News Archive:
Seven wins 2008 ratings year
The ratings year has ended. We’re in for a long, hot summer of silly telly -with a few exceptions.
The commercial networks have managed to put a positive spin on the year, with some creative publicity releases.
But here is the view from how TV Tonight sees it…
Historically we have always viewed the annual win based on weeks won. This year Seven won 28, Nine won 11 and there was one tie between them.
In any year when there are unusual events such as Commonwealth Games or Olympics, two weeks are normally deducted. That …
TEN moves Bold & Beautiful to primetime
Here’s a bold (but how beautiful?) programming move by TEN. The network has just announced some significant changes to its summer scheduling.
Afternoon US soap The Bold and The Beautiful is officially moving to primetime, winning a new 6pm timeslot from Monday December 1st. It will be replaced by Judge Judy at 4:30pm.
TEN has also bitten the bullet on its under-performing Will and Grace episodes, axed for the return of Friends at 7pm. It returns with S6E12 “The One With The Joke.”
The timeslot has been a crazy game of musical chairs recently, …
Looking for the magic touch
TEN’s line up for 2009 includes more factual series than ever, returning favourites and new international content. After a disappointing 2008, especially in the second half, TEN will need the magic touch to win back loyal viewers.
The network made the announcement today as part of a three day tour across the country.
Headlining the announcement is the acquisition of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Cooking show MasterChef Australia will replace Big Brother across a 7pm timeslot mid year.
Another 7pm strip show is yet to be announced.
The new locally produced factual shows include …
Masterchef to replace Big Brother
First news from the TEN launch is trickling in….
Big Brother is to be replaced by a 10 week local version of a BBC series, MasterChef Australia.
FremantleMedia will produce the series to air six nights a week.
The show has seen a number of format changes in the UK but essentially involves amateurs cooking including inventing a dish from scratch in 50 minutes, working a lunchtime shift at a busy restaurant, cooking a final meal of two courses, with ingredients of the contestants’ choice in one hour etc. It originally ran from 1990 …
Seriously D-Day?
Is today the day that “Seriously” becomes a thing of the past for TEN?
Today Network TEN has its 2009 programme launch, first in Sydney, and later in Melbourne, where it will unleash its shiny new line-up and attempt to put the year behind it.
With the exception of a handful of hits (notably So You Think You Can Dance Australia) it hasn’t been the best of years for TEN.
The second part of the year has been worse than the first, with viewers in a wholesale snubbing of the network since the Olympic …
TEN eyeing more factuals
It’s only early days on this news, but Network TEN is believed to be on the hunt for more light factual entertainment shows that can be stripped across its earlier primetime slots.
TEN execs are at MIPCOM in Cannes to look at new products for its 2009 slate.
As we know, Seven has built a formidable programming platform based around factual series on early weeknights. Shows like Border Security, The Force, RSPCA Animal Rescue and Medical Emergency have given the network a stronghold, that leads into 8:30 dramas.
Now TEN is understood to be …
Gallery: Idol Rescue
These photos were sent to TV Tonight showing the Idol finalists having a day out at Bondi Beach yesterday.
As there was no accompanying text there’s really not much to add, other than it looks like it might have been a cross promo opportunity with Bondi Rescue -but that’s just an assumption.
Hopefully none of the singers were asked to rescue any drowning backpackers.
Enjoy….
Bondi Rescue: Bali
With the obvious exclusion of SBS, lack of diversity on screen is always an on-going issue.
Grey’s Anatomy, The Amazing Race, and The Librarians are some rare exceptions. While we’ve all just had our collective, four-yearly Olympic cultural lesson, I have to say I didn’t learn much about what it means to live in China. Meanwhile, one of the highest-rated shows in Australia depicts foreigners as liars, criminals and drug-traffickers. Significantly, Border Security thrived by depicting nasty foreigners around every corner, at a time when the Tampa incident and Schapelle Corby’s case …