A very Gyngell summer
Ahh, network spin. It produces some remarkable sentences sometimes....
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
A line from Nine’s CEO yesterday in a Press Release is a surprising example of network spin.
“Unlike other networks, Channel Nine is committed to quality programming and entertaining viewers every day of the year,” David Gyngell said.
While many might debate how entertaining some of Nine’s shows have been this year, it’s the first three words that seem pretty hard to take.
Was it really necessary to draw in other networks into your own marketing spin?
And unlike which other networks? All of them? Some of them? Pay television too?
TV Tonight would suggest that 2008 has actually been Nine’s poorest year for commitment to programming, with shows dropped at a wholesale pace.
“Based on this, our summer schedule features hot new programs including Gossip Girl, as well as premiere episodes of series like McLeod’s Daughters, ER, Fringe and The Big Bang Theory,” he continued.
Here Mr Gyngell names 4 shows that didn’t rate well enough for the network to keep on air, and one that was on-sold to pay television before Nine eventually got around to giving it a 10:30pm timeslot in summer. So which shows are considered “hot”….?
And if any are (shudder) dropped over summer, will they still be considered ‘hot new programmes?’
It’s also surprising for the fact that in just over a week Seven will declare the year won in ratings weeks. While Nine has put up a good fight, viewers preferred one of those “other networks” that supposedly weren’t as committed to quality programming or entertaining viewers as Nine.
I’m not criticising Nine’s summer schedule (there are plenty who will do that anyway) nor denying someone that chance to spin their best assets to advertisers and viewers.
But a little common sense, please….
One can only hope that the words are actually spin from the publicity department rather than a direct quote. Still you would expect a CEO should sign off on words for which he is quoted.
I’ve previously praised Mr Gyngell’s pragmatic and no-fuss dealings with media, which was a fresh change to the salesman spin of the previous CEO.
Oh well. It’s not quite as bizarre as the dreadful clangers from other network CEO’s in 2008.
Maybe it’s been a long year at the top.
Photo: The Age.
Press Release (excerpt):
Channel Nine is gearing up for a hot summer, with a premiere lineup of exciting new series and more new episodes of summer favourites than ever – as well as standout specials, festive events and the very best in sport.
Nine Network Chief Executive, Mr David Gyngell, said today: “Unlike other networks, Channel Nine is committed to quality programming and entertaining viewers every day of the year.
“Based on this, our summer schedule features hot new programs including Gossip Girl, as well as premiere episodes of series like McLeod’s Daughters, ER, Fringe and The Big Bang Theory.
“We’ve also got a great summer of cricket to look forward to, with Australia’s Tests against New Zealand and South Africa and there’s also the One-Day Internationals and the increasingly popular Twenty20 matches.”
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- Tagged with ER, Fringe, Gossip Girl, McLeod’s Daughters, The Big Bang Theory
19 Responses
Whether the Seven fans like it or not – Nine will be #1 25-54s this year, and that’s all that advertisers care about.
Suck that Simon Francis.
Tam, it seems like anyone on this Blog who says something remotely positive about a channel other than Seven is apart of their “pr department”.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Knoxoverstreet, are you part of 9’s pr department or something? This continuous love affair with everything 9 is very transparent…
Cameron, you will have a difficult time convincing the hundreds of thousands of people who have given up on channel nine and commercial TV in general with good reason, to return to FTA TV. That list of mistakes that you mentioned is getting longer and longer and the ink in the pen is running dry.
The trouble with 9 they are in bed with pay tv so we have to wear it
Nine really has dumped programs way too early this year…they then seemed to have replaced them with programs that don’t rate any better anyway, so they should’ve stuck with their original shows and showed some loyalty!
Spin City – maybe the other networks are in Outer Mongolia.
Here is a press release I found discarded in the bin –
“Unlike other networks, Channel Nine is committed to saturation programming of Gordon Ramsay, 20-1 clip shows and Two and a half men, whilst constantly promising new shows then dropping them like a stone after 2 weeks.
Entertaining viewers every day of the year is own goal an un named Network exec said.
