Channel 7 Chief Executive Officer David Leckie was quoted in Melbourne's Herald Sun on Wednesday saying that Channel 7 was the only network that, "knows what it wants". His comments come after Channel 9 cancelled Temptation and today being the day that 9's head of news Garry Linnell resigns.
Clearly the embattled Nine network are under further pressure with Linnell's resignation amongst a raft of personnel changes and programming changes this year. Until the last few years, Nine was "still the one" and the late Kerry Packer would turn in his grave seeing what has happened to his proudest achievement.
Sensibly James Packer pulled the family from the Network who seems to be losing ground at an alarming rate. I believe Nine still deliver the best commercial television news and their overall package is more professional in appearance than that of Seven.
Leckie's comments are validated with 7 now assured of victory in the ratings war making it 7in07. A strong programming schedule with quality US dramas including Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy. Add the success of their Australian productions: Border Security, Dancing With the Stars and Medical Emergency plus the new Australian successes: Bondi Rescue, The Rich List, RSPCA Animal Rescue, Kath & Kim and Australia's Got Talent.
7 went out aggressively this year and poached one of Nine's biggest personalities Jamie Durie. His defection spelled the end of Nine who was the television stations poster boy.
With 7 launching the newly created The Morning Show beating rivals KAK and 9AM, Seven are now building their daytime audience. City Homicide debuts on Monday night and should hopefully be a success.
Seven and Nine must be credited with their re-investment back into Australian drama. Sea Patrol has been the ratings winner of Thursday prime time (despite having no competition), City Homicide should follow suit on Monday night.
Seven have won 23 of the 25 ratings week and are going to be Number 1 in 2007. Leckie has taken the network to the top at 9's expense to which the network's answer is imitation.
Nine's gambles have not paid off with Things to do Before You Die, What A Year and even Whats Good For You bombing. Nine are not re-inventing the wheel, making stale programming or clip shows like 20 to 1 or tacky game shows like The Singing Bee.
Seven looks like it knows where it is heading with an ever expanding cupboard of quality programming. For Nine, who knows what will screen next week and they have all but exhausted their cupboard. There are only so many times we can watch the same episodes of CSI
Nine does do news well with 60 Minutes still proving to be popular but they are trying to emulate 7's success with poor imitations.
Commercial news for Nine previously had a degree of edge and professionalism over Ten and Seven. The network still has the look, the 'package' but they are trying to adopt it to Seven's 'info-tainment' formula with tabloid journalism dominating our screens.
Unfortunately this type of news is proving to be more and more popular with viewers but it just does not fit the Nine formula. Seven certainly know what viewers want represented in their ratings.
Seven deserve their success because their shows are professionally created, directed and produced. As for Nine, I am sure the alarm bells are ringing because Nine has no idea what it wants, or do they? Show us...
