Monday June 29, 2020

the living room
10’s Beverley McGarvey: Packed schedule to maintain ratings momentum

By James Manning

With Network 10 reporting on its first half ratings performance today, chief content officer and EVP of ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand Beverley McGarvey told Mediaweek: “The important thing for 10 is how do we continue our momentum in the back half of the year.

” Due to Covid we have all had to modify our schedules a little bit. The good things for us is that we still have Bachelor in Paradise, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette plus The Masked Singer and Junior MasterChef to come.”

After noting first half growth in both The Project and 10 News First, with five major reality formats plus Gogglebox, HYBPA? and the return of The Living Room, McGarvey is very confident about the future.

We have about 10 major local show launches to come, despite having to shuffle dates around for Covid.

“The only thing that we don’t have is a second cycle of Australian Survivor which we were thinking about. We will still be screening five 7.30pm franchises in the second half and also have The Living Room returning at 7.30pm Fridays.

We have started casting for The Amazing Race Australia, but it probably won’t be available until next year because of various border closures. The series will show off how amazing Australia is which will be the right time to do that.”

In her new role, McGarvey has more responsibility for driving revenue than previously. “Our sales team is doing a really fantastic job in what has been a really challenging environment. They are punching above their weight and are helped by the success of MasterChef. All the content coming in the back half is very established and our clients know it and want to be associated with the programs. The Masked Singer is an easier property to sell in its second year after people saw the format and just how well it did with audiences of all ages.

“We also have some sport in the back half including the Melbourne Cup.”

McGarvey also mentioned the subscription TV brands MTV and Nickelodeon which she noted also help strengthen 10’s under-50 proposition. Two brands that have also been linked to 10’s forthcoming third multichannel. McGarvey said that new fourth channel will be contributing share to 10’s network numbers some time in the second half. Presumably an announcement can’t be far away.

The numbers: 10 January-June 2020

Network 10’s prime time (6pm-10.30pm) audience up 18%. Scores biggest first half commercial share since 2011.

First Half 2020 Audience Report. Weeks 1 to 26, 2020. Consolidated 7 Days.

• Biggest first half growth of any network or channel.
• Biggest first half commercial share since 2011.
• Year-on-year commercial share growth every week in 2020.
• Five of the top 10 shows in under 50s, 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and 18 to 49s – more than any other network.
• Nine of the 10 local prime time shows with year-on-year audience growth
• Digital audiences surge.

Network 10 has achieved its biggest first half commercial shares in nine years, capturing a bigger share of total viewers and viewers aged under 50 and in the key demographics of 25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and 18 to 49s since 2011.

Network 10 and Channel 10 experienced the biggest growth across the first half of any network or channel in Australia year-on-year.

Across the period, Network 10 grew 18% and Channel 10 grew 19% year-on-year while 10 Bold was up 19% (the biggest audience increase of any commercial multi- channel) and 10 Peach was up 13%. 10 Bold was the #1 commercial multi-channel in total people and #1 in its target market of over 40s and 10 Peach was #1 in its target market of 16 to 39s.

What needs to perform better?

McGarvey has always been frank about what could be working better at 10. There is still a list, although it’s smaller than it has been.

“The 6pm slot has been a real challenge for us. The 6pm News is performing better than we have been doing in recent years and it has been consistent which is important. It is also helping The Project at 6.30pm.

An area where I would like to see some growth in the second half is Friday and Saturday nights. The new episodes of The Living Room will do well. What I have seen is really fun – the team is so lively and have such great chemistry.

“We have in recent weeks seen some Saturday night growth thanks to The Dog House which is the best-performing show on a Saturday night we’ve had in years.”

The success of a stripped down MasterChef

The returning contestants have been driving the success of MasterChef this year as it posts its best overall numbers in five years. Some nights there has been little at stake with no outdoor team challenges, cooking for crowds or celebrity chef visits. Keeping it simple has been working a treat.

McGarvey: “Because of Covid we have had to stop a lot of regular features and everything has had to happen in the MasterChef kitchen. Covid has forced us to go back to basics, giving us more time to see the character of each of the contestants, see their relationships with each other and it has all worked in our favour.

“At the beginning of the pandemic it was all quite challenging for us all as we tried to get our head around the changes. It forced us to be creative and the innovation has led to some new things the audience has loved.”

Black Friday as printing presses stopped: News Corp closures

By James Manning

• Staff celebrate proud print histories, but some don’t hide anger
• Print closures trigger growth of indie regional newspapers

It is only four weeks since the executive chairman of News Corp Australia Michael Miller revealed a major change of strategy for the publishing portfolio.

The bulk of the company’s regional and community newspapers were going digital, with some to close or merge.

Last Friday marked the final day that all those titles released their final editions. With most of the community newspapers already paused for Covid-19, last week it was largely the turn of the former APN Newspapers network to stop printing.

Staff at the various newspapers were saddened by the transformation or axing of their brands and/or print products.

Some displayed their anger at the company and its controlling shareholders. Some just wanted to celebrate their brands with their colleagues and remember what they had achieved over the years. Others were moved into action with plans for new brands to replace the titles they had just shut down.

