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Welcome home Mr Gyngell

David Gygnell is back in Sydney and straight to work on fixing the troubled Nine Network.

TV Tonight wishes him well in his endeavours.

While kicking Nine seems to have become something of a media sport, the last thing we need is a network that isn’t competitive. It’s actually better for everyone if we have a driven, focussed and aggressive network with imaginative programming and fresh ideas.

Nine will lose the 2007 ratings year to Seven, the result of a long list of complementary problems. The network is still finding its way after the end of the Packer era. And Seven’s win is a victory for the perennial underdog, something Aussies love to see. Gyngell will need to recognise that Nine must demonstrate it has found some humility as it goes forward in 2008.

The first of two areas that Gyngell should focus on is the on-air programming schedule. Stop ripping programmes off air at the drop of a hat. Have some confidence in your product. Consistent timeslot programming will rebuild a loyalty contract with the viewing audience. This has been dreadfully eroded in 2007.

The second area is staff morale. Doesn’t matter if you’re running a McDonald’s franchise or a national TV network. If they don’t have faith, enthusiasm and work as a team you might as well pack up and go home. A weary team reverberates through every crack in the screen.

Other matters like the meeting the bottom line will just have to wait.

Gyngell is also right in knowing this will not be turned around overnight. His early ideas of rescuing Temptation and securing the Olympics are certainly moves in the right direction. Investing in more Aussie productions will further this. Seven has re-built itself on the back of local production. All the international programming is a bonus.

Here’s hoping 2008 returns a once-glorious network to a position of competition and entertainment.

7 Responses

  1. Closed for Stocktake:
    I would love to see a television network sort out it’s issues, make a plan, and then drastically choose to go off air for one day showing only news and advertising including largely self promotion of the changes that are coming, a bit like when you go to a department store and their closed for stocktake.. I think that would create the massive hype needed to re-launch a new strong programming schedule and a new direction for a television network.

    But unlike Neighbours who’s re-launch was largely disappointing after all the hype, it must have the balls to back up it’s claims instantly when it comes back on-air and blow the audience away!!

  2. Finally! NINE has someone back in charge who has both a brain and a strong instinct …
    Hopefully we, the TV viewers and fanatics, will be the winners in the long run!
    Jack!

  3. I would absolutely agree with you there Adrian, David Gyngell is the best and i will support channel 9 and him all the way.. I HEART CHANNEL 9
    CHANNEL 7 SUCKS! WOOT

  4. Nice to see Nine on the right track and it’s only a matter of time before it’s back where it belongs at the top. Whether that will be next year or 2009 who knows. Once Nine get a few more decent US shows to bolster their schedule they will bounce back.

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