PRIME7 has claimed victory in the annual television ratings in southern NSW for the first time since the aggregation of commercial TV services in Canberra, Wollongong and Orange in 1989.
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But Nine-aligned rival WIN TV was still the top free-to-air channel in the sub-market of Canberra in 2011.
The official TV ratings year concluded last weekend, with Prime7 and its digital offshoots 7Two and 7Mate claiming a combined 29.4 per cent of prime-time free-to-air viewing across the combined southern NSW market.
WIN and its digital channels GO! and Gem recorded a 28.7 per cent network share, ahead of Southern Cross Ten (18.2), the ABC (17.6) and SBS (6.1).
Prime7's narrow win comes on the back of feeder network Seven's comprehensive victory over Nine in the national ratings with such programs as Australia's Got Talent, X Factor and Packed to the Rafters.
Across the five mainland state capitals, Seven and its digital offshoots averaged a 31.0 per network cent share between 6pm and midnight, ahead of Nine (26.3), Ten (21.4), the ABC (15.8) and SBS 5.4.
But WIN won in the national capital, with a 26.9 per cent network share, ahead of Prime7 (23.6 per cent), Southern Cross Ten (21.1), the ABC (20.7) and SBS (7.7).
Rugby league helped keep WIN on top in Canberra, where half of the year's 10 highest-rating programs were NRL or State of Origin telecasts.
WIN claimed the capital's most-watched show overall (the NRL grand final) and the most-watched drama (Underbelly Razor).
WIN's offshoot GO! and Southern Cross Ten's Eleven tied as Canberra's most popular digital channels, each recording a 4.6 per cent share of nightly viewing.
The ABC's four-channel network share of 20.7 per cent in Canberra was much higher than its national average (15.8), which was down on its 2010 result (16.9).
Media analyst Steve Allen, managing director of Sydney-based Fusion Strategy, said Seven's hit Australian content was finally paying off for Prime7.
''Seven generally has two, three or four powerhouse productions every week of the official survey year,'' Mr Allen said.
''They have been building this cache of local productions since 2004.''
Rugby league underpinned the ratings of Nine and its regional affiliates.
''In NSW and Queensland NRL is all-important,'' Mr Allen said. ''The minute this is off ratings and share for Nine drop down.''
Southern NSW, Australia's first aggregated TV market, came into effect in March 1989 when Canberra, Wollongong and Orange/Dubbo were combined into one regional market.
The 2012 ratings survey begins on February 12.
