News Archive:
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 …
Current affairs surge at Seven
It was the week that current affairs and finance dominated. Ray Martin lamented the state of commercial news and current affairs at the same time as a former sports presenter won his first week behind a public affairs desk, a CEO lashed out at his rival networks but shot off about the starting date of his new current affairs project, while the network signed a former Sunday journo, TEN reported a 25% slump in earnings, a Telstra boss said Foxtel subscriptions were slowing, another Murdoch stitched up a production deal with …
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 …
NRL wins it but Seven takes glory
It was the week that TEN was in breach of subliminal ads (a ruling first leaked by TV Tonight), ACMA instructed Nine to sell part of its Darwin operation, two former premiers will now defend Pay TV v Free to Air battles, while two television gardeners faced off over the environment, a Footy Show comedian defended a school principal under fire, a musical about the media in Beaconsfield was branded as tasteless, a former Idol died in tragic circumstances, Perth’s Telethon broke its own record, SBS lost a top Drama …
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 tears for Idol
Cheer up Tom Williams, Channel TEN is crying a lot more than you today after Australian Idol’s lousy Monday performance in the ratings.
TEN finished fourth again (it seems to be pretty regular for Mondays) with just 15.5% share for the evening. Only 893,000 viewers tuned in for the verdict show. Not only was it beaten by The Force, Border Security, Top Gear Australia and Australian Story -it was even beaten by Top Gear Australia in the all important 16 - 39 demographic.
Worse was to follow with 90210 attracting only 616,000, but …
New, local content wins Seven week
It was the week the “Prince of Darkness” descended upon Nine, the Imparja takeover of NTD9 inched closer, Seven lost an appeal relating to a children’s court case and lost a packet in the financial freefall, TEN signalled the return of boxing only to have its promoter caught up in a drug arrest, two networks fight over the contracts of one presenter, ACMA cancelled a community broadcasting license while a leak led to a Federal Police raid, the Government introduced a bill to firm the switch to digital, TEN turned off …
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 …
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 …
Seven packed with hits
It was the week ASTRA and Seven got into a stoush over AFL, gardening gurus came out fighting, SBS took its funding campaign to the people, Today Tonight apologised to a dating a dating agency and Lateline apologised to the Corbys, WIN TV sacked a news chief, David Koch stumbled over the marvels of “fasttracking v downloading,” we lost a veteran actor with a huge list of credits, and our first gardening celebrity, while actor Mark Priestley was laid to rest.
And it was another win for Seven, with 29.4% in Week …
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 …
Seven executive appointments
Channel Seven has made a number of changes to its executives in charge of programming, development and production that sees several top guns in the equivalent of musical chairs.
Lisa Fitzpatrick, who was exec producer on Better Homes and Gardens, It Takes Two, and Make Me A Supermodel will become Channel Seven’s new Head of Program Development.
Seven’s Head of Program Development Brad Lyons , who was in that role, has been appointed Program and Communications Manager, Melbourne. Graeme Hill, vacates that Melbourne role to become Program and Communications Manager, Sydney.
Dan Meenan who …