 

When revealing the changes, Miller said:

“Over the past 19 months News has launched 16 new digital only local mastheads. In total we will now publish 92 digital only regional and community mastheads, each offering readers rolling coverage, electronic alerts and newsletters, richer audio and video content and deeper local sport coverage and community debate.

“At the same time, News Corp’s major mastheads in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide – The Courier-Mail, The Daily Telegraph, the Herald Sun and The Advertiser – will now become more state focused with increased regional content and will partner with our regional and community local titles in their states to ensure we deliver compelling journalism to Australian consumers regardless of where they live. Subscribers wherever they live will now have access to the best of News Corp’s local, regional, state, national and international news, sport, features and columnists.”

The first of those new regionally-focus editions have started to appear.

 

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The list of titles impacted is long:

News Corp’s major regional titles – The Hobart Mercury, NT News, Cairns Post, Townsville Bulletin, Gold Coast Bulletin, Toowoomba Chronicle and Geelong Advertiser – will continue to publish both in print and digitally.

The gaps in the Queensland market not now covered by print will be serviced with new regional editions of The Courier-Mail.

Queensland titles now existing as digital only are Mackay Daily Mercury, Rockhampton Morning Bulletin, Gladstone Observer, Bundaberg News Mail, Fraser Coast Chronicle, Gympie Times, Sunshine Coast Daily, Queensland Times, Warwick Daily News, Central and North Burnett Times, Central Queensland News, Chinchilla News, Dalby Herald, Gatton Star, Noosa News, South Burnett Times, Stanthorpe Border Post, Western Star, Western Times, Whitsunday Times, Whitsunday Coast Guardian and Bowen Independent.

News from the towns covered by the Atherton Tablelander, Northern Miner, Port Douglas & Mossman Gazette and Burdekin Advocate will continue to appear, as it does currently, under the regional sections of the Cairns Post and Townsville Bulletin.

 

 

Quest in Queensland has gone digital – Albert and Logan News, Caboolture Herald, Westside News, Pine Rivers Press, Redcliffe and Bayside Herald, South-West News, Wynnum Herald, North Lakes Times, Redlands Community News, Springfield News.

There are no News Corp regional print titles remining in NSW with regional editions of The Daily Telegraph being distributed.

The following NSW regional titles are now digital only: Tweed Daily News, Ballina Advocate, Byron Shire News, Coffs Coast Advocate, Grafton Daily Examiner and Lismore Northern Star.

NewsLocal print products in NSW and ACT that have gone digital are Fairfield Advance, Penrith Press, Macarthur Chronicle, Blacktown Advocate, Canterbury Bankstown Express, Central Coast Express, Hills Shire Times, Hornsby Advocate, Liverpool Leader, Manly Daily, Northern District Times, Parramatta Advertiser, Inner West Courier, Southern Courier, Illawarra Star, Wagga Wagga News, St George Shire Standard, Canberra Star, Newcastle News, Blue Mountains News, Central Sydney, South Coast News.

In the Northern Territory The Centralian Advocate is now digital only.

The bulk of titles in News Corp Australia’s community portfolio – NewsLocal in NSW/ACT, Leader in Melbourne, Quest in Brisbane and Messenger in Adelaide are now digital only. Community print editions were originally suspended early in April because of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions.

The community newspapers now digital-only news services are Melbourne Leader titles – Stonnington, Mornington Peninsula, Knox, Whitehorse, Monash, Northern, Whittlesea, Maroondah, Moorabbin, Mordialloc Chelsea, Moreland, Lilydale and Yarra Valley, Frankston, Bayside, Caulfield Port Phillip, Cranbourne, Greater Dandenong, Moonee Valley, Maribyrnong and Wyndham.

Messenger brands in South Australia who farewelled print are Messenger South Plus; Messenger East Plus, Messenger North, Messenger West, Messenger City, Adelaide Hills and Upper Spencer Gulf.

Staff anger bubbles over

Not surprisingly there has been universal disappointment about the print closures – from the people who had to convey the decisions to those directly impacted, from those who are able to maintain employment to those who get redundancy.

While some wouldn’t speak publicly about the closures, many displayed their disdain for the controlling shareholders with badges to messages frosted onto cookies and cakes shared by departing staff. Some of the language too fruity to print here.

News Corp hasn’t been talking about the numbers of staff involved, but some from the old APN Newspaper group estimate as many as 1,000 people from 11 newspapers.

All of the newspapers noted the transition to digital on their front pages as they celebrated their print highlights. Some staff noted the irony of the “We’re for you” banner displayed on the final front pages.

Don’t get mad…get even

Some people seeing a possible gap in the market are diving right back in with print products either recently or soon to launch. It’s fair to say profit isn’t the motivator, but rather an ambition to be a proprietor and to serve their communities. Not losing their house would be good, breaking even would be an achievement.

Some new titles appearing across Australia from independents include:

Naracoorte Community News
Yass Valley Times
Sports CQ (Central Queensland)
Richmond River Independent
Northern Rivers Heartland magazine
Southern Highlands Express
Ash Long’s The Local Paper network has expanded across Melbourne

 

Retailers and media say farewell

One of the best-looking newsagencies in New South Wales, The Foundry in Murwillumbah, posted this on Instagram:

The time has come. Today is the last day that we will hold a physical copy of our local Tweed Daily News and The Northern Star newspapers.

