Programming Archive:
Airdate: Forbes 20 Under 25: Young Rich and Famous
Some will say it’s the power of the web. Others will say it’s just another network amendment. Either way, Channel TEN is no longer screening the American version of Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?
At least not on November 20th it isn’t. Any further than that and we’ll just have to wait and see.
When TV Tonight ran the news just three days ago, it wasn’t in very complimentary terms. Readers agreed that the idea to follow the Rove-hosted series with the American version was a baffling choice.
Maybe Programmers heard and …
Airdate: Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader (US)?
TEN deserves to go to the bottom of the class and try harder with news it is planning to slug us with the American version of Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?
What were they thinking?
The show, hosted by Jeff Foxworthy, is due to replace the local Aussie version starring Rove McManus from 7:30pm Thursday November 20. It might be nearly summer, but this isn’t even a good idea for non-ratings.
How does this help the local version? It just creates unnecessary comparisons, and tires people of the franchise a lot quicker. …
Packered by the Rafters
It was the week the Packer family parted ways with Nine causing David Gyngell to vow to prove James Packer wrong, TEN announced a new channel, Pay TV launched another three, Minister Stephen Conroy signalled support for increased ABC & SBS funding, commercial networks (briefly) found a conscience but upset David Leckie, WIN sat down at the gambling table, Kath & Kim (US) got a greenlight for a full season, Andrew Denton announced the end of Enough Rope, David Tennant set his exit from his iconic role, Rove visited …
Kath & Kim pulls good US audience
Despite the disappointing press reviews, the US premiere of Kath and Kim took good numbers in the US.
It managed 7.5m viewers, which, while landing third in its timeslot behind Survivor and Ugly Betty enjoyed strong growth for the NBC timeslot.
In the US total numbers are not the same litmus test of ‘hit or miss’ as in Australia. NBC will look to compare how Kath and Kim fared in overall share and demographics. Kath & Kim came second in its slot with a 3.2 rating in 18-49. Survivor was first with a …
It’s slime time again
It’s that time of year again when bucketloads of gooey green slime are unloaded onto agreeable celebrities in the name of ….well in the name of slime, really.
Nickelodeon’s Australian Kids’ Choice Awards 2008 take place on Saturday at HiSense Arena (formerly Vodafone), Melbourne, and screening at 6:30pm Saturday on Nickleodeon. Hosted by Natalie Bassingthwaighte alongside WWE’s John Cena, it will include Rove McManus, Brian McFadden, Stephanie Rice, the Australian Idol finalists, Shane Warne, Liesal Jones, Sally McLennon, Bindi Irwin, with performances by Ricki-Lee, Operator Please and Short Stack.
Strolling the ‘Orange …
ABC beats TEN as Seven wins
It was the week that American critics began to knife Kath & Kim (officially), ABC told staff it would cut up to 35 production jobs, Nine denied having a contract with the wife of a convicted crim, an actor lambasted his former soap, Today Tonight announced its next host would be a sports presenter and said its film crew helped -not hounded- an interviewee, Seven ’streamlined’ its Lotto results, buyers eyed a key production company, the Imparja / Nine Darwin deal fell apart, a TV critic died, and suddenly so did …
TEN’s week to smile
Channel TEN is enjoying one of its best weeks in a long time, currently sitting in second position after two nights in Week 39, just 0.8% behind Seven.
That’s thanks largely to the performances of Australian Idol and the Brownlow Medal.
Cyndi Lauper’s appearance on Idol on Sunday night nabbed the station 1.34m viewers, beating both 60 Minutes and shrinking Dancing with the Stars. Last night she returned to sing “Time after Time” to the tune of 1.1m viewers. Next week Darren Hayes is guest judge.
TEN also had the 2008 Brownlow Medal in …
Bored rigid by lack of competition, it’s Seven.
It was the week that Seven and Nine argued over Karl Stefanovic, Grant Hackett signed with Channel Nine, ASTRA again attacked the anti-siphoning rule –prompting an hilarious “bored rigid” response from Seven, Nine denied a takeover of its Darwin affiliate by Imparja, Grant Denyer landed in hospital, a former Idol was assaulted, WIN trimmed its Queensland newsrooms, SBS said sponsors wouldn’t affect its editorial on Top Gear Australia and networks and advertisers all held their breath as the US financial market went into meltdown.
And unsurprisingly it was another win by Seven …
Big Deal Monday
Never let it be said Deal or No Deal doesn’t give away it’s big prizes on a Monday.
Tonight’s win was the stuff of Deal legend, as a woman with steely resolve said ‘no’ to offers of $38,000 and $55,000. Her two friends would have settled for $30,000.
But with just two cases remaining, including her own, she settled on $100,000, declining the temptation to become the first woman to win $200,000.
As it turns out she had the big money in her own case.
Seven often puts its biggest winner of the week on …
Seven wins as TEN is taken out
It was the week that Ernie Dingo and Kyle Sandilands had a spat on radio, the ABC renewed its push for a kids’ channel, Access 31 was put on the market, TEN picked up women’s netball from FOX Sports, GTV9 won a Heritage listing, Nine axed its Euro correspondent, Underbelly won the right to start screening in Victoria (sort of), TEN and Seven fought over AFL sponsors and a 17yo reality contestant took a stand on her show’s conduct.
And it was another big win for Seven with 29.9% in Week 37 …
Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?
There’s a lot to be said for simple formats, and this ‘kid-size Millionaire’ format works effortlessly well under school teacher Rove McManus. It gets a big elephant stamp for being the cheeriest pupil in the class without overdoing it, aiming too high or outstaying its welcome.
This year there are another five kids (like Skins the last lot were dumped when they got too old -show biz is tough). They all come bounding into class waving and high-fiving. Ok, maybe they’re overdoing it here. The contestant also runs in waving. Ok we …