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8:40 is the new 8:30

MKR will be running until 8:40 or 8:45pm for quite some time now.

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2013-02-13_14118:40 is the new 8:30 according to My Kitchen Rules.

The show has been strategically wrapping at 8:40 or 8:45pm for some time now and it will continue to do so for at least the next two weeks according to Seven’s schedule.

And that’s presuming it ends on time.

So all of Seven’s follow-up content such as Rafters and Revenge is now 8:40 or 8:45pm.

In the biz it’s known as a ploy to stop you changing channels on the half hour.

Meanwhile The Block is currently scheduled as 60 or 90 minute episodes (it was 100 minutes for Monday’s “room reveal.” 60 Minutes is also 90 minutes this weekend.

17 Responses

  1. This is something I do not miss at all.

    Here in the US/Canada, unless it’s sports or a special live event, every show runs to their exact time to the second.

    Every channel, every show, runs exactly at the length it is supposed to.

  2. This is why I have 3 PVRs. The EPG is rarely accurate and necessitates the addition of at least 10 minutes to any recording which then interferes with the start of another recording. I am also frustrated by double episodes which are usually one new and one repeat which are bundled into one item and I have to manually adjust recording instructions.

  3. Would not be tolerated in the US.
    Shows either start top of the hour or bottom of the hour.
    Only exception is when a live sport event runs over. And then if it does, shows get dropped until the event finishes, there is no delaying the schedule.

  4. I’ll admit I’m glad they are largely honest now about how late they end and start shows. But I’ll admit that’s part of the reason I try to avoid main commercial channels when I can. If I can find reliable and good shows on alternative channels then I will. Although I’ve tried reality TV in the past and one series was enough.

    As for what could be done all the advertisers have to do is have a 10.35pm clause. Any ads played after that time get the same discount rates no matter what is played there. Then maybe when there is no financial incentive to be late they won’t play the game.

    Lastly being late just makes me late when I flick over and I’m not a happy camper. Hence me wanting to avoid certain channels. The tragedy is it happens with SBS and Mythbusters now. I just wish if they wanted to show another 8.30pm show at 8.35-40pm why can’t they have a five or ten minute News Update instead if they could afford it? At least it would be more informative and interesting than cycling and cooking all the time.

  5. I’m not particularly fussed when a show starts but I think the networks should be forced to be honest in their advertising of start and finish times. Note, simply updating EPGs a few hours before the show starts is not good enough.

  7. @ Steviem The 8:40 starting times began in 2006 when Desperate Housewives returned for Season 2. I forget what was before it, presumably a factual show like Border?
    I too PVR most shows and watch when I want! I wait a week between episodes so watching without ads is good and enjoyable

  8. This is more reason for OzTAM ratings to report consolidated figures as more and more people are recording shows otherwise they’d miss the beginning while watching the end of another. Bring on the American way of shows starting on the half hour!

  9. I have a simple solution – I don’t tune into the stupid show in the first place. It’s beyond pathetic that MKR is one of the top rating shows on Australian TV.

    Enough already with the brainless cooking shows, the home renovation shows, the hopelessly untalented “talent” shows and the dreadful “Where are they now?” shows. I am thoroughly sick and tired of heavily scripted and fake “reality” TV.

  10. This is so annoying, especially when you want to tape shows and they overlap because you have to set your machine for 10 or more minutes past when it is supposed to finish or you miss the end. If you want to tape a show on another channel, you miss the start.

  11. I agree with Bilko! So frustrating when you fin out you missed the end of a show you taped!!

    When I watch MKR next week I will pre tape Mr & Mrs Murder & as soon as MKR finishes I will start watching M&MM! They won’t full me with their tactics. I too hate how TV stations can’t finish on time. TV series in particular are 22/42 minutes long so there’s no excuse to run over. Reality shows should fine tune there shows and omit the American-style phrase “After the break will so & so…” . I like watching MKR but get very frustrated with repetitiveness & running until 8.45ish!!

  12. Unfortunately they are still playing silly buggers with us, how long before a 40 min end blows out to a 50+ min.end, then to 55min.
    Apparently ACMA has little control over programming, but have they investigated how and why programmes normally 1 hour in length have blown out aprox. 20min(33%)?
    For example 3 hours of Sunrise can be easily condensed down to under 2 hours but not miss any new content, this can be reduced even further, but it becomes time wasting to fine tune stops and starts.

    Can ACMA have any control over endless repeats of Promo’s, that by the way sometime begin months ahead of the programmes beginning,
    These promo’s can have some of the “exact same scenes” that are part of programme when it finally airs, and to really rub it in they continue well after that scene has aired.
    Which seems to confirm to me that “over runs” are premeditated, given they have access to programme content so far out and the length of each segment is edited as such.
    But to me there is one promo still around (at least 6 weeks of it) for “MCP” where Marco tells us he can tell a ‘great chef’ just by how he uses his knives, and that he does not even have to talk to them,to know if they can cook or not an so on, which leads me to cynically laugh to myself, when I wonder why have the competition, if that is the case?

  14. Yet another reason not to watch shows like this. They force you into missing the end if you want to catch another show or sticking around and watching the rest of the night. Answer I just PVR the shows I want and watch most of them later and FF the ads.

  15. Well Masterchef started and finished on time…and I was able to go across and watch New Tricks….albeit and ‘old’ episode….*G*
    I prefer my shows …on time…start and finish…to me their is no excuse for running over time…and TEN gets a gold star from me for this….I have not been watching TEN for the longest time until recently….

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