TV: 2007

The year in review...

10 WORST SHOWS OF 2007

The Lost Tribes (9)
Australia’s Best Backyards (7)
The Singing Bee (9)
Celebrity Dog School (10)
The Conest (10)
1 v 100 (9)
National Bingo Night (7)
The Nation (9)
Surprise Surprise (9)
Commercial Breakdown (9)
The Catch-Up (9)

5 BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN SHOWS IN 2007

City Homicide (7)
Sea Patrol (9)
Newstopia (SBS)
The Farmer Wants A Wife (9)
Summer Heights High (ABC)

10 BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS OF 2007

The Singing Bee (9)
Heroes (7)
Neighbours (10)
The Code: Crime and Justice (9)
Big Brother (10)
Australia’s Best Backyards (7)
Prison Break (7)
The Catch-Up (9)
Multi-Millionaire (9)
The Wedge (10)


5 BEST NEW IMPORTED SHOWS 2007

Californication (10)
Gossip Girl (Fox 8)
Ugly Betty (7)
Brothers and Sisters (7)
30 Rock (7)


10 BEST SHOWS OF 2007

Summer Heights High (ABC)
City Homicide (7)
Californication (10)
Brothers and Sisters (7)
Greys Anatomy (7)
Gossip Girl (Fox 8)
Home and Away (7)
The Chaser’s WAR on Everything (ABC)
Kath and Kim (7)
CSI (9)

Developing a "woman's touch" at Channel Nine

Nine continually makes headlines with more dramas than a soap opera.

Mia Freedman, Christine Spiterri and Jessica Rowe have been apart of the revolving door of ‘boned’ women that the weekend papers reported were apart of managements dislike of blonde women reporters (in the case of Spitteri and Rowe) and moreover they would never report on the headline stories of the news bulletins.

The reaction, Sunday nights news had the lead story being reported by Alison Langdon and the second story reported by Karen Tso.

Also making the headlines last week was Stephanie Brantz removal from Nine’s cricket commentary team but is Brantz set for a more important on air-role?

David Gyngell launched Nine’s programming for 2008 which included a new Wide World of Sports series. Previously hosted by Ken Sutcliffe, Max Walker and Ian Maurice.

Nine boast a host of strong male sports presenters still lead by Ken Sutcliffe, Eddie McGuire and Tony Jones.

With Ken Sutcliffe rumoured to be joining the 2UE breakfast show, his time will be limited to commit to more programs other than sports news reading and hosting.

Is it time for a new generation?

As I stated, Nine have a host of male sporting presenters. Looking further a field, Nine have James Brayshaw, Gary Lyon, Cameron Williams and the rising popularity of Matthew Johns, Ben Ikin and Michael Slater on their books.

Nicole Livingstone is currently off-air taking maternity leave but Brantz looks to be the frontrunner for the hosting chair of a new Wide World of Sports.

Nine has re-branded the Network, ‘we love tv’ with a host of shows to become more aggressive aimed at a younger demographic.

Over the summer two men are on trial with Cameron Williams hosting the Today Show and Ryan Phelan auditioning for the Network as the Sports Presenter of the Today Show. To me the former Seven sports anchor and Ten host of Sport's Tonight are the frontrunners to co-host Wide World of Sports with Brantz.

Phelan has been voted a ‘Cleo Bachelor of the Year’ and Stephanie Brantz has also worked previously as a model. Together with their good looks is a genuinely insightful sporting knowledge who are both capable of hosting and presenting Wide World of Sports.

Nine has grabbed the Olympic Games in 2010 and 2012 so strengthening their sporting department would be a network aim.

Partnering Brantz and Phelan I would choose either Matthew Johns or Michael Slater pending on the season (league or cricket) and encourage the involvement of Cameron Williams, James Brayshaw and Nicole Livingstone as reporters.

This group should be Nine’s core group of Sport reporters for the future which would fit Nine’s new demographic and develop a strong on air presence between now and the 2010, 2012 Olympics.

Facebook drops ‘is’ and makes SMH.com.au

Children are starving... people are dying... the Prime Minister is about to ratify Kyoto BUT much more important to all us internet savvy consumers is that social networking giant facebook has dropped the ‘is’ in its status updates.

According to the one of three lead headlines at 8AM this morning on smh.com.au the social networking site was under pressure after more than 60 000 users had joined a group asking for the removal of ‘is’.

Having given into consumer power, facebook has made the change, for the better.

I find it interesting how this story makes the lead stories on SMH. What do we need to do to make NEWSWORTHY news.

The television news and current affairs shows are changing noted with the success of the ‘Sunrise’ formula.

