As expected, the first episode of Doctor Who’s series 7 was a hit from the number of viewers point of view. The Guardian says that the Doctor return to BBC1 with more than 6 million viewers, beating the ITV1 rival Red or Black? though The X Factor remained the top Saturday show.
The BBC1 sci-fi drama averaged 6.4 million viewers and a 29.3% audience over 50 minutes from 7.20pm. ITV1’s Ant and Dec gameshow Red or Black? averaged 3.5 million viewers and a 15.7% audience share between 7.25pm and 8.10pm.
This was something of a reversal of fortune from the first weekend in September 2011, when Doctor Who – returning for the second half of last year’s series – averaged 5.5 million and 25.9% against Red or Black? with 6.6 million and 29.9%.
On Saturday, ITV1’s The X Factor averaged 8.6 million viewers and a 36.8% share from 8.10pm, then a second instalment of Red or Black? had 3.3 million and 14.4% from 9.10pm.
On the other hand, news.com.au says that more people downloaded Asylum of the Daleks legally in 24 hours than the most popular illegally downloaded show over a whole month. Breaking the iView record should count, isn’t it? 😀
The ABC received the highest amount of daily plays on iView ever after airing the premiere episode of Doctor Who on Sunday – just hours after it aired in the UK.
In comparison, the most heavily downloaded television show in Australia -  How I Met Your Mother - was pirated 37 458 over the month of February last year, according to marketing and metrics company, Jumpwire Media.
Asylum of the Daleks received 75,900 plays in less than 24 hours after it aired on Sunday at 5.10am, in Aunty’s novel attempt to stop users from pirating the episode illegally.
That number only makes up about 10 per cent of the show’s potential TV audience, in its current Saturday 7.30pm timeslot, however the number is significant as it means that the ABC’s bid appears to have been successful.
The episode aired online almost a week before it hits TV screens on ABC1.
