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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 …
ABC renews BBC output deal
Good news, gang.
The ABC has renewed a deal with the BBC which gives it a first option on Drama, Light Entertainment (including Comedy), Natural History, Music & Arts and Religion for the next two years.
The deal was stitched up at MIPCOM in Cannes.
The broadcaster will continue to have first choice over its popular shows including Spooks (pictured), Doctor Who, Dalziel and Pascoe and Silent Witness.
“We have an exceptional relationship with ABC TV and we are looking forward to strengthening it further as we develop our business in this key territory,” commented …
Top Gear Australia: Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson is the guest on Top Gear Australia on Monday October 20th, as the “Celebrity in a Bog Standard Car”.
He follows Julia Zemiro’s stint on the show tonight.
Thompson, who appeared as the first celeb on SBS’ localised Who Do You Think You Are?, is the third SBS personality to appear in four weeks.
The episode will also see the hosts in remote Western Australia, Lang Lang in Victoria and playing lawn balls.
Press Release:
This week in Top Gear Australia co-host Steve Pizzati drives the fastest Australian car ever built, the lads play …
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 …
Top Gear fans rant, but not to SBS.
After the widely-reported tumble for the second-episode of Top Gear Australia yesterday, SBS might be somewhat relieved to know that aggrieved fans of the show don’t have a central place to bitch about the show.
That’s because there is no blog or forum on the SBS website for the new show.
Other programmes enable viewer interaction and feedback including RocKwiz, Bogan Pride, The Mighty Boosh, Shameless, Skins, Inside Australia and Great Australian Albums.
SBS’ page for Top Gear Australia allows for no such feedback. Conspiracy? It sounds like it.
But SBS told TV …
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 …
Top Gear Australia
When you’re charged with the task of producing a local version of an overseas format, international producers invariably insist you follow a tried and true format. So You Think You Can Dance Australia looks the same as the American version. For years Sale of the Century was copied around the world right down to Tony Barber’s bouncy entry. Sticking to the format is considered one of the only safeguards in ‘fool-proofing’ any new version.
But it brings with it the challenge: how do you make it your own? So it is with …
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 …
Bisley in Top Gear
Actor Steve Bisley will be the second personality to appear on Top Gear Australia, following Vince Colosimo’s appearance next week.
Bisley appears in the episode to screen on October 6th.
No previews have been released to media of the first episode, but it’s likely to attract considerable interest next week, as SBS’ most hotly-anticipated show of the year.
The show premieres Monday night at 7:30pm.
Press Release:
This week the boys create the definitive Aussie challenge: Ford v Holden. They make a hearse from the miniscule Smart Car; Charlie takes a Fort GT Supercar for …
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 …
Colosimo first guest on Top Gear Australia
Vince Colosimo will be Top Gear Australia’s first studio guest, Monday week. In a cross-promotion for SBS’ upcoming drama Carla Cametti P.D., the rest of Colosimo’s details are being kept under wraps.
Colismo is expected to appear as the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” segment that has become an institution in the UK version.
The Stig who is also confirmed to be a regular, but nobody is saying if it’s the “same” Stig as the UK.
SBS is playing its cards close to its chest with Top Gear -no previews are available to media prior …