Why 7PM won’t be Taken Out anytime soon
The figures aren't great for 7PM Project, but TEN knows it has to persist because the alternative is far worse.
- Published by David Knox
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There continues to be discussion about the slim figures for The 7PM Project, which last night fared at a disappointing 764,000.
On radio, online and in print the word “axe” is being frequently associated with the show. While last night wasn’t the lowest the show has taken (that was Friday at 656,000), it isn’t a great start to the week. Generally speaking, Mondays are a big night when regular shows attract their best following. It also lost viewers from Neighbours, at 868,000.
And while we’re on the subject, it was also beaten by Two and a Half Men & Home and Away in 16-39, 18-49 and 25-54. That’s where it will really hurt.
But calls for it to be axed are misreading the state of play.
TEN knows this is a new show, that has to find its feet. More importantly, it needs this one to work. The alternative of resorting to more US sitcoms or some other repeat programme is a far bigger problem, because it means the network has to go back to the drawing board to commission another replacement somewhere along the line. It already did that after Taken Out.
The show is also still developing its format. Last night it allowed swimmer Liesl Jones to stay longer as a guest (including beyond a commercial break). Kitty Flanagan, who impressed on her first appearance last week, returned. Charlie Pickering was also added to voice-overs.
Today programmer David Mott is quoted in the Daily Telegraph as saying, “We are invested in this program and will allow it to build its audience rather than taking it straight off air before it finds an audience.”
Source: news.com.au
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- Tagged with Home and Away, Neighbours, Taken Out, The 7pm Project, Two and a Half Men
77 Responses
Hughsy. Carrie. James. I cannot think of three more irritating voices in the same studio.
I think this show will last till the end of the year, purely because the backup plan (Friends, Will & Grace) would see Ten’s schedule collapse even more. But I don’t think Ten would be so idiotic to keep this at 7pm next year, when Loser / Masterchef rate so well…or maybe they are that idiotic…
Well said Tad. Plus, the ratings for OOTB were steadily increasing at 10.30pm which I think came as a surprise to many people, however the minute it was relegated to once a week it shed viewers instantly, as you’d expect. Soaps need that immediacy and buzz to survive so it’s no surprise to see it doing badly on Sundays.
That said, I’d like to see The 7PM Project get a chance because I don’t believe any new show/new format should be pulled off the air within days when a lot of time and effort has gone into it. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.
Do people seriously think that Hamish and Andy or Shaun Micallef were not approached to be involved in this show? They obviously have other commitments.
Some people have suggested using Hamish and Andy. Although I love watching those guys, I think they could benefit from some under-exposure. There is a danger, I think, with Hamish in particular, appearing on multiple shows on a semi-regular basis (Spicks n Specks, Thank God You’re Here, Good News Week, Rove, etc.) of ‘too much of a good thing’.
@ Elizabeth and Andrew. Ten had OOTB as an option for 7pm but didn’t give it a go. I think we all know why OOTB is airing at 5:30 on Sunday. Its rating there are horrendous but that’s what you’d expect when you show a half hour soap once a week.
I’m not saying that OOTB would have done well at 7pm, but Ten wasted the opportunity to try some other genres in the timeslot over summer. Ten has not done everything they can with this timeslot.
Hate hate hate the show!! Dave Hughes needs to go! Fornat needs to be revisited and changed drastically. Someone said Hamish and Andy…excellent choice, i would watch if these boys were on…they are far more appealing and more succesful then all of them put together. Bad move by Rove not to use them from the start!
Hey littlea – if they put Hamish Blake on it, that would absolutely 100% guarantee I will never ever watch it again!!!!!
Elizabeth, it was The Bold and the Beautiful that Ten played at 6pm over summer, not Out of the Blue which played around 10.30pm Mon-Thurs over summer.
I like this show! It makes news more interesting. Also, it’s great to see they’re using the latest in communication (ie skype), aiming at ‘Gen Y’. Keep it up Charlie and Co! Especially Kitty Flanagan!!! Love her!
I’d rather this than 2 & 1/2 Men. I feel like my IQ has been lowered while watching that.
Zhane I know this might sound rather outdated but resorting to old episodes of shows like Seinfeld,The Nanny,Simpsons,Mad about You and Others of that sort is what Channel 10 did in between the Time Echo Point Failed in the Nineties and Big Brother of 2001.
I hope it doesn’t come to that.
Yesterday was the first time ever in Years I Boycotted watching that Charlie Sheen 2.5 men crap for home grown Home and Away and this was while I was exercising at the fitness centre like I do on a Monday Night was rather happy about that.More Aussie Shows
Instead Dave Hughes Ch10 should have Hamish and Andy in the 7pm show. They would be more funny that Dave Hughes. I got nothing againist Dave Hughes but I like Hanish and Andy instead.
