivered its highest rating episode of the year and second-highest episode ever with an average audience of 100,932.
Jones & Co, anchored by Alan Jones and Peta Credlin on Tuesday 21 August at 8:00pm, achieved its highest rating episode on record, attracting an average audience of 98,792.
Richo, anchored by Graham Richardson on Wednesday 22 August ay 8:00pm, delivered its highest rating episode this year with an average audience of 60,867.
Paul Murray LIVE, anchored by broadcaster Paul Murray each Sunday–Thursday at 9:00pm was the number one Foxtel program on Wednesday 22 August delivering its highest rating episode since 2015 with an average audience of 107,306.
Last week’s results follow the announcement in July that Sky News had achieved highest half-yearly ratings on record, now reaching more than one million Australians every week on Foxtel alone. With strong audience gains across its weeknight evening and new Sunday evening schedule, Sky News is now one of the leading channels on subscription television.
This Sunday at 6:00am AEST Sky News on WIN, a new dedicated 24-hour free-to-air news channel, will launch on the WIN Network’s Channel 53 in northern NSW and Channel 83 across all other WIN areas.
