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Breakfast bunfight looming? With apologies to ABC.

TEN's new Breakfast producer fires off some pretty pointed claims to the opposition -but forgets about ABC News Breakfast.

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TEN’s executive producer for Breakfast Majella Wiemers wouldn’t be drawn on the kind of numbers the show is expecting, when it launches on February 27th.

Quizzed by Mumbrella, she said, “TEN in 2011 was doing about 20,000 – 30,000 in that timeslot, the others are doing 300,000. We’re looking to make small inroads. We’re looking at tapping into the psyche of people who are in a breakfast environment and saying ‘You know what, for all these years there’s been two competitors, now there’s a third one in the market.'”

Is it just me or is it a tad concerning she completely overlooks ABC News Breakfast here?

TEN will actually be the fourth in the Breakfast TV space on Free to Air TV, not the third.

ABC News Breakfast has been on air since November 2008 and while things may still be a two-horse race, we shouldn’t be overlooking some basic facts.

Answering questions on what we can expect of Paul Henry, Weimers makes the distinction between a radio shock jock who says something to provoke a reaction, but that Henry believes what he is saying.

“I think we are going to run up to the edge and there will be times where we may jump over it,” she conceded.

“It would be remiss of me to have Paul Henry as a host and then gag him. What would be the point? – I could roll out a David Koch or a Karl Stefanovic if I wanted somebody who wasn’t prepared to put themselves on the line and say what they think.”

Okaaaay……

Call me crazy but I see a bunfight coming already.

And is this a good time to mention that TEN’s own Programming Chief David Mott is on the record at acknowledging Today‘s achievements?

Sunrise also won’t be laying down anytime soon, about to mark its 10th year on air.

Of course should the show actually go over the edge, it will still have to remain within the Code of Practice. Had some of Henry’s now-infamous comments on NZ television been broadcast here they  might have attracted headlines and possibly the attention of the media watchdog.

But TEN assures us it has safeguards in check with a spokesperson having previously said, “We’re not leaving him to his own devices and expect him to understand that, we will go through a process with him and everybody else who works on that program.”

Breakfast with Paul Henry, Kathryn Robinson, Andrew Rochford and Magdalena Roze kicks off at 6am Monday February 27th on TEN.

You can see the full interview with Majella Weimers here.

16 Responses

  2. The difference is that ABC News Breakfast has news in it, and is shown live across Australia (on ABC News 24)

    Breakfast, Sunrise and Today are all entertainment shows, with a 5 minute news bulletin at the top of each hour, and delayed outside the south east states.

  3. I normally watch sunrise but am finding Grant to be a little annoying and smug lately. He use to be great but i see a bit of ego starting. I want the old humble Grant back, he is trying too hard to be funny His natural self is great, not this new, forced thing he is trying. Sunrise is still the best though.

  4. So then what kind of ratings does ABC Breakfast get then if Ms Wiemers should have mentioned them?

    As much of a loose canon Paul Henry is touted to be, I’m still sure it’ll be nothing compared to the innuendo that’s constantly given out on Today. There’s about 22 nine minutes clips on Youtube…

    I expect TEN Breakfast to settle in at about 180-200k viewers.

  7. I didnt realise that ABC News Breakfast has been around for that long now. I remember reading articles on this site about the launch of the show. Time certainly has flown, and good to see them still on the air.

  9. Since, like many people, I only get to hear breakfast television while doing other things I much, much prefer Michael Rowland’s voice over David Koch or Karl. And no screaming Harvey Norman or Joyce Mayne commercials either. 60 minutes of information, not 40 minutes or so per hour.

  11. As stated before about this new show, if i manage to wake up on time then i will only tune in because of the female hosts they are beautiful and smart. The rest is the same. Their will be no point of difference because they will be going for the advertising dollar. That is why this show is going to be on air. I think if Ten are smart they might just want to mussle Paul Henry because if i was an advertiser i would not want my product associated with him.

  12. It’s impossible to think that the casting of Paul Henry has not been a deliberate and strategic move by Ten to try and create a point of difference between themselves and the other three breakfast shows on offer (with the ABC’s being superior, IMO). It’ll be interesting to see just how much leash/rope he’s given but I imagine Ten are wanting as many headlines as possible from his outbursts, rants and un-PC comments. Good luck juggling, Ms Wiemers!

  14. Thank you David for including the ABC in your posting of this item. I have been slowly gravitating to the very watchable Michael Rowland and currentlly the lovely Karina as an alternative to Today. I enjoy Lisa and Georgie, but switch off when Richard Wilkins or the sports guy comes on.
    Likeability is a huge turn on and off for me. I like Dr Dimples, but will forego seeing his handsome face if it means avoiding Mr Henry. Maybe I’ll spend the morning flipping channels. What did ‘Larry Sanders’ used to say: “No Flipping”

  15. @Benji77 good point. Magdalena likes to talk up the Perth weather on the weekend news. Yet she is reading it from the Sydney studio.

    I really don’t see the need for TEN to go into a already competitive market. I like The Circle but its really not rating well, and its not the same without Chrissie.

  16. I really hope they don’t send Magdalena out on a different location every day like the wether puppets over on seven/nine…. she’s smart and enough and vibrant enough to be a full time studio presence.

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