Next year we promise (really truly, fingers not crossed either) to have more talent signed up to mega year deals and keep them off air whilst running more repeats than anyone else.
Mr. Anon would like on behalf to wish all viewers greetings of the season – his office will beclosed from 30th Nov to 5th Feb whilst he holidays in Aspen or Cannes.
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Nine does in fact have the best line-up for summer compared to Ten with so many repeats and Seven with shows that could easily cure insomnia. Nine do have bad scheduling with too much Two & a Half Men and repeats. McLeod’s Daughters should have never been on at 8:30pm this year and Saturday is the worst day for it. It’s not like it matters as I have already seen these episodes from the dvd (something Nine is good at. Two thumbs up for their dvd department). I do not have to watch them on TV and I won’t care if I do not see them. Fringe, The Closer, Big Bang Theory, Gossip Girl, Cold Case repeats and Temptation look like the real winners here and they need to be watched in order to make it back into ratings season. There are a lot more shows on Nine that are any good then on Seven and Ten. ABC and SBS also some some good programming over summer to look forward too.
I believe people need to give Nine a chance in 2009 and the other networks for all the mistakes they have had. If people stop watching because they take shows off and move them around, it will only get worse. When ratings are low, the shows get no chance of staying on. The only way to stay is to be watched. No wonder we had an overload of Two & a Half Men and Gordon Ramsey, lots of people started watching so Nine gave them more. If only that many people watched other shows.
Seems like a rather OTT & slightly angry response to a little harmless network spin. I agree it seems a tad out of character for the gyng but geez…
And to be more precise viewers over 55 preferred Seven. If Nine can win the year in 25-54 it would be a win in terms of adverting money which is all that matters. Even if it only comes close after the dreadful 2007 it would be a win of sorts to Gyng.
Channel Nine has had the shoddiest programming this year, even that poll on this site a month ago or two proved that nine was the worst offender. That network really has been killed, like the book explains, and Gyngell goes and says something like this? oooo premiere episodes of mclouds, fringe, er and big bang, how enticing despite the fact they were all pulled because they did crap in the year. You sum it up well bindi, very very tacky programming this year, and a i think the term ‘program overkill’ applies too. Just annoys me when a network has fought so well to get to the top, and sure seven has its faults, a number of them, and then this one here with its big headiness still thinks its the one
I think Gyngell et al need to be committed, they are all crazy.
What is in the water coolers of network corridors? First Grant Blackley with his sillyness and now Gyngell? I actually like the guy and respect what he is trying to do, its counter productive to take shots at ‘other networks’ when you are trying to claw back market share. In fact you should be busy enough worrying about what your network is doing without having time to even think about the others.
Everyone knows that press releases have to be at least somewhat believable, even if they stretch the truth a little. Their ones get caught by the bull**** radar far too often, and are often just outright lies.
If you believe that you are entertaining viewers more than irritating them, you believe that magical make-believe fantasy, Mr Gyngell.
i just don’t watch that network any more.
their lack of respect for their viewers just makes me sick.
i will continue to download programmes and shun NINE (and the other commercial nets) as long as they continue to show such disrespect. (and produce such mediocre product)
What a load of bull. Nine is the worst network here because it pulls programs when it feels like it and scheduling Mcleods on Saturday is the worst programming in a long time.
The only good is Fringe.
This confirms what I think of the commercial free-to-air networks: they’re all as bad as each other!
David, could you please paste in the press release? I wouldn’t mind reading it in full.
Great commentary David!!!
Love it!
“Unlike other networks, Channel Nine is committed to quality programming and entertaining viewers every day of the year,”
😆 I needed a good laugh!
talk about delusional, out of all 3 networks this station has the most unused quality shows sitting on the shelf collecting dust. moonlight, terminator, primeval- all still not scheduled even in summer. 10 burnt most axed shows off on 10HD and 7 hasn’t been as liberal with the axed as the others. and what quality programming has 9 had?- hole in the wall, wipeout, ladette to lady- the word tacky comes to mind, the word quality does not.