More people are watching WIN Television than last year, but still not as many as those watching GWN, according to the first lot of TV Ratings for 2010.
And looks like interest in the footy is on the up again too after a big slump in audiences throughout last year's AFL season due to our under-performing WA teams.
In the first of 10 four-week surveys held throughout the year via the AGB Nielsen People Meter for Regional WA, GWN is still the predominant network with a (Total People demographic) Commercial Share of 60.1 per cent.
But WIN has gained some ground since the same time last year (Survey1, 2009) with an increase in commercial share of just under 8 per cent in the same demographic.
Why? Probably programming!
Thanks to its affiliation with Channel 9, WIN is now showing Top Gear, which has brought with it a significant (and unexpected) shift in audience profile.
The ratings show 20.2 per cent of potential viewers in the Women aged 25-54 category watched Top Gear Episode 1.
That's huge since the usual average TARP (Target Audience Rating Point) is around 6 per cent!
And it scored a 53.8 per cent commercial share for its timeslot in the Women aged 25-54 demographic category.
Either Richard Hammond is more attractive than we thought or women weren't given much choice on what they'd be watching that night?
WIN's telecast of the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver, Canada could have also been responsible for audience growth of just under 15 per cent on last year in the over 40s demographic.
Interest in the AFL's NAB Pre season Cup has increased in 12 months, with audience delivery up in some demographics by a whopping 100 per cent.
2009 saw big audience drop-offs across the entire home and away season so with improved performances so far from Fremantle and West Coast, it's a trend we hope will continue.
When the clubs do well, so do the ratings!
If Fremantle finish higher on the ladder than West Coast this year, Ash says he'll be happy to wear a Dockers jumper for a day.....he also reckons he doesn't need to worry!
Top performing programs on GWN were still Seven News, Bones, Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds and Today Tonight.
Previous Top performing programs such as Border Security and Better Homes and Gardens have slipped down the list.
WIN's better performing programs were of course Top Gear Specials and Episodes, One Day International Cricket (despite both series being very lopsided), Die Hard 4.0 movie and the Vancouver Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony.
Tune in for the results of Survey2, due late March, to find out if WIN's audience growth has been sustainable.
With the third series of Underbelly due to air post Easter, things are looking good for a while yet.
