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The Multichannels rinse and repeat test

Which multichannel has the most first-run content and which has the least? TV Tonight puts them under the microscope.

43abcHow much new content is screened on our multichannels and how much are just repeats?

That’s the question that has been put under microscope today.

TV Tonight has assessed this week’s primetime schedules for each of our multichannels to get to the bottom of the rinse and repeat question.

And the results are in stark contrast to the ratings results.

ABC News 24 has come out on top as screening the most first-run content in primetime, with ever-popular channel GO! giving viewers the least.

ABC News 24 screened 71% new titles between 5pm – midnight this week followed by SBS 2 on 68% new titles.

ELEVEN had the most first-run titles for commercial networks at 49%.

At the other end of the scale GO! offered just 11% new titles despite it frequently topping multichannel ratings.

ABC NEWS 24: 71% score
81 new titles/ 114 total titles
Because this is a news channel, much of the cotnent is first run, with flashes of simulcast ABC1 content. Monday nights are especially fresh with 13 of 15 titles as first run ABC News 24 content.
Amongst the first-run channel titles are ABC News, ABC News Update, Capital Hill, The Drum, The Health Quarter, Grandstand, The Business, The World, Q&A, The Indigenous Quarter, The Arts Quarter, The Technology Quarter, ABC Open, The World This Week, News Exchange, Big Ideas, Big News Sampler.

2013-07-03_2315SBS 2: 68%
53 / 78
Newly-revamped SBS 2 has plenty of new, if somewhat obscure, content across diverse genres. Mondays are again the night for fresh content with 11 new titles of 14.
Amongst the channel titles are Cycling Central, World B-Boy Championships, Football Freestyler, Tour de France 2013 Extended Highlights, MXC, Shameless, Bang Goes the Theory, The Office, The Feed, Kill Arman, Never Ever Do This at Home, Human Giant, Ugly Americans, Russell Howard’s Good News, Departures, Fish Warrior, The Sex Show, Stacey Dooley, Threesome, The Life and Times of Tim, Skins, Morgan Spurlock’s New Britannia.

2013-07-03_2311ELEVEN: 49%
35 / 71
ELEVEN had no fresh content on Sunday but made up for it on Monday and Tuesday. Thursdays were light and Saturdays were rerun opportunities for Masterchef. But ELEVEN gets a tick for screening local drama in Neighbours.
Amongst the channel titles are Couch Time, Neighbours, Raising Hope, Dexter, Nurse Jackie, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, Rules Of Engagement, The New Normal, Beauty & The Beast, Geordie Shore, The Cleveland Show, The Office, So You Think You Can Dance, Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model, MasterChef Australia – Encore.

2013-07-03_2310ONE: 32%
21 / 66
ONE has a mix of sports and entertainment, including branded entertainment in late afternoon. Some content is also dated but first run on the channel.
Amongst the channel titles are What’s Up Down Under, I Fish, ET’s Fishing Classics, Diamond Divers, F1 Grand Prix, Frontiers Of Construction, Super Rugby Extra Time, 71 Degrees North, Blue Bloods, Persons Unknown, Fast Forward, Brand X With Russell Brand, Blokesworld, Would You Rather? With Graham Norton, Undercover Boss, Monster Jam.

2013-07-03_23097MATE: 27%
13 / 48
7mate is dominated by US content some of which has run on Pay TV. There were no new titles at all on Sunday and Saturday. AFL screens in some states.
Amongst the channel titles are Ultimate Factories, American Restoration, Family Guy, American Dad, Scare Tactics, Zoom TV, Hardcore Pawn, American Pickers, Take It All, Auction Kings, Operation Repo, Warehouse 13.

201twABC2: 25%
35  / 141
ABC2 has a versatile mix of Aussie and UK content including channel-commissioned titles like Good Game, The Roast, Shitsville Express, Dirty Laundry Live and scripted comedy twentysomething. Its total number of titles is high due to children’s interstitials in late arvos. There are also premiere children’s shows during daytime.
Amongst the channel titles are Bananas in Pyjamas, Mofy, Sunday Best, This American Life, The Roast, Doctor Who’s Greatest Moments, The Audience, Breaking Bad, Good Game, The Alternative Comedy Experience, Shitsville Express, Jewish Mum Of The Year, twentysomething, Mock The Week, Dirty Laundry Live, Grandma’s House, I’m Having Their Baby, Celebrity Rehab With Dr Drew, Funny As, Childrens Hospital.

2013-07-03_23077TWO: 23%
12 / 53
This week 7TWO is screening Wimbledon in primetime which means a reduced total in titles this week. It has a number of UK titles.
Amongst the channel titles are Homes Under The Hammer, Escape To The Country, Wimbledon 2013, Britain’s Empty Homes, Better Homes And Gardens, Seven’s V8 Supercars.

2013-07-03_2259GEM: 21%
11 / 53
GEM has movies and mostly US content. Next week it will add The Ashes cricket series. Some states screen NRL.
Amongst the channel titles are: Antiques Roadshow, Journey to the Bottom of the Ocean, Major Crimes, My Crazy Obsession, Animal Emergency, Planet Earth, Longmire.

2013-07-03_2257ABC3: 16%
11 / 68
ABC3 is disadvantaged in direct comparisons because it screens much of its first run content in daytimes and switches off earlier at 9pm. Next week it adds local drama Dance Academy.
Amongst the channel titles are Serious Explorers, Degrassi: The Next Generation, Weekend News On 3, News On 3, Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

GO!: 11%
6 / 53
Aside from one Australian movie GO!’s first-run content was all US comedies. On Monday, Tuesday and Friday it had no premieres. GO! needs to offer viewers better content.
Amongst the channel titles are The Middle, Suburgatory, and Mike & Molly.
2013-07-03_2258

NITV: N/A
The NITV guide did not distinguish repeat content and was therefore not included in this report.

A word on the methodology: The criteria of using “titles” for analysis was non-judgmental, meaning interstitials such as The Roast, The Couch, The Feed, ABC News Update, News on 3 were counted as single titles, as were shows that had previously aired on other channels such as MasterChef – Encore, Q & A, Russell Howard’s Good News, Planet Earth etc. Content may vary from state to state.

29 Responses

  1. I must say I’m glad for the extra channels (except for ME and Channel 94, the Home Shopping channels !)…

    Also, scary that our TV industry is being more and more automated – no cameramen for ABC News….

    I know it’s been around a while, but sad to see.

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