It is with a heavy heart that we thank you for the years of reporting and printed versions of your paper that has been at the forefront of our local news and a popular source of news for our customers. Your years of service has provided us with such fantastic historical references – for our building and for our town. Where else would we have sourced what was happening in Murwillumbah and surrounds from the c1900s if it wasn’t for the local stories being printed in our local papers? You will be missed on our newsstand!

 

ABC Radio Sunshine Coast shared memories from journalists at the Sunshine Coast Daily and the Gympie Times.

Listen to the audio here.

See also:

• News Corp’s community and regional newspapers digital switch drives subscriptions higher
• ACM brings back lion’s share of suspended print titles

Brendon Moo departs: Foxtel Magnificent 7 member on the move again

Nearly four years ago Foxtel celebrated seven of its staff who were leaving after a major restructure of the business. Dubbed The Magnificent Seven, a farewell dinner in 2016 was organised by Foxtel’s Brian Walsh for Rhonda Dawson, Travis Conneeley, Shaun James, Brendon Moo, Gabriel Ayoub, Paul Macionis and Graham Burrells.

One of the seven, Brendon Moo, not long after that arrived at Foxtel sister business Fox Sports on a six-month maternity leave contract. Tomorrow he departs the Artarmon Fox Sports tower after three and a half years, working most recently as head of sports publicity.

During the merge of Fox Sports into Foxtel, Moo helped both Adam Ballesty and Kim McConnie onboard in their director of sports marketing roles before taking on head of publicity working with Jamie Campbell.

A keen golfer, Moo will be on the course on Wednesday in between leaving Fox Sports and his next role.

There’s not much Moo doesn’t know about the media business – particularly TV. He has spent most of the past 14 years at Foxtel in various roles including head of publicity, head of factual channels, GM Foxtel On Demand and Presto head of acquisitions.

Moo spent eight years with the Nine Network as head of publicity and started in TV at SBS in publicity.

He began in media at News Limited working as a TV critic and sports reporter, doing his cadetship in Brisbane and he was later a copy boy under John Hartigan and Col Allen.

Triple M’s Max Dudley moves to 4BC as content manager & producer

Nine has appointed Max Dudley (pictured) to oversee its radio content offering in Brisbane in the role of 4BC content manager as the station builds its presence in the local market.

Dudley spent almost 10 years with Southern Cross Austereo, most recently as executive producer of The Big Breakfast with Greg Marto Martin, Margaux Parker and Nick Cody. He was previously executive producer of The Grill Team in Sydney and executive producer of Hit107 Breakfast in Adelaide.

A previous Nine Radio hire from Triple M was Matt White, now overseeing its AM music network out of 2UE.

Earlier this year, 4BC announced that it would significantly ramp up its local broadcasting presence in Brisbane, appointing editor/journalist Neil Breen to host 4BC breakfast and seeking a local drive host to be appointed in the coming weeks.

“In 2020, we have made the growth of our local presence in Brisbane a priority for 4BC,” said Greg Byrnes, Nine’s head of content. “Max’s experience makes him the perfect person to take up the role of 4BC content manager and ensure that our programming really speaks to the Brisbane market.

“We have been really happy with how Neil Breen’s show has launched, and of course Ray Hadley is a dominant presence in the market, broadcasting regularly from Brisbane. Now Max will be able to come in as we finalise the drive appointment and deliver a programming offering that will reflect and speak to the city.”

Dudley, who grew up in Brisbane, will also oversee the drive program as executive producer.

“I’m thrilled to be joining 4BC,” said Dudley. “Growing up in Brisbane, it was listening to 4BC that made me fall in love with radio. To be able to broadcast from the Cannon Hill studios just metres down the road from my old high school, Cannon Hill Anglican College, is a dream come true.

“Talk radio has unique power to set the agenda in a city and I’m looking forward to joining Neil and the team for what’s set to be an exciting new chapter for 4BC.”

Nine is also in the process of recruiting for local traffic reporters in the Brisbane market as the company moves to launch its own traffic product in key markets over the coming weeks.

Big Brother ready to play again in 2021: Seven confirms renewal

Seven has confirmed it would renew blockbuster reality show Big Brother following the ratings and streaming success of the current season, currently airing on Seven three nights a week Sunday-Tuesday nights and live and on demand on 7plus.

Sonia Kruger will return as host of the reimagined format which has been a success with audiences on its return to Australian screens after a six-year break, saying: “It’s been fantastic to reunite Big Brother with his fans and see a whole new generation of Australians fall in love with the show,” said Kruger. “He’ll be back cheekier than ever so our new housemates better be ready to play. Big Brother is about to go to the next level and I’m totally here for it!”

Network programming director Angus Ross said: “Big Brother is a television super brand and this season has been embraced by audiences around Australia. It’s the most talked about show in Australia, as well as being the most streamed – and a genuine social media phenomenon. We’re excited to be working with Endemol Shine Australia – who produce some of the best TV in the country – to deliver a new season of the reimagined Big Brother to Australian viewers.”

