The popularity of free-to-air television shone brightly in 2024, cementing its role as a key platform for Australian entertainment. The Seven, Nine, and Ten networks demonstrated their capacity to captivate diverse audiences and deliver unparalleled reach with homegrown content and sports dominating viewing.
Seven Leads with Sport and Australian Drama
The AFL Grand Final was a standout, amassing a total TV audience of 4.06 million and a national reach of 6.24 million.
Home and Away was the most streamed drama program in 2024. Seven also led the Broadcast Video on Demand (BVOD) market, with 7plus seeing a 29% audience growth in 2024.
Nine’s Multi-Platform Success
The network’s highlights included Married at First Sight, the most-watched reality series, and the State of Origin decider, which drew 3.6 million viewers, breaking streaming records on 9Now. The Paris Olympics, a flagship event for 2024, reached over 20 million Australians, and demonstrated yet again how Australians value coming together for big sporting moments.
Ten Engages Younger Audiences
Sports coverage, particularly the Matildas and Socceroos matches, attracted record-breaking audiences, further diversifying Ten’s appeal to a wide audience adding to its traditional strength in the younger demographic profile. Free-to-air television’s ability to deliver live, culturally significant events and top-tier entertainment underscores its ongoing relevance in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
