No question it was a MASSIVE year in television. The official OzTAM Top 20 for the year reflect that in the number of viewers that watched the various programs and the consistency with which they watched.
The Voice Grand Final: Winner Announced (1st – 3,325,000) drew a consistently high audience across its season and to have such a massive number of viewers tune in to see who won is testament to the interest in Ch9’s breakaway hit of the year. It was Nine’s year for big winners, delivering 14 of the Top 20 programs for the year, spread across reality TV, sport and drama – no mean feat but great programming and promotion to have Howzat! Kerry Packer’s War (Part 1: 16th – 2,379,000; Part 2: 18th – 2,344,000) land as one of only two drama programs in the Top 20, and be the only Australian drama at that. Ch7’s My Kitchen Rules – Winner Announced (5th – 2,892,000) deserved it’s ranking after delivering a stellar season for the network.
A clear variety of programming ruled the digital multichannels – from movies like How To Train Your Dragon (1st – 392,000) for 7mate, to the Olympics London on GEM: D14 (3rd – 350,000) for GEM, to The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Tattoo (8th – 310,000) on 7Two. Neighbours (17th – 299,000) on Eleven delivered a strong average across the year, often winning most nights.
In 2012, life on the couch became even easier to justify.
Channel 7 won the year (23.1%), followed by a resurgent Channel 9 (21.9%), Channel 10 (13%) & ABC1 (12.7%).