See also:
“This year is going to be closer than people think”
Ross’ ratings forecast: “This year is going to be closer than people think”

Endemol Shine Australia’s chief content officer Peter Newman said: “We’re extremely proud that Seven has commissioned us to deliver another series of the reality show that started it all, Big Brother. We’re also very grateful to the fans of the show who have embraced the evolution of this incredible format. In 2021 Big Brother will be back more mischievous and devious than ever before. You won’t believe what he’s got planned for the Big Brother house.”

Big Brother 2020 has delivered a whole new game. A new voice, a new house and new rules, along with epic nomination challenges, hilarious house tasks and a captivating and diverse cast.

For the first time in Australian Big Brother history, housemates are evicting each other from the game which has seen powerful alliances form and friendships crumble.

Ultimately, Australia – in a live finale – will decide which of the final three housemates has best played Big Brother’s game and deserves to win the title of Big Brother 2020 and the $250,000 prize.

Casting for the next season of Big Brother is now open. For a chance to be part of Big Brother 2021 apply now at www.bigbrothercasting.com.au

ARIA Chart: Home Front collection keeps Dylan (aged 79) from #1

By James Manning

• Singles: Two songs into the top 10, Hilltop Hoods enter top 50

Singles

Rockstar holds at #1 again for the sixth consecutive week for DaBaby. The notable move near the top is from The Weeknd who finally drifts out to #5 after 30 weeks on the chart with Blinding Lights. The single snuck into the top 10 at #7 on January 6 after five weeks on the chart. The multi-talented Canadian then slowly continued climbing to the top, getting to #1 on January 27, taking over from Dance Monkey. Blinding Lights had a run of 10 consecutive weeks at #1 and then came back for another week on April 20. Since then The Weeknd track has been in the top four. Roses and Rockstar have then held top spot since.

A new challenger to upset the cosy chart monopoly this year is Savage Love from New Zealand producer Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo which jumps from #24 to #3 in just its second week on the chart.

The other new arrival into the top 10 this week is from Chris Brown and Young Thug with Go Crazy climbing from #14 to #9 in its fifth week.

Two new entries into the top 50 come at the lower end:

#46 Hilltop Hoods with I’m Good. The single has been released to help raise funds for Support Act’s Roadies Fund, directly benefiting music industry professionals hit hard by the Covid-19 shutdown. The Adelaide hip hop artists were last on the Singles Chart in 2019 with Exit Sign which peaked at #16.
#50 Nea with Some Say. The Swedish pop songwriter released this in September 2019 with some success. A subsequent remix has done well right across Europe.

Albums

Three new chart arrivals have filled the top three sports on the chart – replacing the record-setting three Australian albums that held those sports last week. (Vika & Linda dropped from #1 to #10, Spacey Jane from #2 to #9 and The McClymonts from #3 to #23.)

The new arrivals include a chart-topping Australian compilation album that has prevented the prolific and elderly Bob Dylan from ranking #1.

There are four chart debuts in the top 10 and another four elsewhere in the top 50:

#1 Music from the Home Front – Various Artists. The Anzac Day music initiative from Michael Gudinski with an all-star cast had an encore screening on Nine last week and is available as a two CD set or triple vinyl. It would look good in a vinyl collection alongside Mr Gudinski’s first triple vinyl set, Sunbury 1973. All profits from Music from the Home Front are going to Support Act – Australia’s only charity delivering crisis relief services to artists, crew and music workers. Music from the Home Front is the ninth Australian album to top the ARIA Albums Chart in the first six months of the year.

Michael Gudinski said on Friday: “I’m humbled and proud to receive this #1 award from ARIA on behalf of all the incredible artists who stepped up at the eleventh hour and delivered for Music from the Home Front , Support Act, the RSL and all the front line workers. I want to thank them all, and I’m also immensely proud of the Mushroom team, Channel 9 and of course all the media that helped promote this most significant event. Music from the Home Front is in the top five moments of my life and I will never forget this unprecedented event that will remain etched in Australian music history.

Dan Rosen, CEO of ARIA, added: “Congratulations to the Mushroom team and all the incredible artists involved in making Music from the Home Front on a #1 ARIA album. We live in challenging times, but the creativity and the generosity of our brilliant Australian artists shines through. This album is a testament to the talent we have in this country, and its success shows that Australian music is a fundamental part of our national spirit.”

#2 Bob Dylan with Rough and Rowdy Ways. The 39th studio album is his first of original material since Tempest in 2012 which peaked at #8. In 2006 Dylan topped the chart with Modern Times.
#3 Ocean Alley with Lonely Diamond. The third album from the Sydney band is their first time in the top 10 and follows last year’s Chiaroscuro which just missed peaking at #11.
#5 Lamb of God with Lamb of God. The self-titled 10th album from the US heavy metal band is its fourth time in the top 10 and follows VII Sturm Und Drang which peaked at #2 in 2015.
#12 Phoebe Bridges with Punisher. The second solo album from the US singer-songwriter.
#17 Neil Young with Homegrown. A wonderful set of songs from Young’s seemingly endless archives. This collection is from the mid-70s around the time of the On the Beach and Tonight’s the Night albums. Guests include Emmylou Harris plus Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson from The Band. It’s hard to keep track of all Young’s releases, but this is being called his 40th studio album.
#48 Make Them Suffer with How to Survive a Funeral. Third time on the chart for the Perth metalcore band. A follow-up to 2017’s Worlds Apart which peaked at #29.
#50 John Williamson with JW Winding Back 1970-2020. A golden anniversary set of 25 mini-CDs with tracks from across the ARIA Hall of Famer’s career. Each CD features two tracks and the box set sells for $100.

