Finally we have an accurate picture of Australians' priorities in the people we perceive as national heroes, rogues and stirrers. We are interested in learning about a drug-addicted singer who hanged himself (by accident, apparently) more than an inarticulate interviewer-entrepreneur, a mining billionairess who fights with her children, a flamboyant singer-composer who died of AIDS, a beautician found guilty of smuggling drugs or a Tasmanian advertising manager who became Crown Princess of Denmark.
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To put it another way, these were the capital city audiences for biographical television shows about Michael Hutchence – 2.24 million; Molly Meldrum – 1.79 million; Gina Rinehart – 1.68 million; Peter Allen – 1.56 million; Schapelle Corby – 1.15 million; and Mary Donaldson – 929,000. Clearly, biopics are big on the box. Coming soon are mini-series about car racer Peter Brock and comedian Paul Hogan.
Channel Seven dominated the first week of the new TV season with My Kitchen Rules, while Channel Ten's I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! did brilliantly with the under-55s, and the ABC soared with Doc Martin and The Doctor Blake Mysteries. At first sight, Channel Nine looked like the biggest loser when its Monday launch of Australia's Got Talent drew a mere 786,000, but when it was repeated on Saturday, it attracted a further 525,000, suggesting it would work best if freed from the competition of My Kitchen Rules.
On pay TV, the most watched non-sports show was Selling Houses Australia, with 185,000 viewers the first time it was shown on Lifestyle, and the most watched sports show was a One Day International cricket match between Australia and New Zealand, drawing 255,000 to Fox Sports 5.
OzTAM estimates these were the most watched programs in the mainland capitals in the week ending February 8:
1 Molly part 1 (Seven), 1.79 million
2 My Kitchen Rules (Seven), 1.58m
3 Australia's Got Talent (Nine), total 1.31m
4 Seven News Sunday (Seven), 1.07m
5 Doc Martin (ABC), 1m
