Television

Food for thought as Nine fights back   Author: eNews staff and agencies | Nov 6, 2007, 20:51

David Gyngell went to work the other day and was in at Nine's Sydney HQ early in the morning, trying to find a way of starting the network's fight back.

It was his second day back in the top job at Nine. he was in the office Sunday after arriving back in Australia the same day.

His attempts so far with the 2012 Olympics are too far away to be relevant, and the revamp he ordered in Who Wants To be A Millionaire (tonight 7 pm to 8.30 pm) has failed.

But he has to take risks to try and find winners.

One such program might be Nine's much rumoured food show is in production in Sydney for next year's ratings

Called Food Fight, it's not original, more a cross some old local and British restaurant programs.

But it would need a name change: Food Fight sounds petulant and juvenile, but that could be the program being created, which doesn't bide well.

But it’s a sign Nine is having a go and realises it needs product. New CEO, David Gyngell has got producers, David Barbour and Julian Cress to return to produce it.

They were responsible for The Block, but also for the lesser performed celebrity programs, such as the one on ice (not Dancing on Ice) and Celebrity Overhaul, which both faded

Nine has to have a go because it has no other option. Everything else has been tried and failed now it’s back to the wall and trying to start off on a new foot after the disasters of the Eddie McGuire regime.

It will have to be local programs, because that's what people are watching. Nine has Canal Road and Underbelly for next year and the very expensive second series of Patrol Boat.

Gyngell should organise a new graphic and on air look ASAP: the one now is looking like a loser, is tired and not exciting.

Gyngell, when he has looked at the ratings this year, knows the Network's performance in the five major metro markets this year shows has been a tale of disaster.

Nine's share is down across the board in the major metro markets and in most demographics except the over 50's and over 55's.

The Network has completely lost touch with the 16 to 39 age group, is losing touch with the 18 to 49 and is trailing Seven badly in its target 25 to 54 group.

The ABC has out performed in terms of adding to its overall audience and in the younger 16 to 39 age group with programs like The Chaser and Summer Heights High.

Ten and Seven have allowed Nine to pick up viewers in the over 50's, especially the over 55's, although Seven hasn't lost much ground and the ABC is still a contender.

The ABC and Seven have made ground on Ten in the 16 to 39s and 18 to 49s with programs like Home And Away, Dancing With The Stars; It takes Two, Ugly Betty, Summer Heights High and The Chaser.

Looking at the past month of ratings, Nine has a relatively strong Saturday night, but advertisers don't really want that: Friday nights are weak without the NRL, Thursdays and Wednesdays are relatively firm, like Sundays.

Monday and Tuesdays are black holes.

Seven has made up considerable ground though on Sunday nights and is a bit more competitive on Wednesdays and Thursdays when it has the right programming. The AFL Footy Show is the key to Nine's success on Thursday nights. It's more of a battle without it.

But even on these relatively strong nights. Nine has programming black holes which it has struggled to fill this year, let alone in 2008. Nine has programs that do well, but rarely win.

Apart from patrol Boat, it has struggled to find a winning program this year.

So far this year Nine's share in all people is 27% for 6 pm to midnight, down from the 29.1% for the same period of 2006. That was inflated by the Commonwealth Games in March 2006.

In Sydney Nine is down to a 27.9% share from 29.6%; in Melbourne Nine has a 27.1% share so far in ratings this year, compared to 30.3% in the same period of 2006. In Brisbane Nine's share is 28.2% from 30.1%, in Adelaide its 26.3% from 28.1% and in Perth its 23.4% from 24.1%.

PBL Media is only responsible for the Nines in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne; WIN owns the stations in Perth and Adelaide and would be taking a revenue and earnings hit on the $270 million it paid for the two stations.

But PBL Media is responsible for nearly all the programming on the Network (WIN likes to take some of its own non-prime programs), so that's David Gyngell's task.

It's an enormous one, so it’s no wonder he's talking about 2009 and 2010 being the pay off years, if Seven lets it happen.

Looking at timeslots, Nine has problems on Sunday nights at 6.30 pm, Mondays from 7.30 to 10.30 pm, likewise Tuesdays. Wednesday it’s at 7.30 pm: will McLeod's Daughters return; Thursdays its 7.30 pm out of winter when Getaway is weak.

Friday night is a problem away from the NRL season in Sydney and Brisbane: it's a problem the year around in the other markets. Saturday is OK but no one wants to advertise.

Then there's the lagging 6 pm News and A Current Affair which will have to be boosted next year, otherwise nothing Gyngell finds for the 7 pm slot onwards will work.

Temptation has to be refreshed or junked and a completely new program used in the slot. Gyngell has to really find a new hit at 5.30 pm to battle the Ten News and Seven's Deal or No Deal.

And on Sunday nights watch 60 Minutes' performance next year. It was hurt by Ugly Betty's arrival on Seven at the start of the year but survived, and got good figures. But the fresh eps of Kath & Kim and My Name Is Earl, and then the repeats of K&K have hurt it.

Could 60 Minutes be 2008's basket case for Nine? Likewise with Getaway which needs a new cast and look. Seven's lifestyle travel program, the Great Outdoors in now marginal prime time material, will Getaway follow?

It can't afford that.

- Add the eNews XML file to your RSS newsreader and be the first to know.