JW Winding Back 1970-2020

JW Winding Back 1970-2020

 

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Week 26 TV: Seven takes another week, but MasterChef 7.30pm star

By James Manning

What a year it’s been – January started with much of eastern Australia blanketed in smoke and ash followed soon after by a pandemic that had the whole country on edge.

While June 30 marks the halfway mark of the calendar year, there are two more weeks to go until the end of the first half of the survey year.

As 10 started its year on January 5 with the launch of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! it is using this week to analyse its six months ratings performance. (See separate interview with 10’s Beverley McGarvey.)

Week 26 was all about Seven again as it posted its third consecutive weekly win.

Week-on-week Nine was steady in second place on 17.9%, while 10 was marginally lower, drifting from 12.1% to 11.9%.

Seven Week 26

A third consecutive winning week for Seven with share up week-on-week from 20.1% to 20.7%. In addition to winning all people, Seven has claimed top spot for its primary channel and network 25-54 and 16-39.
The victory was again driven by Big Brother and AFL combining with Seven’s existing programming strengths.
Seven won key demos and total people across five nights of week 26. It was able to report significant week-on-week and year-on-year growth for both the primary channel and network in the demos and all people.

Primary all people 20.7% (Last week 20.1%)
Network all people 30.5% (29.5%)
Multichannels 7TWO 3.5% (3.4%) 7mate 4.2% (4.0%) 7flix 2.1% (2.1%)

Nine Week 26

The Voice battle rounds kept Nine #1 on Sunday and Monday in week 26, but it then dropped away to second place for the remaining five nights.
Nine leads the year-to-date in all people and key demos, and reported year-on-year growth for its 6pm news hour.

Primary all people 17.9% (Last week 17.9%)
Network all people 25.9% (26.6%)
Multichannels GO! 2.5% (2.9%), Gem 2.3% (2.5%), 9Life 2.2% (2.0%), 9Rush 1.1% (1.3%)

10 Week 26

Only three episodes of MasterChef again but they gave 10 key victories in the 7.30pm timeslot.
In Week 26, Network 10 continued its streak of year-on-year commercial share growth every week in 2020. Network 10 and 10 and grew their audiences compared with the same week in 2019 and lifted 6% and 4% respectively in under 50s. 10 Bold has now achieved 73 consecutive weeks of year-on-year audience growth, while 10 Peach has achieved 23 consecutive weeks of year-on-year growth.
Across the week, MasterChef Australia was the #1 entertainment franchise. 10 secured four of the top 10 shows in under 50s and all key age groups (25 to 54s, 16 to 39s and 18 to 49s), including the top three shows in under 50s and the top four shows in all key age groups. This was thanks to MasterChef Australia and Have You Been Paying Attention?
One episode of MasterChef was close to 1m with the other two just over 950,000. Have You Been Paying Attention? dropped just under 800,000.

Primary all people 11.9% (Last week 12.1%)
Network all people 18.3% (18.6%)
Multichannels 10 Bold 4.0% (4.1%), 10 Peach 2.4% (2.4%)

ABC Week 26

The channel was up a little to 12.3% with Back Roads the most-watched show after News and 7.30 with 604,000.
The mid-week double of The Weekly and Home Delivery were next best with both close to 550,000. Also over half a million was Tuesday’s Foreign Correspondent on 522,000.

Primary all people 12.3% (Last week 12.1%)
Network all people 17.1% (16.8%)
Multichannels Kids/Comedy 2.7% (2.7%), News 1.7% (1.5%), ME 0.5% (0.4%)

SBS Week 26

Share was down marginally week-on-week from 4.8% to 4.6%. Who Do You Think You Are? remained the channel’s most-watched show although the Kat Stewart episode dropped to just under 300,000. Not far behind it was Wednesday’s Tony Robinson’s World By Rail on 277,000.

Primary all people 4.6% (Last week 4.8%)
Network all people 8.1% (8.6%)
Multichannels Viceland 1.5% (1.3%), Food 1.1% (1.1%), NITV 0.2% (0.3%), World Movies 0.8% (1.0%)

TV Ratings Sunday June 28 Week 27 2020

By James Manning

• Nine holds onto Sunday ranking #1 in four of five markets
• MasterChef now the clear leader at 7.30pm as Tessa departs

Seven News 1,184,000
Nine News 996,000
ABC News 707,000
The Project 316,000/477,000
Insiders 450,000
10 News 301,000/224,000
Sunrise 247,000
Today 220,000
SBS World News 196,000

Seven: Big Brother looks like it is now being coded as one program with 701,000 last night as the previous Sunday had audiences of 751,000 and 723,000 for the eviction.
The Sunday movie Captain America: The Winter Soldier did 277,000.
In the afternoon, Seven’s AFL game featured the Demons blowing two last minute chances to snatch victory with 439,000 watching.
Although Big Brother trailed MasterChef 16-39, the combo of Seven’s line-up saw the network rank #1 in that age group.

