Big numbers were at stake in the 5:30pm timeslot yesterday, as evidence that the lead-up to the 6pm News is still big business.
A contestant on Million Dollar Minute walked away with $307,000 -equalling the biggest prize the show has given away and reportedly the largest cash prize given by an afternoon quiz show.
26-year-old nightshift worker Alex Dusek plans to spend his money on a low-budget horror movie that he has been scripting for the past three years.
For their efforts the show pulled 617,000 viewers.
But over on rival network Nine, Hot Seat recorded its biggest audience of the year at 746,000 and its best numbers since July.
Are they both a sign of Daylight Saving numbers lifting?
Seven network won the night with a share of 34.2% then Nine 30.8%, ABC 16.4%, TEN 13.7% and SBS 4.8%.
My Kitchen Rules was again #1 at 1.67m for Seven. Resurrection is still big business at 1.39m then Seven News (1.29m / 1.14m), Home and Away (1.03m), Million Dollar Minute (617,000),
The Block (1.49m) was best for Nine then The Big Bang Theory (1.3m / 919,000), Nine News (1.28m / 1.16m), A Current Affair (1.1m), Hot Seat (746,000), 2 Broke Girls (563,000 / 368,000), Two and a Half Men was 270,000.
ABC News (908,000) topped ABC1 again followed by 7:30 (659,000), New Tricks (650,000), Foreign Correspondent (632,000), What’s Your Story? (501,000), Grand Designs (384,000), At the Movies (352,000). Artscape was 186,000.
The Project (643,000 / 385,000) with guest host Wil Anderson led TEN followed by TEN Eyewitness News (619,000), NCIS (484,000), NCIS: LA (461,000). Failing at the first hurdle was Jamie and Jimmy’s Food Fight Club (293,000) and a Modern Family repeat (261,000).
Insight (230,000), Royalty Up Close (229,000), SBS World News (156,000) and Dateline (126,000) made up SBS ONE.
An emotional episode of Neighbours led multichannels at 312,000.
Today: 339,000
Sunrise: 337,000
ABC News Breakfast: 98,000 / 45,000
Wake Up: 33,000
OzTAM Overnights: Tuesday 8 April 2014