All Stories FeedAxed: Download
Network TEN has hit the “stop” button on its Download ‘internet clip show’ after just two episodes.
The Mike Goldman, Bree Amer and Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald series was in its second season, hosting video clips packaged together with commentary, competitions and special guests.
It will be replaced by Canada’s Ice Road Truckers effective from this Friday at 7:30pm.
Ten episodes of the show were filmed with the former Big Brother trio earlier this year. But last week it had 526,000 viewers.
The axing is a disappointment to TEN’s struggling Friday line-ups. Earlier this month TV Tonight interviewed Mike Goldman and Bree Amer about the timeslot and difficulty of winning an audience on one of TEN’s weakest nights.
TV Tonight: “Channel TEN are in a climate of taking things off air quickly if they’re not working. What if I was to say to you they played the show for three weeks and then took it off?”
Mike Goldman: “That’s not gonna happen, because it’s an awesome show! It’s not boring, it’s fun. I’ve got a copy of the first episode I played to a stack of kids the other day they p*****d themselves. Absolutely loved it. So I’d be very surprised.
Bree Amer: We’re pretty lucky to have a pretty good fanbase as well, through Big Brother.
Friday Night Live won Goldman, Amer and Fitzgerald ‘Best Action Show’ at the Kids Choice Awards.
TEN is yet to announce its plans for the remaining 8 episodes.
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90210 can’t be shown at 7.30 due to its M classification.
Didn’t ANTM rate better than Download? Why not bring back another cycle?
I’m with Jack! and the others suggesting a regular Sci-Fi niche would build a very loyal following if properly promoted and kept as a regular event.
For all those claiming Sci-Fi simply ‘doesn’t rate’ with mainstream viewers, check Doctor Who’s ratings for 2008, keeping in kind that TEN’s Torchwood is its spin off. Properly publicised and kept in a regular slot at a descent viewing time, it gave all the commercial networks, particularly TEN, a run for their money.
I’m behind you Jack! go the SCI-FI.. although I do have to agree, it doesn’t always rate well (but what about early numbers for lost/heroes and similar?)
although I do have HD tv being in Canberra we do not have the luxury of getting any 10 HD show’s so I’m definetly missing out. But the problem with sci-fi ratings is the majority seem to download it before it hits FTA anyway – I’m in the rare club that dont
wish that our networks played some decent “non-repetitive non same old same format” quality programming!
Sorry Jack, but i gotta agree with R. Sci-fi like stargate may be popular with some people, but it just wouldn’t appeal to enough people, let alone to watch it on fta, to improve their night.
“…R on October 28th, 2008 9:09 pm
Jack and Dan – you might like that lineup, but that would almost certainly cause Ten’s already terminal friday night shares to flatline…”
I am VERY confident that it would only improve things …
The “young demographic” that 10 constantly go on about being their target … don’t they all go out on Friday nights??? So aim for a different demographic …. simple logic for pity sake!
I recon that “no common sense” is a big prt of the problem …
Jack!
No, I have to agree with Craig. Goldman has some talent at least. Fitzy *might* be a candidate for something like Before the Game, but Bree is a total zero.
Very harsh……
So i assume Goldman will now be another faceless “celeb”. Pity his dental & hair work now goes to waste. Fitzy can always make a buck on sportsmans nights at suburban football clubs in bogan-land Adelaide. But Bree?? What becomes of her?
Darling, get married to some rich ad man or maybe take up an offer from some sleazy sponsor, because you aint never gonna be seen again honey.
putting 90210 on as promised would be an interesting idea, there is a massive petition to bring it back, although those who care enough would have gone straight onto the internet so the numbers would probably be even worse now.
They cancelled it? DUH!
Thank god! Absolute crap.
This would be perfect for 90210.
They should play 90210.
Good Lord, every TEN show will get the flick.
I totally agree that they should air Friday Night Lights on Friday’s. Not only does it tie into their purchase of the American NFL for HD Sports (and we know Ten are all about the Sports at the moment) but good lord it makes it fun for their Publicity Team. You’ve got two ready made seasons with at least 30 episodes of ready to go, that will zoom you through summer.
Also with no Football at the moment, either NRL or AFL, some of the fella’s (and even the ladies) might want to see a little macho action. Also, the show is good, but that seems to be the last in consideration stakes programming.
Anyone who would be interested in Download probably hits the clubs on a Friday (re 16-26 yo) so it was kind of doomed.
I would love to see more Simpsons, Smallville or a regular movie – anythings better than sitting through better homes and gardens, but Ice Truckers????
Please no!!
Have to agree with Jack here..
A themed friday night (or any night) is way to go..
Sci-fi, crime, youth orientated, comedy or Australian made.
as many have said before, networks really need to think about the Flow of shows on any particular night.
And for goodness sakes, lets get rid of those “elistist people meters’ and start talking to real people watching TV..Not a very select group
Thank god for that! Agreed quality stuff like Battlestar should be the new Friday – bloody hell, whoda ever thought about quality shows being scheduled on a mainstream channel?
‘Course, we all know Ten will eventually throw up their arms and do the only thing that works – Simpsons marathons!!!
Jack and Dan – you might like that lineup, but that would almost certainly cause Ten’s already terminal friday night shares to flatline.
i liked friday download but i guest people just weren’t into it i think ch 10 should make a friday night games again but with celebrities or people like ourselves all you have to do is sign up i bet that would get more ratings with the same hosts
I agree with you there Jack, think that would be a great line up for Friday night TV, maybe you should replace the current idiot programers that Ten employs, they are hopeless.
