With the 2022 TV ratings survey year wrapping up on Saturday, Mediaweek compares the claims of the three commercial networks about their various highlights.

All three networks are part owners of audience measurement provider OzTAM, so they must all agree right? Um, not quite…

TV ratings 2022: Seven

The headline claims from Seven this year:

Seven is Australia’s #1 network and growing
#1 in 2022 survey year + calendar year
#1 in 16 to 39s
#1 in news, sport, drama, breakfast
#1 in 29 of 40 survey year weeks nationally
#1 in 21 of 40 survey year weeks in the capital cities
7plus: Up 16%, 10.6 billion minutes streamed

Big Brother host Sonia Kruger

Seven details its TV ratings victories

The Seven Network has finished the official 2022 ratings survey year as the undisputed #1 total TV network across Australia, ranking #1 nationally and across the capital cities.

Seven is the most-watched network in total people and 16 to 39s nationally in both the 2022 OzTAM television ratings survey year and in the 2022 calendar year to-date. In 25 to 54s, Seven is just 0.2 share points, or 2,000 viewers, away from being #1 nationally.

In the capital cities, the Seven Network is #1 in total people in the survey year and has grown its audience shares in total people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s during 2022.

By the end of this week, Seven will have won 29 survey weeks nationally, demonstrating the network’s consistent leadership across the year. In the capital cities, Seven is on track to win 21 of the 40 survey weeks.

Seven also dominates all key audience demographics in regional markets, ranking #1 in total people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s.

Seven’s success on television has been matched by the continued strong performance of 7plus, which has streamed 10.6 billion minutes and increased its audience 16% year-on-year in BVOD and 41% in live streaming.

Seven in 2022
#1 in prime time in total people nationally
#1 in prime time in total people across the capital cities
#1 in prime time nationally in 16 to 39s
#1 in regional markets in total people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s
#1 multichannel in total people – 7two
#1 multichannel in 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s – 7mate
#1 multichannel group – 7mate, 7two, 7flix

Seven’s AFL team in 2022

Seven has the #1 shows in Australia
#1 winter sport – AFL
#1 news program – 7NEWS
#1 Australian drama – Home and Away
#1 lifestyle show – Better Homes and Gardens
#1 daily game show – The Chase Australia
#1 breakfast show – Sunrise
#1 morning show – The Morning Show

See also: “No matter how you cut it”: Seven’s Warburton and Ross talk TV ratings win

TV ratings 2022: Nine

The main claim: The 9Network is Australia’s No.1 network, with Nine’s clear strategy of creating and distributing Australia’s most watched content year round. The end of the 2022 ratings survey year marks the fourth consecutive year the 9Network has made a clean sweep of all key demos. 9Now is the clear number 1 commercial BVOD platform.

Scott Cam with the 2022 Blockheads

Nine details its TV ratings victories

No.1 network with all key demographics 25-54, 16-39, GS + Child across calendar year.
No.1 network with Total People across calendar year.
No.1 primary channel with all key demographics and Total People – across both calendar year and ratings survey period.
No.1 network and No. 1 primary channel with all key demographics and Total People – across both calendar year and ratings survey period (excluding Commonwealth Games).
No.1 commercial free-to-air BVOD platform – 9Now – with all key demographics and Total People.
No.1 highest rating program of the year. The Australian Open Women’s Final – Presentation recorded a Total TV audience of 4.1 million.
No.1 highest rating non-sports program of the year. The Block – Winner Announced with a Total TV audience of 2.664 million.
Channel 9 has 16 of the Top 20 programs of 2022 with Total People and 17 of the Top 20 programs with People 25-54 and 16-39, including all five of the Top 5.
In 2022, 9Now has recorded 15.7 billion Live + VOD minutes – a year-on-year increase of 19%.

Live streaming on 9Now has driven the huge increase with 7.9 billion live minutes streamed in 2022 to date – a year-on-year increase of 50%.