Radio to some extent is looking away from comedy as we embrace the likes of Kyle & Jackie O who do ‘entertainment and gossip’ but there are still ratings for NEWS programming such as Alan Jones on 2GB and Adam Spencer on 2BL.

The radio medium has not been radically changed so much as TV but this will probably change when the likes of Jones retire.

Newspapers adapt to the changing tastes of the consumer with SMH now producing tabloid liftouts focusing on gossip and lifestyle.

The internet, the online news medium has introduces the world to a whole new on demand dimension with news as it breaks, pictures, video streaming and updated text.

So the new on-line consumer is the one particularly interested in all this ‘tabloid’ news. It may shock some but not a lot of internet users who see such a trivial piece of news as one of the lead stories.

Musical Microphones

As the ratings for 2007 have no ceased on radio, the biggest names sign off, hang up their headphones and cool their heals for the next five weeks. Old names, new names and emerging names take the post on the radio merry-go-round for the summer non-ratings period.

It’s an important time nevertheless for both the station and the presenters. New presenters may emerge and be offered shows that they were not previously considered for.

Empty slots create new opportunities for presenters or for those thinking they may have a career in radio, they are proved horribly wrong. For Matt Newton and Akmal Saleh their stint on NOVA 969 summer landed them the new nationally syndicated drive show (which Newton never made).

This summer NOVA are partnering mornings presenter and former B105 anchorman Jamie Row with comedian Rachel

While over at rival 2DAYFM they seem to have emerged as the frontrunner launching ‘Summer Fling’ headed by Jules Lund, Tamsyn Lewis and Ryan Shelton. The three young and buoyant presenters are a show of good faith by Austereo management to try something different.

While VEGA, MIX, WSFM and Triple M play more music with regular deejays filling the void of their breakfast shows.

Over on the AM band, Alan Jones wannabe Jason Morrison heads 2GB’s breakfast show, Chris Smith and Luke Bona through mornings and afternoons with Jim Ball in drive. Former One Nation supremo David Oldfield has taken the midnight to dawn reigns.

Over at rival 2UE the obsession with pseudo-personalities continues with John Stanley partnering Channel 9 and 2UE Sports Reporter Tim Gilbert in breakfast. Tim Webster takes mornings, ever ready Murray Olds through the afternoon with Stuart Bocking (this week only)/ Steve Liebmann in drive.

The big tests are over at 2UE with a possible shake-up of the entire schedule on the cards. Mike Carlton will be back in breakfast next year but with who and where will Stanley and Steve Price be in the schedule?

The summer musical microphones all day every day on your radio station of choice.

2UE Breakfast with Mike and Ken?

Is sixty year old Ken Sutcliffe sent to join Mike Carlton on the 2UE Breakfast Show in 2008?

If you believe the Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian then you’d believe Sutcliffe has been offered the job.

I cannot see why the Wide World of Sports, Channel Nine presenter could even consider or want the gig on top of his commitments at Nine and the return of Wide World of Sports in 2008.

Sutcliffe filled in for retiring host Peter Fitzsimons during the Rugby World Cup when Fitz was hosting a tour with wife Lisa Wilkinson. Sutcliffe tried but he didn’t connect with Carlton or the audience.

Having stated that, Fitzsimons and Carlton took sometime to gel which ultimately failed in terms of their ratings.

If we believe the paper talk then Steve Price will move into Mornings, Tim Webster will be the afternoon presenter and John Stanley will return to drive.

The other speculation is moving weekend Breakfast presenters George More and Paul B Kidd into afternoons.

At least 2UE has some stability in 2008, by re-signing Carlton they ensure that not all will be lost with John Laws and Peter Fitzsimons departures.

Despite 2UE’s ratings taking a hammering and The Australian reporting that 2UE is running at a loss, they can rebuild in 2008 and then move Carlton when their new shows are in set in concrete.

The picture looks somewhat clearer as the daytime schedule will be finalised when a new co-host is found for breakfast. Should Sutcliffe not be given the gig other names mentioned have included Andrew Denton, Tim Webster and Ellen Fanning.

The latter two could work with Carlton and have. Fanning would be my first choice over all the contenders and I don’t think Webster would do a bad job with Carlton.

I think we’ll have some answers before Christmas… so who will be getting a good gift this Christmas?

Is Christmas coming early for Shaun Tait?

Australian speedstar and ICC Emerging Player of the Year Shaun Tait is bowling towards a boxing day test cap against India at the MCG.