Nine: The Voice featured a continuation of the battle rounds with some good singers making for difficult decisions for the coaches. The audience of 866,000 was close to last week’s 871,000.
60 Minutes was on 632,000, up significantly from last week’s 554,000. Nick McKenzie is becoming a regular and reported across two segments last night. Liz Hayes also reported on the Madeleine McCann mystery.

10: Guest MasterChef judge Melissa Leong was loved by The Project hosts last night as much as the MasterChef audiences adore her. The Project 7pm did 477,000 after 509,000 a week ago.

The final six on MasterChef Australia was decided and Tessa sadly didn’t make the cut. It was a borderline decision between her and Reynold, but the dessert expert lives for another week. Earlier in the show Poh had a shocker with a major fail with a crème brûlée. However, she recovered in the second of two elimination challenges last night as Tessa stumbled with Indian fish tacos which apparently upset some of the purists watching. The Sunday audience was on 967,000 with the show well ahead in all demos. A week ago the audience was 995,000.
FBI: Most Wanted then did 315,000. 

ABC: Operation Buffalo has been roughed up by some critics, but the audience of 443,000 last night was enough to get it into the top 10.
Grand Designs was there too with 490,000.

 SBS: Top 10 Treasures of Pompeii was the channel’s best with 220,000.
A repeat of Henry IX: The Lost King then did 150,000.

Week 26-27 TV: Friday-Sunday
FRIDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC11.7%723.7%917.9%10 6.7%SBS One4.3%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY3.2%7TWO3.4%GO!3.2%10 Bold3.8%VICELAND1.2%
ABC ME0.5%7mate4.9%GEM2.0%10 Peach2.7%Food Net1.0%
ABC NEWS1.6%7flix3.3%9Life2.6%  NITV0.1%
    9Rush1.3%  SBS World Movies0.8%
TOTAL17.1% 35.4% 27.0% 13.2% 7.5%

 

SATURDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC12.3%722.8%914.5%10 8.5%SBS One4.3%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY3.4%7TWO3.8%GO!3.1%10 Bold3.8%VICELAND0.8%
ABC ME0.6%7mate5.1%GEM3.0%10 Peach2.2%Food Net1.2%
ABC NEWS1.9%7flix3.0%9Life2.3%  NITV0.5%
    9Rush1.2%  SBS World Movies1.6%
TOTAL18.1% 34.6% 24.2% 14.6% 8.5%

 

SUNDAY METRO
ABCSevenNine10SBS
ABC10.3%718.5%922.4%10 16.2%SBS One5.3%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.1%7TWO2.5%GO!3.7%10 Bold3.0%VICELAND1.2%
ABC ME0.4%7mate2.5%GEM2.5%10 Peach1.8%Food Net0.7%
ABC NEWS1.4%7flix1.4%9Life1.8%  NITV0.1%
    9Rush1.1%  SBS World Movies1.1%
TOTAL14.2% 24.9% 31.4% 21.0% 8.4%

 

SUNDAY REGIONAL
ABCSeven AffiliatesNine Affiliates10 AffiliatesSBS
ABC10.7%717.8%920.1%WIN12.6%SBS One5.3%
ABC KIDS/ ABC COMEDY2.3%7TWO4.2%GO!3.0%WIN Bold3.7%VICELAND1.5%
ABC ME0.8%7mate3.3%GEM5.4%WIN Peach1.2%Food Net0.7%
ABC NEWS1.5%7flix (Excl. Tas/WA)1.8%9Life2.4%Sky News  on WIN1.2%NITV0.2%
        SBS Movies1.0%
TOTAL15.4% 27.2% 30.9% 18.8% 8.7%

 

SUNDAY METRO ALL TV
FTASTV
86.2%13.8%
All People Ratings

Friday Top 10

  1. Seven News Seven 1,006,000
  2. Seven News At 6.30 Seven 978,000
  3. Nine News Nine 891,000
  4. Nine News 6:30 Nine 812,000
  5. ABC News ABC 707,000
  6. Seven’s AFL: Friday Night Football Seven 585,000
  7. The Chase Australia Seven 577,000
  8. A Current Affair Nine 571,000
  9. Better Homes And Gardens Seven 543,000
  10. Hot Seat Nine 502,000

 