In 2022, Channel 9 can lay claim to the highest rating program of the year with the Australian Open Women’s Final – Presentation recording a Total TV audience of 4.1 million. It was the highest rating Australian Open Women’s Final of all time and recorded the highest live BVOD audience of the Australian Open ever, with 241,000 people tuning in on 9Now.
The all-Aussie Men’s Doubles Final was the highest rating Australian Open Men’s Doubles match of all time. It drew a national Total TV average audience of 2.5 million.
The combination of the Women’s Final and the Men’s Doubles Final on Saturday, January 29 gave the 9Network the highest primetime commercial shares in OzTAM history with People 25-54 (81.2%), 16-39 (84.9%) and Total People (78.6%).

Our broadcast of the Men’s Final of the Australian Open achieved a national Total TV average audience of 2.3 million. It was the highest rating Men’s Final in four years. On 9Now, the Men’s Final recorded a Live BVOD Audience of 227,000 – a year-on-year increase of 157% and the highest live BVOD Audience of an Australian Open Men’s Final ever.

The Block – Winner Announced is the highest rating non-sports program of the year on linear TV and recorded a Total TV audience of 2.664 million.

Channel 9 has 16 of the Top 20 programs of 2022 with Total People and 17 of the Top 20 programs with People 25-54 and 16-39, including all five of the Top 5.

The continued dominance of the 9Network is driven by a powerhouse of the biggest shows on Australian television.

Married at First Sight achieved a Total TV average audience of 1.995 million per episode – an increase of 55% on its overnight audience. An average of 547,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

Underbelly: Vanishing Act is the highest rating new Australian drama launch in three years (5 City Metro). Across its two episodes, it achieved a Total TV average audience of 1.621 million – an increase of 60% on its overnight audience.  An average of 358,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

In its incredible 18th series, The Block achieved a Total TV average audience of 1.607 million per episode – an increase of 35% on its overnight audience. An average of 274,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

Lego Masters

Lego Masters achieved a Total TV average audience of 1.284 million per episode – an increase of 49% on its overnight audience. An average of 182,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

Travel Guides achieved a Total TV average audience of 1.165 million per episode – an increase of 35% on its overnight audience. An average of 140,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

Australian Ninja Warrior achieved a Total TV average audience of 872,000 per episode – an increase of 23% on its overnight audience. An average of 85,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

Beauty & The Geek Australia achieved a Total TV average audience of 826,000 per episode – an increase of 37% on its overnight audience. An average of 147,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

Celebrity Apprentice Australia achieved a Total TV average audience of 737,000 per episode – an increase of 33% on its overnight audience. An average of 108,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

My Mum Your Dad has achieved a Total TV average audience of 725,000 per episode (to date) – an increase of 38% on its overnight audience. An average of 154,000 viewers watched each episode on 9Now.

Love Island Australia is a smash hit on 9Now, averaging 275,000 viewers per episode on the BVOD platform.

See also: “Commercially Viable”: Why key demos are the aim of the game for Nine

TV ratings 2022: 10

The main claims: Network 10 Delivers TV’s #1 New Show Of 2022
10 Dominates The Top 15 Entertainment Shows In Under 50s, 25 To 54s And 16 To 39s

The details: Network 10 remains the youngest free-to-air television network in Australia and boasts more of the top entertainment shows in key advertising demographics than its competitors.

Capturing Australia’s attention in 2022, Network 10 premiered the #1 new show on television, Hunted. Holding Australia’s attention throughout the year was TV’s #1 8.30pm show, Have You Been Paying Attention?, followed by TV’s #2 8.30pm show featuring everyone’s favourite couch critics, Gogglebox Australia.

Family favourite, I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, doubled the audience of its closest competition, while TV’s most wholesome show, The Dog House Australia (produced by Network 10), was 2022’s #1 lifestyle show. Australian Survivor and the #1 cooking show, MasterChef Australia, achieved their biggest ever BVOD audiences on 10 Play.

Network 10 reached 11.9 million exclusive and elusive sport viewers across the year with some of the country’s biggest sporting moments. The 2022 Melbourne Cup Carnival reached 3.51 million Australians, the Australian Formula One Grand Prix reached a phenomenal 3.2 million Australians, while the A-Leagues have reached over 6.5 million fans.

10 Play is having its biggest year yet, up 6% year-on-year, with more than 6.2 million registered users. In addition to more exclusive content being added to the platform, 10 Play has seen enormous growth in live streaming, up 21% on the same point of 2021.

See also: How 10 has done things differently as Australia’s youngest FTA network