Seven
Anything with the name Tokyo 2020 attached to it has been an audience TV ratings magnet for the few events the network has covered this week before the official launch of the delayed 2020 Olympics.
The viewers turned out big time for the Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony with a national audience of 2.7m (2.1m metro). The preview program from around 8.30pm also did well with 2.24m (1.6m metro).
Seven covers the Opening Ceremony Tokyo 2020
Much of the audience was still watching after midnight with 1.34m still tuned in when Naomi Osaka lit the Olympic Flame in the near-empty main stadium.
Seven News also secured a TV ratings podium finish with a metro audience of 1.17m and 959,000 after 6pm.
The AFL match between Port Adelaide and Collingwood was on 442,000 metro as it screened across Seven and 7mate.
Seven Tokyo 2020 with host Hamish McLachlan
Nine
Nine News audiences were 1.09m and 945,000.
A Current Affair did 645,000 to end its weekday run.
Friday Night NRL was on 317,000 metro as the Storm made it 15 wins in a row despite being tested by the Cowboys.
10
10 News First at 5pm was on 451,000.
The channel’s only primetime program to crack the top 20 was the 7pm half of The Project on 398,000.
The Living Room held its audience of 357,000 on a night many viewers drifted to Seven.
ABC
Movin’ to the Country was in the Northern Territory with 427,000.
Dream Gardens then looked at a farm makeover in Gippsland with 374,000 watching.
The second episode of the new season of Midsomer Murders had Olympic competition but still found 365,000 fans.
SBS
SBS News performed best for the channel with 190,000 at 6.30pm and then 151,000 at 7pm.
Later in the night 97,000 watched Lost Worlds and Hidden Treasures.
Friday TV ratings metro shares primary and network
ABC 8.1% (11.3%)
Seven 49.4% (56.1%)
Nine 12.1% (16.9%)
10 5.7% (10.8%)
SBS 2.8% (4.8%)
See also: Weekend TV ratings Friday July 16, 2021
Friday TV ratings Metro top 20 all people
| 1 | TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES: OPENING CEREMONY | Channel 7 | 2,117,000 |
| 2 | TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES: COUNTDOWN TO OPENING CEREMONY | Channel 7 | 1,640,000 |
| 3 | SEVEN NEWS | Channel 7 | 1,177,000 |
| 4 | TOKYO 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES: OPENING CEREMONY POST WRAP | Channel 7 | 1,111,000 |
| 5 | NINE NEWS | Channel 9 | 1,088,000 |
| 6 | SEVEN NEWS AT 6.30 | Channel 7 | 959,000 |
| 7 | NINE NEWS 6:30 | Channel 9 | 945,000 |
| 8 | ABC NEWS | ABC TV | 719,000 |
| 9 | A CURRENT AFFAIR | Channel 9 | 645,000 |
| 10 | THE CHASE AUSTRALIA | Channel 7 | 607,000 |
| 11 | HOT SEAT | Channel 9 | 560,000 |
| 12 | 10 NEWS FIRST | Channel 10 | 451,000 |
| 13 | SEVEN’S AFL: FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL | 7mate, Channel 7 | 442,000 |
| 14 | MOVIN’ TO THE COUNTRY | ABC TV | 427,000 |
| 15 | BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS | 7TWO, Channel 7 | 413,000 |
| 16 | NINE’S AFTERNOON NEWS | Channel 9 | 404,000 |
| 17 | THE PROJECT 7PM | Channel 10 | 398,000 |
| 18 | THE CHASE AUSTRALIA 5PM | Channel 7 | 389,000 |
| 19 | HOT SEAT 5PM | Channel 9 | 378,000 |
| 20 | DREAM GARDENS | ABC TV | 374,000 |
Friday TV Sports FTA and STV
NRL
#NRLCowboysStorm
Nine/Gem Metro 493,000 (Metro 317,000 Regional 175,000)
Fox League 227,000
#NRLRoostersKnights
Fox League 233,000
AFL
#AFLPowerPies
Seven/7mate 565,000 (Metro 442,000 Regional 123,000)
Fox Footy 165,000