Golden Day For The Home Team Gives BBC Best Ratings Of The Games

More than 16 million people watched BBC's coverage of Great Britain's Jessica Ennis' triumph in the heptathlon "on an amazing night for U.K. athletics," according to the PA. The overnight ratings showed 16.3 million viewers watched Ennis win Gold in the 800m. Later, 17.1 million tuned in to watch Mo Farah win the 10,000m, which was "the biggest audience for the Games so far." BBC Olympics boss Roger Mosey tweeted the "stunning viewing figures for last night's amazing athletics." They also included an audience of 15.6 million for Greg Rutherford's long jump Gold and 9.2 million for the cycling women's team pursuit win (PA, 8/5).

AUSTRALIA: In Sydney, Michael Idato reported that audiences for the Games are "swollen beyond expectation," with almost 2.5 million people watching nightly on Channel Nine and Foxtel. Nine's coverage -- a simulcast on its main channel and its high-definition channel, Gem -- recorded a "giant" 42.2% share of last week's free-to-air audience. Nine won every night in every mainland capital city and every key demographic, notably the 25-54-year-old audience. Foxtel, offering eight-channels of coverage in standard and high definition, has drawn audiences of more than 600,000 viewers nightly, with peaks of almost 1.3 million recorded. Those numbers are "unprecedented" for the 16-year-old pay-TV business (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 8/6). Also in Sydney, Amanda Meade reported that the popularity of the Olympics "has been challenged by Australia's dearth of Gold Medals." So far, the country has only one, and "medals usually equate to ratings." However, when Foxtel's figures were compiled, this year's Games are "more popular than Athens" in '04, with more than 2 million viewers each night. Foxtel's Olympics app for iPad, which has live streaming and catch-up TV, remains No. 1 on the free apps and the entertainment category in the app store. The "robust viewing figures will have an impact on the race to buy the rights" to the Rio '16 Games, which have yet to be bought by an Australian network. It is likely the Games "will be an increasingly multichannel affair" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 8/6).

GERMANY: SOL.de reported that ARD's Saturday coverage of the start of the Olympic track and field events provided the public broadcaster with "an extra ratings boost." An average of 7.05 million viewers watched preliminary heats and finals in throwing, jumping and running. The highlight show "Olympia Telegram" received the day's top rating at 10:57pm CEST with 7.5 million viewers. ARD's day-long coverage of the London Games attained a market share of 29.9% (SOL.de, 8/5). QUOTENMETER.de's Manuel Nunez Sanchez reported that the preseason football tournament "Liga total! Cup" fell victim to the Olympic Games. The first game between Hamburg SV and Borussia Dortmund was watched by 970,000 in the first half and 1.22 million during the second 30 minutes. For free-to-air TV channel Sat.1 those numbers translated into a market share of 8.3% and 10.3%, respectively. The second game between Bayern Munich and Werder Bremer at 6:35pm CEST attracted a slightly higher number of viewers with an average of 1.46 million or 10.1% in the first half and 1.68 million or 9.9% in the second half (QUOTENMETER.de, 8/5).

SPAIN: VERTELE.com reported that LA 1's broadcast of the men's basketball game between Spain and Russia "was watched by an average" of 1.53 million people and a 27.8% market share. The most-watched minute occurred at 2pm when 2.72 million people were tuned in and a 36.2% share to see the final seconds of Spain's loss (VERTELE.com, 8/5).

FRANCE: LE PARISIEN reported that France 3's Olympic coverage from 8pm to 1am on Saturday night attracted 3.4 million viewers and a 25.1% share (LE PARISIEN, 8/5).