The Seven Network has romped home with January’s TV ad share snaring 41.8 per cent of the spend according to the latest Standard Media Index figures.
Network Ten – on the back of its Big Bash cricket – also did well with 25.9 per cent of the TV spend for the month.
However, Seven’s and Ten’s success arguably came at Nine’s expense who managed just 32.3 per cent. Nine’s problems compounded by its cricket coverage which featured the New Zealanders and the hapless West Indians and also had to contend with a number of washouts.
Nine’s result was its worst SMI figure since March in 2012 and raises serious questions about its summer Test match series that are being constantly out-rated by the far quicker and family friendly Big Bash series. To its credit Nine tried something new with the first-ever day-night Test in November that did appear a ratings winner. The network will no doubt be sweating on the return of the NRL in early March.
In other SMI news, out of home continues to power along improving eight per cent for the month. However, the real winner was cinema up a whopping 22 per cent month-on-month primarily on the back of the success of the new Star Wars film. Print newspapers, digital and radio all reported modest gains.