Saturday Top 10

  1. Seven News Seven 845,000
  2. Nine News Saturday Nine 810,000
  3. ABC News ABC 757,000
  4. Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football Seven 546,000
  5. Shakespeare And Hathaway ABC 499,000
  6. A Current Affair Nine 474,000
  7. Getaway Nine 376,000
  8. Seven’s AFL: Saturday Night Football – Pre Match Seven 362,000
  9. Agatha Christie’s The Pale Horse ABC 352,000
  10. Border Security – Australia’s Front Line (R) Seven 325,000
Sunday FTA
  1. Seven News Seven 1,184,000
  2. Nine News Sunday Nine 996,000
  3. MasterChef Australia  10 967,000
  4. The Voice Nine 866,000
  5. ABC News Sunday ABC 707,000
  6. Big Brother Seven 701,000
  7. 60 Minutes Nine 632,000
  8. Grand Designs ABC 490,000
  9. The Sunday Project 7pm 10 477,000
  10. Operation Buffalo ABC 443,000
  11. Seven’s AFL: Sunday Afternoon Football Seven 439,000
  12. The Sunday Project 6.30pm 10 316,000
  13. FBI: Most Wanted 10 315,000
  14. Insiders AM ABC 314,000
  15. Nine News: Late Edition Nine 307,000
  16. 10 News First  10 301,000
  17. M- Captain America: The Winter Soldier Seven 277,000
  18. Sunday Afternoon NRL Live Nine 275,000
  19. Landline PM ABC 254,000
  20. Weekend Sunrise Seven 247,000
Sunday Multichannel
  1. NCIS Ep 2 (R) 10 Bold 147,000
  2. Bluey ABCKIDS/COMEDY 147,000
  3. Insiders AM ABC NEWS 136,000
  4. Floogals PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 131,000
  5. Dog Loves Books ABCKIDS/COMEDY 131,000
  6. The Bourne Supremacy 9GO! 131,000
  7. NCIS (R) 10 Bold 128,000
  8. Bananas In Pyjamas AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 127,000
  9. Go Jetters AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 127,000
  10. Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 126,000
  11. Offsiders AM ABC NEWS 125,000
  12. Death In Paradise 9Gem 124,000
  13. Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 123,000
  14. Dot. AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 116,000
  15. The Vicar Of Dibley PM 7TWO 115,000
  16. Play School AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 114,000
  17. ABC News AM ABC NEWS 111,000
  18. Hey Duggee ABCKIDS/COMEDY 104,000
  19. Weekend Breakfast: 10am AM ABC NEWS 103,000
  20. Nella The Princess Knight PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 102,000
Sunday MTV
  1. Live: NRL: Bulldogs V Wests Tigers FOX LEAGUE 209,000
  2. Live: AFL Melbourne V Geelong FOX FOOTY 200,000
  3. Live: AFL Hawthorn V North Melbourne FOX FOOTY 188,000
  4. Live: NRL: Sea Eagles V Sharks FOX LEAGUE 186,000
  5. Live: AFL Brisbane V Adelaide FOX FOOTY 134,000
  6. Live: Supercars Sydney Race 9 FOX SPORTS 506 132,000
  7. Live: NRL Pre Game Sunday Ticket FOX LEAGUE 110,000
  8. Live: Bounce: Episode 15 FOX FOOTY 109,000
  9. Live: Supercars Sydney Race 8 FOX SPORTS 506 106,000
  10. Outsiders Sky News Live 93,000
  11. Outsiders Sky News Live 90,000
  12. Live: Supercars The Grid FOX SPORTS 506 74,000
  13. Paul Murray Live Sky News Live 71,000
  14. Live: Supercars Sydney Qualifying 8 & 9 FOX SPORTS 506 65,000
  15. Live: Supercars The Grid FOX SPORTS 506 60,000
  16. Belgravia BBC First 59,000
  17. Live: Supercars Live FOX SPORTS 506 58,000
  18. Live: Sunday Night With Matty Johns FOX LEAGUE 57,000
  19. Live: Supercars Live FOX SPORTS 506 57,000
  20. Mcmillion$ FOX SHOWCASE 53,000

Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV national
Source: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2018. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM

Media News Roundup

Business of Media

Stan to lose Showtime programming at the end of the year

Streaming service Stan is poised to lose the bulk of its key Showtime television programs at the end of the year, significantly weakening the appeal of the Nine Entertainment-owned group as competition for subscribers heats up, reports The Australian’s Lilly Vitorovich.

Stan’s current Showtime deal expires in December, and The Australian understands that Showtime’s owner, US media giant ViacomCBS, plans to put its new programs and its extensive back-catalogue on to its own streaming service.

As a result, Stan is likely to lose about 500 hours of library content, including shows such as Californication, Happyish, Nurse Jackie and Dexter. It also won’t get any new Showtime programs.

However, Stan’s current Showtime deal means it will continue to get new episodes of existing shows on its platform, such as Billions, for the entire run of the show. A Stan spokesman declined to comment.

[Read more]

Greg Hywood scores an assignment working for James Warburton

Greg Hywood has taken his first major Australian media assignment since Fairfax was eaten up by the Nine Entertainment Co in their $1.6bn merger, reports The Australian’s Nick Tabakoff.

The former Fairfax CEO will undertake a review of Seven’s The West Australian and Sunday Times newspapers. We’re told his key focus will be to do much of what he did for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age: move the Seven papers to a “digital first” footing. However, his brief will also be to preserve the print operations at the same time he drives digital.

Seven boss James Warburton said on Sunday night that he was “delighted” that Hywood was “available” for the job, after he had most recently been involved in other mysterious media projects with global brands in Asia.

[Read more]

Nationals leader urges government to reverse ABC cuts

NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro has slammed the Morrison government’s “devastating” budget cuts to the ABC and accused his federal counterparts of an “incomprehensible” failure to deliver more jobs to regional Australia, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Rob Harris and Jennifer Duke.

In a letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, the NSW Deputy Premier seized on an exclusive report in Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that revealed Communications Minister Paul Fletcher had ignored two separate proposals by the ABC to spend tens of millions launching regional studios and expanding coverage of remote areas, if the government dumped its funding freeze.

