Network 10 chief content officer Beverley McGarvey on 2019

• What happened to 10’s Pointless and hopes for The Project

Network 10’s chief content officer Beverley McGarvey has been working for the network for 13 years. She started as network head of programming alongside David Mott, then took over as chief programming officer in 2012 when he departed, later becoming chief content officer in 2016.

Mediaweek has spoken to McGarvey every year since she joined 10. She joined us for a 2019 survey season preview this week.

Is the start to 2019 more money than 10 has ever spent on content?

This is the biggest investment we have ever made in our entertainment schedule.

In previous years we have had the Big Bash League cricket. This is the first time we have launched our year with an entertainment schedule.

Can you call moving I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! earlier a success?

We are incredibly happy with the result and it did exceptionally well in those early weeks against the sporting competition. Since the other reality big guns have kicked in the overnight ratings have dropped, but our digital business has really picked up. Overall the series is up 8% and that is a really good result for us.

It is a strategy that is very long term and we are just at the beginning of it.

Is there an upside to Nine getting huge numbers to nightly reality?

It is brilliant for the industry that Married At First Sight can attract big audiences. Big audiences will come to big shows and there are always big shows on FTA TV. It is great for the business generally be able to get those numbers and it is good for all of us.

Did the Kerri-Anne v Yumi debate lift Studio 10 ratings?

The show’s ratings did go up and 10 Daily did exceptionally well too. Over the years certain types of television have become sanitised and a little bit vanilla. It is good there is a place for open debate and you will see that story continue in the following weeks on Studio 10.

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