WE’RE A NATION of news junkies – and we have a lingering affection for Brendan O’Carroll comedy. That’s what the AGB Nielsen Media Research figures for so far in 2011 have revealed about our TV watching habits.

However, it wasn’t Enda Kenny and Michéal Martin at loggerheads which was the most-watched TV moment of the year so far. It was that other terrible twosome, Jedward, in all their Lipstick glory at the Eurovision. RTE hosted 48 out of 50 of the most-watched TV shows of 2011 thus far – with four current affairs and news programmes hitting the top ten.

TV3 managed to get into the Top 10 with an episode of Coronation Street. The most watched sports event was Ireland v England in the Six Nations rugby, broadcast on RTE2.

These are the top 20 most-watched programmes of 2011 from 1 January – 30 June, 2011, according to Nielsen figures released by RTE (RTE has posted the top 50 here>):

1. The Eurovision Song Contest, RTE1, 14 May – 1,182,700 people watched.
2. The Frontline Leaders’ debate, RTE1, 14 February, 964,800
3. Mrs Brown’s Boys, RTE1, 05 February, 924,200
4. The Late Late Show, RTE1, 11 February, 885,100
5. The Nine O’Clock News, RTE1, 20 March, 813,300
6. Prime Time Leaders’ Debate, RTE1, 22 February, 806,700
7. The Eurovision Song Contest (semi), 12 May, 779,500
8. Six-One News, RTE1, 17 January, 771,100
9. Fair City, RTE1, 04 January, 764,400
10. The All-Ireland Talent Show, 20 March, 749,700
11. (10 in ratings divisions) Coronation Street, 3 January, 749,400
12. Primetime Investigates, RTE1, 16 May, 723,100
13. Queen Elizabeth II in Ireland, RTE1, 19 May, 710,400
14. Six Nations Rugby, RTE2, 19 March, 690,400
15. Election 2011, RTE1, 26 February, 684,400
16. Departure Day, RTE1, 10 January, 673,600
17. President Obama in Ireland, 23 May, 663,700
18. Raw, RTE1, 16 January, 649,000
19. Eastenders, RTE1, 04 January, 645,600
20. Operation Transformation, RTE1, 05 January, 640,500