As the halfway point of 2022 draws closer, the Seven Network has declared itself the leader of the national television market, ranking #1 in both audience share and revenue share.
According to data released by the network this week, Seven is the national (metro+regional) #1 network in total people (television survey year to 18 June 2022), #1 in 25 to 54s and #1 in 16 to 39s.
It is also a dominant #1 across all age groups in regional markets.
In the capital cities, Seven is #1 in total people so far this survey year and the only commercial network that has increased its audience shares in total people, 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s.
Seven’s 7plus is #1 nationally, with a 45% share of the commercial free-to-air BVOD market in 2021-22 and more than 12.5 million registered, verified users.
The success of Seven’s broadcast and BVOD content means it is well-positioned to capture the #1 position in terms of advertising revenue across the 2021-22 financial year.
Seven West Media Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, James Warburton, said:
“The acquisition of Prime has made Seven the undisputed leader in total TV nationally, giving clients access to the #1 position in all demos. We are #1 in broadcast and 7plus is the fastest growing BVOD service in Australia.”
Mr Warburton called on the television industry to start releasing daily combined broadcast and BVOD data.
“For more than two decades, our industry audience data has not changed with the times and has ignored the fundamental shift in the way people are watching TV.
Linear overnight viewing numbers are our smallest numbers, yet we keep sending them out every day,” he said.
“All networks need to greenlight the addition of BVOD viewing to the overnight linear viewing numbers to create an industry-wide daily total TV report.
The seven-day total TV data sent out each day by OzTAM is great for telling the catch-up viewing story over the previous week, but it is not enough. We are capturing overnight BVOD viewing data and we should be providing that information publicly.
“It makes no sense to hide overnight BVOD viewing information from public gaze. As an industry, we need to be celebrating our success and the strength of free-to-air TV across all platforms.”
Mr Warburton predicted Seven would maintain its #1 position in total TV across the rest of 2022 thanks to a strong lineup of content, including the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which kick off on 28 July.
Seven’s exclusive and free coverage of the Commonwealth Games will include 196 hours of live curated content across Channel 7 and 7mate, plus up to 30 live and replay channels on 7plus. It is predicted to reach 15 million Australians in 11 days across all screens.
“The Commonwealth Games will be a huge total TV event this year, with all the sport Australians love to watch in prime time every single day, plus great content across the day.
Our hosting team led by Bruce McAvaney will deliver what promises to be the country’s second biggest ever broadcast and digital event following Seven’s award-winning coverage of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020,” Mr Warburton said.
After the Commonwealth Games, Seven will launch the strongest slate of content of any TV network for the second half of 2022, including the return of Australia’s most loved cooking show – MKR – with Nigella Lawson and Manu Feildel, and the new season of AGT with superstar judges David Walliams, Alesha Dixon, Kate Ritchie and Shane Jacobson.
The second half also includes the AFL Final Series, Supercars Bathurst 1000, horse racing, the new season of Farmer Wants A Wife, Kitchen Nightmares, This Is Your Life and The Best and Worst of Red Faces.
Seven has already recently revealed some big new shows for 2023 including a local version of new TV format, Million Dollar Island, hosted by Ant Middleton; season two of the Australian drama series RFDS; and the highly anticipated return of Australian Idol – with more to come.
Seven’s Chief Content Officer, Entertainment Programming, Angus Ross, said:
“Our schedule for the back half is the strongest we have ever had – with an amazing combination of the best entertainment, sport, news and drama – and we have big plans and big shows for 2023, including several new shows we haven’t announced yet.
“Seven is clearly #1 so far in 2022 and we are going to make sure we take the crown for the full year, again.”
Seven Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, added:
“Seven’s momentum and growth in reach and audience continues nationally across all screens and in the capital cities, regional Australia and digital.
We are seeing strong demand from clients, particularly in terms of utilising 7REDiQ, our market-leading customer data platform to access the 12.5 million registered, verified users of 7plus to create actionable insights.
“We are also seeing unprecedented interest in the next wave of content that will be broadcast and streamed into Australian homes, including the Commonwealth Games, MKR, AGT, Australian Idol and Million Dollar Island. These will be huge audience moments that will deliver high engagement, high impact and proven results for brands.
“As we head into a new financial year, there has been no better time for advertisers to use the power of total TV and the certainty offered by the national market leader – Seven,” he said.