Tait’s first Pura Cup outing has sent a sure fire message to selectors taking ten wickets this match claiming 7/29 (16.1) in the second innings against Queensland destroying them for 137.

Mitchell Johnson on the other hand took 2/127 in the first innings but has 2/10 in the second but South Australia only require 30 runs with 7 wickets in hand.

For mind Johnson would be first to leave the Australian attack to make way for the inform Tait but Ashley Noffke continues to apply the pressure taking bags of wickets and scoring loads of runs.

It may in fact come down to the Chappell-Hadlee series where Tait and Noffke will hopefully be tried. For mind the two are bowling better than the incumbents (Stuart Clark and Johnson) but Brett Lee will obviously spearhead the attack on boxing day.

With Stuart MacGill’s injury concerns, the Australian selectors have publicly stated they may consider going with four quicks. Australia still need a spin option and Brad Hogg is more than capable of stepping up and filling MacGill’s shoes should he not be fit.

Hogg provides more to the Australian team in the field and with the bat than MacGill. His wrong’un is also well respected in cricketing circles and should be given his chance.

On November 23, I stated it was Doug Bollinger putting the pressure on the selectors. He is doing his best to keep his name on the selectors lips as is Nathan Bracken taking a few wickets.

I still think Tait and Noffke are ahead of Johnson and Clark at the moment. They are bowling better, getting wickets and looking dangerous… give them a go!

Durie’s Dancing With the Stars?

On the day that John Laws left 2UE, Daryl Summers left Dancing With the Stars. The show that brought the Hey Hey It’s Saturday Host back into prime time on a show that wins its timeslot very convincingly.

With Summers gone, who will host Dancing?

Seven have a few personalities such as Grant Denyer, Tom Williams and Andrew O’Keefe but Jamie Durie would be another contender having all ready waltzed his way through a series.

Dancing’s last season finished last week with its lowest ratings thanks largely to man of the moment David Beckham.

The timing for Summers to move on opens the door for new hosts much like Grettel Killen’s axing from Big Brother with Kyle and Jackie O taking over the controversial reality TV show.

If Jamie Durie’s busy American schedule can accommodate a hosting stint with Dancing With the Stars then he is the one to do it.

Grant Denyer all ready hosts Australia’s Got Talent and It Takes Two and does not do that all too well. Andrew O’Keefe does not quite feel right and Tom Williams has been announced as the host of Gladiators.

Seven may look to Todd McKenny as his relationship with Sonia Kruger is brilliant as the two have just been signed to Mix 106.5 breakfast show.

Or maybe even promote Kruger herself to the top job and put a male in the backroom. That’s where Denyer could be a frontrunner or perhaps Seven have other plans and are set to unveil a new host.

Looking further a field to programs such as City Homicide, All Saints and Home and Away there doesn’t seem to be too many Seven personalities capable of the hosting role.

Jim Waley and Jana Wendt are still unemployed…

Give George and Paul a go

As radio king John Laws brought the curtain down on his 55 year old career yesterday 2UE is left considering its future with no confirmed breakfast, morning or night show for 2008.

Laws has left, Peter Fitzsimons has quit, Stan Zemanek is dead and Mike Carlton’s future is still uncertain. Stuart Bocking has never been confirmed as the official night time host and without Laws he will be praying his latest ratings have been on the increase.

Yesterday Carlton made some remarks which are sure to disgruntle management publicly stating that the current management had no idea how to run a radio station compared with that of John Conde (former 2UE boss).

Andrew Denton was John Laws preferred replacement, but Denton denies he wants the gig. Glenn Wheeler has put up his hand, Tim Webster is chomping at the bit but both are inexperienced and won’t deliver for 2UE.

Whoever succeeds Laws must not be judged in Laws terms but given his or her time to develop their own style and show. 2UE would be wise to consider two co-hosts for the morning show and change the stations style and sound.

Weekend Breakfast presenters George More and Paul B Kidd are two candidates that could deliver for 2UE. More’s easy listening speaking voice and Kidd’s general quirky knowledge compliment the popular weekend magazine program.

Their combined salaries would be less than Carlton’s and their enthusiasm would be a welcome ‘breath of fresh air’.

It is a worry however that 2UE have not confirmed their major programming for 2008. We are now only six weeks away from the new ratings season and the airwaves are changing.

2UE must be hoping Alan Jones gets the Wallabies coaching position because that will give them the window to re-invigorate the brand. The problem is that there are no obvious, proven or capable replacements in the radio world if Carlton walks then 2UE will be banking on inexperienced presenters to lift the stations ratings and ensure that 2UE can still be an alternative AM commercial radio station to 2GB.