TV Ratings 2020: Most watched programs of the year- FTA, Multichannel and STV

AFL Grand Final TV Ratings

• This is based on the 2020 Calendar year (January- December 2020) as opposed to the 40-week OzTAM survey,

OzTAM has released the final reports for calendar 2020, incorporating Consolidated 28-day viewing for all of December. 

This is based on the 2020 Calendar year (January- December 2020) as opposed to the 40-week OzTAM survey, so this includes the summer sports schedule and New Years coverage which occurred outside the OzTAM survey periods.

Free to air

The AFL Grand Final was the most watched program in 2020 with 3.016m metro viewers tuning in for the decider between Richmond and Geelong. Coming in second was the NRL grand final between the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm with 2.10m viewers.

The top two non-sport programs last year were both at Nine with The Block‘s winner announcement having 1.83m and Lego Master‘s winner announcement receiving 1.69m viewers. 

The top program from a public broadcaster was the ABC’s coverage of the New Year’s Eve fireworks which had 1.61m.

Nine had the most shows in the top 20 programs of 2020 with 13. 

FTA Top Programs

  1. Seven’s AFL: Grand Final: Richmond V Geelong  Seven  3,016,000
  2. Seven’s AFL: Grand Final: Presentations  Seven  2,294,000
  3. Seven’s AFL: Grand Final: On The Ground  Seven  2,192,000
  4. NRL Grand Final Day -Match  Nine  2,106,000
  5. State Of Origin Rugby League QLD V NSW 3rd -Match  Nine  1,894,000
  6. 2020 Australian Open D8 -Night  Nine  1,874,000
  7. The Block -Winner Announced  Nine  1,838,000
  8. Lego Masters -Winner Announced  Nine  1,692,000
  9. State Of Origin Rugby League NSW V QLD 2nd -Match  Nine  1,658,000
  10. New Year’s Eve 2020: Midnight Fireworks ABC TV  1,614,000
  11. State Of Origin Rugby League QLD V NSW 1st -Match  Nine  1,606,000
  12. MasterChef Australia – The Winner Announced   10  1,592,000
  13. Married At First Sight -Finale  Nine  1,562,000
  14. 2020 Australian Open D14 -Men’s Final  Nine  1,531,000
  15. Seven’s AFL: Grand Final: Pre Match Entertainment  Seven  1,487,000
  16. Lego Masters -Launch  Nine  1,479,000
  17. The Block -Grand Final  Nine  1,470,000
  18. Married At First Sight -The Final Dinner Party  Nine  1,447,000
  19. Lego Masters -Finale  Nine  1,432,000
  20. Melbourne Cup Carnival: Melbourne Cup-Race   10  1,412,000

Multichannel

The ABC’s multichannels were dominate in 2020 led by the coverage of COVID-19 enforced lockdown in Melbourne, and Bluey (which appeared three separate times in the top 20).

The most watched multichannel program by a commercial broadcaster was the Women’s T20 World Cup final which had 545,000 viewers.

Other strong performers were the Australian Open on Gem and the US Election on ABC news.

Multichannel Top Programs

  1. Coronavirus Pandemic: Melb Stage 4 Lockdown  ABC NEWS  580,000
  2. ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 Final Aus V Ind  9Gem  545,000
  3. Bluey  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  530,000
  4. Bluey  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  394,000
  5. ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 Final Aus V Ind -Presentation  9Gem  369,000
  6. 2020 Australian Open D9 -Day -Gem  9Gem  353,000
  7. Kangaroo Beach  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  351,000
  8. USA Votes: Joe Biden Victory Speech  ABC NEWS  326,000
  9. Planet America: USA Votes Special  ABC NEWS  303,000
  10. Seven’s AFL: Tuesday Night Football  7mate  299,000
  11. Peppa Pig: Peppa’s Pumpkin Party  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  297,000
  12. Fire Fight Australia Concert-Multi  7TWO  293,000
  13. Kangaroo Beach  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  293,000
  14. The Snail And The Whale  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  287,000
  15. Bluey  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  284,000
  16. ABC News Special Coverage: Coronavirus Pandemic  ABC NEWS  281,000
  17. USA Votes: Joe Biden Victory Speech Analysis  ABC NEWS  272,000
  18. Seven’s Cricket: First Test – Australia V India D3 S2 Multi  7mate  266,000
  19. The Monster At The End Of This Story  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  261,000
  20. Stick Man  ABC Kids/ABC TV Plus  254,000

 

STV

Sport absolutely dominated the subscription TV ratings by taking every spot in the top 20 for last year. The top 13 places went to India’s tour of Australia led by the two sides second T20 game which had 469,000.

Following the cricket, the NRL had the next most-watched event on STV with the preliminary final between the Penrith Panthers and South Sydney Rabbitohs getting 363,000 viewers. 

STV Top Programs

  1. Live: T20: Aus V Ind Game 2  Fox Cricket  469,000
  2. Live: ODI Aus V Ind Game 2  Fox Cricket  456,000
  3. Live: T20: Aus V Ind Game 1  Fox Cricket  452,000
  4. Live: T20: Aus V Ind Game 2  Fox Cricket  448,000
  5. Live: T20 Innings Break  Fox Cricket  416,000
  6. Live: ODI Aus V Ind Game 1  Fox Cricket  404,000
  7. Live: T20 Innings Break  Fox Cricket  398,000
  8. Live: ODI Aus V Ind Game 2  Fox Cricket  393,000
  9. Live: Aus V Ind 2nd Test Day 1  Fox Cricket  392,000
  10. Live: ODI Aus V Ind Game 3  Fox Cricket  388,000
  11. Live: Aus V Ind 1st Test Day 3  Fox Cricket  383,000
  12. Live: T20: Aus V Ind Game 1  Fox Cricket  378,000
  13. Live: Aus V Ind 2nd Test Day 1  Fox Cricket  377,000
  14. Live: NRL: Broncos V Eels  Fox League  371,000
  15. Live: Aus V Ind Test Tea Break  Fox Cricket  367,000
  16. Live: NRL: Pf#2 Panthers V Rabbitohs  Fox League  367,000
  17. Live: NRL: Roosters V Eels  Fox League  363,000
  18. Live: Motorsport: Supercars Bathurst 1000  Fox Sports 506  356,000
  19. Live: NRL: Storm V Raiders  Fox League  355,000
  20. Live: T20: Aus V Ind Game 3  Fox Cricket  354,000
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