Australia’s finale of “The Voice” was the most-watched show Monday night Down Under. But its ratings were well-down on last year’s massive grand final viewing figures.
Some 2.307 million viewers in the five metro cities tuned-in to watch teenager Harrison Craig crowned winner of the second series, according to preliminary ratings from OzTAM. Excluding the announcement, the prime-time finale on the free-to-air Nine Network averaged 2.035 million viewers -- well ahead of the night’s third-placed show, “The Block,” at 1.493 million (also on the Nine Network).
Last year’s inaugural season wrapped with a massive three-million viewers – making it the highest-rating entertainment show since ratings agency OzTam opened for business in 1999.
The fans' 2013 favorite Craig overcame a speech impediment to take-out the series and its spoils: a recording contract with Universal Music Australia, $100,000 in cash and a Ford Kuga.
Universal will hope the second series generates a sales effect similar to its predecessor. Contestants in that first run went to dominate the ARIA sales charts the following week, with winner Karise Eden grabbing the opening three songs on the ARIA Singles Chart and four of the top five – an achievement not seen since 1964 when The Beatles held all five best-selling singles in the country. Eden’s debut album “My Journey” was Australia’s best-selling album by a local artist in 2012, shifting double platinum and finishing the year-end ARIA sales charts in sixth place.
The second season was produced by Talpa and Shine Australia, and the series coaches were Seal, Joel Madden, Delta Goodrem and Ricky Martin. Seal has mentored both winners to-date.