Last week’s television ratings have seen Nine slip further and further behind 7 with only three shows in the top 20 which were, the NRL grand final, NRL grand final entertainment and National Nine News Sunday.
Between Monday and Friday, Nine offer nothing and across all key prime-time audiences, each one of their shows were beaten. Nine has no programming to challenge 7 and the shows that have been commissioned to air must raise eyebrows.
Commercial Breakdown, 1 v 100, Surprise Surprise Gotcha, Just For Laughs are all disgraceful excuses for television. It is embarrassing that we are producing these types of programs as television when this Channel produced The Block, Changing Rooms, Money, Our House, Burkes Backyard which all rated well and had money spent on good production.
Admittedly the Australian television market is not huge and we will never produce as good programming as the American media juggernauts but what is being produced now is a joke. Who wants to see Jackie O in prime time or Dermott Brerton running through a bunch of video clips of paid commercials?
Incoming CEO David Gyngell has been quoted that Nine is, “in a bad way” which is underestimated. His reign and enthusiasm is much needed but it will take Nine a few years if they are to rival Channel 7’s dominance.
Scheduelling needs to be addressed ASAP. It’s a tragedy that ‘Royal Flying Doctor Service’ failed but why was it scheduedled after the poorly rating 1 v100 in a 9.30pm Monday night line-up. Who is making these decisions?
Nine seem to have given up the challenged, much like 10 showing only all repeats on Tuesday nights and they must look to the new year.
The damage can be further done if the network shows no fightback this year because they will struggle to bring viewers back in 2008. Will the Singing Bee save the network?
I expect it to rate well tonight, probably around the 1.5-1.8 million mark and win the slot but it will drop massively next week and the format will not be used in 2008. Why is Joey Fatone, an American pop singer the host? Imagine if Nine had the foresight to hire Hugh Jackman!
The Gift is still to debut, The Farmer Wants a Wife is set to hit our screens soon but was has happened to the promotion at the beginning of 2007 showing a new series ‘…Mania’, much like Invasion never screening or Rome not being given a chance to develop an audience.
Please Mr Gyngell, you are needed now!