I am so glad I don’t have to watch free to air on Friday nights. Thank goodness for Foxtel !!!
this show was dead the scond they axed big brother
its only axed bexause it doesent get advertised that6 much and they should put it on 6.30 saturday packed to the rafters gets advertised every add y cant they with this.
Can Ten afford to pull ANYTHING off air early any more? Surely they should be giving every show a decent chance.
Aw, no more Friday Night Bogans. Lucky for Catherine Deveney that she got her scathing Age editorial in last week then!
Wow….Australia’s Funniest Home Videos (sorry Download) got axed.
By the end of November, I’m betting that we’ll see The Simpsons on Friday nights (7:30-8:30)?
RE Phillip Hollins: I agree 90210 would have been good on a Friday.
I like the Mike, Bree and Fitzy trio but I must admit I never once tuned into to what is ultimately a futile show.
I do like documentaries, but not on a Friday night after a long week at school! 90210 = brainless fun! LOL
There was a segment on the show called “Download Upload”, which asked viewers to create a funny clip and then send it in. This was a good thing but since the show has now been axed, every entry sent after its axing is in limbo. I feel sorry for those viewers.
I hope that Ten find new projects for the three hosts.
It say nothing about its appeal and everything about the attitude of programmers to the shows that many, many of us want to watch and have to endlessly download … (The majority of viewers tastes are NOT represented by the “ratings” on which the entire industry is based!)… “unappealing” shows do not make it to 10 Seasons (Stargat SG1)!!!
The vast majority of viewers do not have HD and definitely cannot record HD shows to view later … it is still a secondary and impotent alternative in Australia. Classed as Summer Programs by the idiot programmers! The biggest problem is that shows are not given nearly long enough in a particular time slot to proove they can build and sustain an audience! When they replace the current programmers and fix the stupid ratings system!
New Friday Night line up on 10:
7.30pm: 90210
8.30pm: Stargate SG1
9.30pm: Torchwood
10.30pm: Battlestar Galactica
Everyone in my office here agrees they would prefer that to anything on at the moment…
Nick: I agree, Joker Poker was awesome, ti got me and my friends into poker (granted i don’t play for money as i tend to lose it, its still fun though)
Fridayn night is something of a dead zone for television. I think part of the problem is that the networks key preferred demographics are all out doing other things. Friday night is not a good time for a youth oriented program like Download. Certainly Ten need to counter-program against the gardening type shows and the British crime thrillers that the ABC regularly transmits. Science Fiction is one way to go, another would be a strong game show. I know Eddie McGuire failed in that timeslot on Nine with 1 v 100, but an original local concept if put together with a charismatic host could work wonders.
I notice that Fridays has also started to become a bit reliant on movies in the later timeslots and this is not the way to go, especially if the commercial networks only have about ten movies a piece that they like to circle through regularly. I suppose Mean Girls will be on again in a few weeks and we shall get a cycle through the Star Wars movies before Christmas. Download had problems, but the timeslot deserves better than something called Ice Road Truckers! That sounds like something almost on a par with Midget Tossing.
Ice Road Truckers may do well you know. Considering the only other place to see the program is Foxtel, at least it is a step up.
Make it Sci-Fi Friday every week on 10 and the viewers will flood back.
Sci-Fi has never rated in prime-time, ever. Why would it now all of a sudden?
why didnt they cut it down to 30 min eps and put it on at 7pm mon – fri? Maybe it woudl work…….cant do any worse than the dribble ten has on now or even recently
Maybe Friday Night Lights
after 90210 and maybe the final 2 Burn Notice eps!
Ice Road Truckers eh ? Well at least it’s not Mean girls / About a boy…..yet….
It is a shame because mike bree and fitzy are great hosts but with ratings like that who can blame 10 for canning it instead of making download they should have made another series of Friday night games I hope ice road truckers is the first show to have no viewers at all
Are they repeats of Ice Road Truckers?
when will tv stations put something good on friday nights…
Thanks goodness! Big Brother contestants should remain evicted from our screens. We’re not interested! Between Bree, Krystal and the rest of the endless vain airheads (guys included) it makes for nauseating TV.
Australian TV networks need to raise the bar and focus their energy and money on talent!!!! We have so much in this country it baffles me as to why they all continue to pollute our airways with visual rubbish.
kinda agree with you Jack, not a sci fi fan at all but would appreciate a change and think it would do well..
Download was such great dumb fun for a Friday night. Ice Road Truckers is a good show, but Sydney and Brisbane viewers have seen half of it during the footy season when southern states had Before The Game on.
Jack!…the fact that Sci-Fi is on HD only must tell you something about its appeal. Besides, if you have HD, it is hardly being boned. Most of the programs you mentioned were Summer programs anyway so you’re lucky that they’re even on free to air.
Thank god for that … it was total crap!
Why do they continue to waste good money and air time on this stuff and not support the great sci-fi shows that we love and have to tolerate being boned to HD only … Torchwood, Battlestar, 4400 etc … to name a few.
Make it Sci-Fi Friday every week on 10 and the viewers will flood back.
Jack!
Ice Road Truckers is a terrific show, have you seen it? It’s just a matter of whether 10 gives it a chance to establish.
Ice Road Truckers? If they’re putting on a doco series bring back Deadliest Catch!
Ice Road Truckers???? What’s the bet that rates even lower?
put 90210 on there. I’m begging you!!!!
Bring back the Aussie version of Celebrity Poker please…
It used to be on at midnight on saturdays and had a lot of Aussie comedians playing for charity.
It was surprisingly entertaining and might be a cheap option for friday night.
How about they put Taken Out on Friday nights instead??