@Elizabeth: Out Of The Blue was shown at 10.30pm and then moved to Sunday 5.30pm. I don’t think it was ever given a Simpsons or Neighbours-type weeknight timeslot.
@Tad: the fact that Out Of The Blue is still showing… on a Sunday late afternoon and getting ratings that a test pattern would be ashamed to get… indicates that it’s getting more of a chance than any other show would be with the figures it’s getting
I think what helped the show is having less of James Matheson. He behaved like a twit when Julie cooked for that family last Tuesday. She seemed to get irrated by him too. He tried way too hard
Having three people on the panel as core presenters is a better fit. Kitty Flannigan is quite funny. There onto a winner with her.
Looking forward to Rob Thomas coming on this week. Hopefully they will have him there for a while and have a good chat with him
The show is improving. If anyone remembers how Johanna Griggs started when she was working for 7 presenting tennis, that was woeful. Now she is hosting Better Homes………
Having been in the audience last night I reiterate my call to get rid of Hughesy.
He appears to be a fish out of water on camera and off camera he’s a nervous wreck. Add to that the fact that he has to be up at 4am the next morning and there’s no chance he can be delivering what is needed.
He’s a damned funny commedian and does well on breakfast radio, but 7pm isn’t him. Changing the voice-overs from Carrie to Charlie was a great move — it no longer sounds like we’re watching Rove.
Josh Thomas was a revelation: on TBYG he’s crap, but if he’s prepared on the topic he has something to say and does a good job.
Really feels like the show is starting (by babysteps) to find it’s legs.
As i said before, the show is Crap! The main reason I cannot stand it is because of Dave Hughes who I find revolting and ignorant, always have … does not deserve to be on TV! As for “letting the show find an audience” … wake up Mott … give the good overseas shows a decent chance for once instead of this “jobs for the boys” rubbish! Fools!
Jack!
Tad,
Ten did put Out of the Blue on in prime time over summer. It replaced either the Simpsons or neighbours for weeks, but failed to find an audience after extensively pushing it. Ten isnt usually the network that pulls things if they dont rate immediately. I believe that crown goes to channel Nine.
Any show that keeps Dave Hughes away from the viewing public is a good thing… and the ratings reflect this.
I also thought last night’s show was better, more relaxed feel, less stories meant the show didn’t feel so rushed. I’m happy to stick with it and let the 7pm project find it’s feet. The alternative is another Simpsons episode or rerun of a sitcom we’ve seen a hundred times before.
I’ve always found the 7pm slot lacking, at least 10 is offering a new option. I think given some time and finessing they will end up with a good, entertaining show.
This show deserves to be given a chance to experiment a bit and to me that is the attraction. Sure it misfires here and there but sometimes it hits the mark … Kitty Flanagan was a hoot last night.
As someone else put it, if you want serious discourcse this ain’t it, for a broad overview with the occasional laugh, could do a lot worse.
Funny how 7PM deserves a chance but Out of the Blue didn’t. Ten should have tried it at 7pm over summer. They would have got points from me for trying, but now I have no sympathy for their lack of alternatives.
For those wanting the Panel? Remember the last year of the Panel…those Xmas specials…
Spot on David. I haven’t watched it yet but the networks need to learn that you don’t get very far constantly cutting things from your schedule. That sends people off to internet land to get things instead. Ten should be congratulated for showing some commitment. The default position for every new show should not be how long will it last. The show is live I believe so there’s no editing costs, it’s pretty much radio on tv and if it’s mainly banter probably not a lot of writers. It wouldn’t be that expensive. The Daily Show changed hosts after its first season, lot of shows take time to mature or have longer development periods. They probably shouldn’t have hyped it so much but that’s understandable. I decided not to watch after seeing the previews before it aired, but at some point I’ll probably stumble across it and if it’s okay watch it. Dave Hughes is I think quite polarising, I saw him live many years ago and liked him a lot but I’ve never been much of a fan on tv. For the record I predicted three to four weeks initially. I give ChK CHk Fail’s new show on nine two weeks.
Channel 9 need to take a page from Ten’s book.
What people want is the Panel, so whether these guys or Working Dog deliver it, Ten should read into publics opinion and and take it on board. Dave, Charlie and Carrie are good operators (a little white bread for mine but otherise okay) so hopefully they can make this show work.
I think when GNW started on the ABC ten years ago it had a similar problem and then matured in Yr2