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TV ratings: Seven Network takes top spot in television for 2021

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Rangi HiriniThe West Australian
The Voice, judges.
Camera IconThe Voice, judges. Credit: Supplied

Hard on the heels of its victory in the 2021 television ratings survey year, the Seven Network has taken the top spot in television for the calendar year.

Seven delivered more No.1 results than any other network in 2021, with the most-watched shows in Australia. The network takes home several top spots across the TV landscape including the top sporting event, regular series, entertainment show, news program, breakfast show, Australian drama, daily quiz show, lifestyle show, and morning show.

With a 39.6 per cent commercial audience share in total people, the network was a clear winner, also taking the crown in people 16 to 39 and under-50.

Seven was the only network to increase its audience shares in total people, 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and under-50s during 2021.

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The network’s most-watched event was the delayed Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which saw 21 million Australians tuning into Seven for the live, free, and exclusive coverage across the whole 17 days.

Seven West Media managing director and chief executive, James Warburton, said the Games was “the biggest television and streaming event in Australian history”.

The AFL grand final, which was held here in Perth at Optus Stadium on September 25, had a national audience of 4.1 million.

Mr Warburton was very pleased with the result of 2021.

“After a two-year break, Seven is back where it belongs as the most-watched TV network in Australia,” he said.

“Taking the ratings crown in both the calendar and survey years, along with 7plus capturing the No.1 position in BVOD, is a tribute to the talent and hard work of the Seven team and the appeal of our content.”

Another drawcard for viewers, and the network, was the latest season of The Voice which hit the magic million viewers every night for the whole season of 2021.

The series took out the top spot for regular series and entertainment show with 2.11 million national total audiences.

It adds salt to the wound of rivals Nine who stated the show was “the poorest financial performer” after Seven snatched it from them.

The series will be returning later this year with The Voice Generations plus another standard season of The Voice, with judges Keith Urban, Jessica Mauboy, Rita Ora, and Guy Sebastian returning to the big red chair.

Other big winners for the network included 7News taking out the top spot for news program, Sunrise took the No.1 breakfast show, Home & Away the No.1 Australian drama, The Chase Australia the top daily quiz show, Better Homes and Gardens the top lifestyle show, and The Morning Show the top morning show.

Better Homes and Gardens' Christmas Special airs this week.
Camera IconBetter Homes and Gardens. Credit: Jeremy Greive/TheWest

Seven’s Director of Network Programming, Angus Ross promises another big year for viewers with the network “determined to keep the crown in 2022”.

“Seven’s summer of cricket is the perfect lead-in to our great content for the first part of the new year, including The Voice: Generations, the new seasons of SAS Australia and Dancing With The Stars: All Stars, and the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 in February,” Mr Ross said.

“That is just the start of a massive content schedule that also includes Farmer Wants A Wife with Samantha Armytage, the XXII Commonwealth Games, Big Brother, AGT, Australian Idol, Apartment Rules, Claremont, Strike Force, Code 1: Minute by Minute, Supercars, horse racing and the return of Australia’s favourite cooking show, My Kitchen Rules.”

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