The concerns of regional Australia are top of mind for the government, with the National, Liberal and Labor Party gearing up for a three-cornered by-election battle for the South East NSW seat of Eden-Monaro on July 4. The campaigns in the bushfire-hit town have focused on recovery efforts, including tourism packages and coordination of local community assistance.

[Read more]

AAP customers off limits for News Corp newswire

Australian Associated Press customers will be prevented from signing a deal with News Corp Australia’s newswire for six months under a proposed sale agreement with the new owners that is expected to be completed early this week, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Zoe Samios.

Industry sources familiar with the contract between AAP and the consortium of philanthropists and investors led by chief executive Peter Tonagh said that News Corp will be unable to immediately poach customers from the revived AAP newswire and will instead run the content exclusively for its mastheads including The Australian, The Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun.

Any formal transfer of the newswire operations, should the sale proceed, will not occur until July 31 and all staff entitlements are expected to be funded by Nine and News Corp. But despite keeping the business running, AAP content will not be used by News Corp or Nine’s publications including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age from July 1.

[Read more]

News Brands

Catalano's ACM brings back lion's share of suspended print titles

Antony Catalano‘s Australian Community Media will return dozens of titles to print this week after many were suspended as advertising collapsed because of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, reports The AFR’s Max Mason.

The Goulburn Post, Southern Highlands News, The Area News, The Wimmera Mail-Times and Port Macquarie News are among 50 to 60 titles that will return to print of the roughly 80 that were suspended amid the health crisis.

More than half of ACM’s 170 publications continued printing following the suspension of several non-daily print editions in April during the height of government-imposed restrictions on movement and gatherings. Four print sites had their operations suspended and staff stood down.

ACM’s 14 daily newspapers – including The Canberra Times, Newcastle Herald and Illawarra Mercury – and its agriculture titles were unaffected by the suspension and continued to be printed the entire time.

[Read more]

More than 100 regional media companies get $50m lifeline

More than 100 regional media companies will share $50 million in emergency relief funding from the federal government to keep local news running, following a collapse in advertising during the COVID-19 pandemic, reports The AFR’s Max Mason.

Regional free-to-air broadcasters Prime Media, WIN Corp and Southern Cross Austereo, whose TV news operations are produced and provided by Nine, will get a slice; Australian Community Media will have a share; as well as smaller groups such as McPherson Media Group and Star News Group who will take part once they sign grant agreements with the government.

Of the 107 applicants, 92 are publishers, 13 are for radio and five are for television. Three applicants were successful across two funding streams.

[Read more]

Publishing

Magazine queens mourn demise of paper giants: ‘I’m just horrified’

“I’m just horrified at what they do these days,” former magazine editor Dulcie Boling tells The Australian’s Steve Jackson. “There’s no truth in any of the stories. It’s all just made up out of thin air. We can all do that. We can all write a story about nothing, but I used to base our stories on the facts.

“I also had quite strict rules about nasty and spiteful stories and captions about other women. I didn’t want to see any women put down in my magazine and anybody who did that or thought it was a great idea to make fun of another woman would be carpeted very quickly.”

Boling joined New Idea as a reporter in 1975 and was appointed editor two years later.

During her 15-year reign, she took the weekly magazine’s circulation from 400,000 to 1.2m, transforming it into a commercial powerhouse and becoming chairman and chief executive of Southdown Press (later Pacific Magazines) in the process.

[Read more]

Television

'An opportunity and a responsibility': MTV returns focus to music

After years of critiques that its programming had swayed too far into reality TV excess, MTV Australia is officially re-committing to its music roots, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Robert Moran.

On Wednesday, the network will debut four new channels of locally-programmed, 24-hour music content – just months after carrier Foxtel axed its other homegrown music channels, Channel V and Max.

Helen McMurdo, MTV’s senior director of youth and entertainment brands, says the network’s expansion was fostered by audience demand.

“Music is up 18 per cent year on year on Foxtel and it’s the fastest-growing category behind news, so there’s an exciting opportunity there,” says McMurdo.

“But music is always at the heart of what we do because our audiences are so passionate about it. Millennials say music is the number one mechanism they use to cope with stress – above exercise, above watching content, or talking to friends and family. So music is really important to us from a brand point of view, and I think this new set of channels demonstrates our commitment to that.”

[Read more]

Sports Media

Australian football's voice weakened by Hill, Foster exits

The two voices behind Australian football’s finest moment, Simon Hill and Craig Foster, have announced their respective departures from Fox Sports and SBS within the space of 72 hours in a major blow for the game, reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Vince Rugari.

Hill and Foster were the commentary team behind the Socceroos’ famous penalty shootout win over Uruguay in 2005 that broke Australia’s 32-year World Cup qualification drought, and have been among the sport’s most passionate advocates in this country for many years.

Hill, one of Australia’s most popular callers in any sport, posted a statement on Twitter on Saturday morning confirming he was leaving Fox and would not be part of the pay-TV network’s coverage of the A-League’s season resumption next month.

Industry sources claim Hill was told this week his services were no longer required by Fox.

“My contract at Fox ends on Tuesday. While I will miss bringing the A-League and other football to you, it nevertheless gives me a chance to pursue other opportunities, on which I’ll hopefully have more news shortly,” Hill wrote on Twitter in a post that prompted an immediate flood of tributes.

[Read more]

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