Channel Nine – It’s Ratings and the Eddie McGuire factor

Controversy, controversy, controversy… Will Jessica Rowe be ‘boned’? Will Jana Wendt be ‘boned’. Eddie McGuire, his breakfast cereal and the colour of his socks makes the news as almost a daily occurrence in Australia.

I have spoken about McGuire and about television a bit recently but last night Channel Nine demolished and destroyed television ratings. With a ratings share of 38.5per cent, streaks ahead of Seven who failed with only 20.8 per cent, even being beaten by Ten and Australian Idol, finishing with 21.2%.

McGuire would be high-fiving his executives this morning as I can hear the chants from Willoughby ‘still the one’. Audiences are fickle, as ‘Where Are They Now?’ failed to deliver for Seven in this new series after an impressive debut earlier this year.

Television viewers preferred the Channel Nine Jurassic Park style animated dinosaur series ‘Prehistoric Park’ which won the vital 6.30PM timeslot. Seven were further humiliated with ‘You May Be Right’ now proving to be definitely WRONG.

Viewers were turned off with only 728, 862 viewers, commanding a measly 12.4 per cent in comparison to Nine’s ’60 Minutes’ with 1,613,020 which is 39.2 per cent.

New reporter Liam Bartlett was impressive. As a new addition to the Nine family he came across with command and looks to be a breath of fresh air to the flagship current affairs program.

On Seven, executives will today announce they are pulling the plug on ‘You May Be Right’ after two less than impressive shows.

A few big weeks are poised for Nine, with the relaunching of ‘Sunday’, with Ray Martin being understood to be working on stories for the programme. Will Jana Wendt still be the host in seven days?

The Eddie McGuire factor – any publicity is good publicity…