Media Releases

TEN unveils winning second half line-up   Author: Network Ten | Jun 25, 2007, 12:05

Network Ten today unveiled a winning line-up for the second half of 2007 featuring four new programs.

They join new episodes of TEN’s established favourites – including Thank God You’re Here and Australian Idol – and the biggest sporting and red carpet events of the year: the AFL Grand Final, the Rugby World Cup and the 2007 ARIA Awards.

TEN’s chief programming officer, David Mott, said: “These diverse new and returning shows bring further depth to our schedule and absolutely speak to our target 18-49 year-old audience.

“Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader, Thank God You’re Here, Australian Idol and So You Think You Can Dance will engage the entire family, while Californication is the most original adult comedy since Sex and the City.

“With all new episodes of our established favourites continuing well into the year – including House and NCIS – this line-up will see TEN remain highly competitive in our core 18-49 profile and continue to dominate under-40s.”

New programs:

Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? – Australia's own version of the hit US format pits ten year-olds against grown-ups in the knowledge stakes. Hosted by Rove McManus and produced by Roving Enterprises, each week adults will try – and fail – to prove they are, in fact, smarter than a fifth grader. Launches in September.

Californication – confronting, controversial and hysterically funny, get ready for David Duchovny's (X-Files) triumphant return to television. Comedy/drama about a self-destructive novelist trying to re-launch his writing career and help raise his teenaged daughter; his obsession with honesty and his battles with drink, drugs and relationships are simultaneously destroying and enriching his career. TEN will premiere this hotly-anticipated new series soon after its US debut.

America's Next Top Model – making its runway debut on Australian commercial television on 6 July, America’s Next Top Model chronicles the transformation of everyday young women into potentially fierce supermodels.

The Office (US version) – Emmy Award-winning comedy “mockumentary” about the day-to-day lives of employees in the fictitious Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company. The 2007 US finale of The Office (17 May) was the number one show in 18-49 (beating Ugly Betty), delivered NBC's highest 18-49 rating and largest overall 18-49 audience in timeslot since launch (22 February).

Special events:

TEN's AFL finals – all in High Definition digital (HD).

AFL Grand Final – in HD and for the sixth consecutive year exclusively live on TEN and expected to again be the most-watched television event of the official ratings year.

The Rugby World Cup – 20 pool matches, including all those involving the Wallabies and other leading rugby nations, plus all eight finals and the Rugby World Cup Final live. All TEN's broadcasts and associated programming will be hosted from France by TEN's own rugby tragic, Bill Woods, and gifted poet, radio presenter and passionate rugby devotee, Rupert McCall. With expert comments from rugby greats Ben Tune and Ben Darwin.

2007 ARIA Music Awards – the Australian music industry’s night of nights with the biggest stars performing live.

Kenny and Boytown (movies) – no longer a three-year wait for cinematic hits to come to free TV, TEN brings the most successful Aussie movies of 2006 exclusively to free to air TV.

Returning favourites:

Thank God You're Here – the breakout new hit of 2006 is back with new personalities, new scenarios, and more laughs than ever. Launches on 11 July.

Australian Idol – Dicko returns for the fifth season of Australia’s biggest and best talent quest, with four judges at the helm and live performance shows in High Definition digital for the first time. The 2007 audition tour went wider than ever, visiting 18 cities across the country. Australian Idol has won three Logie Awards, produced ten number one artists and draws millions of viewers each week.

So You Think You Can Dance – returning for its second season on TEN, the show that redefines dance and draws around 10 million viewers in the US each week.

Hosted by Cat Deeley, contestants endure a gruelling 12-week competition to become America's number one dancer.

The Wedge – the zany characters of Wedgedale are back with their unique brand of sketch comedy.

Continuing:

Rove – shaking up Sunday night viewing all year long, with several madcap editions from the US. Rove continues right through survey 2007 with a brand new show every week well after first-run series on other networks conclude.

Neighbours – all new, all year and entering a new era on 23 July, introducing new characters and storylines focusing on the daily drama of living, loving and all the emotions that follow. Neighbours comes of age after 22 years and more than 5,000 episodes!

Torchwood – sexy new sci-fi thriller that debuted on TEN to a timeslot win in all major demographics and 1 million viewers on 18 June.

Pirate Master – The latest from Survivor creator Mark Burnett. Australian Cameron Daddo sets 16 aspiring pirates loose on the high seas in and around the Caribbean island of Dominica. The winner’s booty: US$1m; the losers are cut adrift.

Brand new episodes of House, NCIS, Medium, Numb3rs, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and The Simpsons continue well into the second half of the year.

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