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Today Tonight slipping in Sydney

Did Sydney prefer Anna Coren to Matthew White? Seven says no. Nine says it's still the "same old schlock."

The Daily Telegraph reports that since Matthew White started seven weeks ago, Today Tonight‘s popularity has slipped in Sydney. The gap between TT and A Current Affair has shrunk from 70,000 Sydney viewers to 30,000.

ACA scored a weekly win for over TT in Sydney last week.

“It was a very unusual thing for A Current Affair these days – a weekly win,” Seven news chief Peter Meakin said yesterday. “I’m fairly confident they won’t be repeating it this week.

“And we have absolutely no concerns with Matthew – the program has improved its ratings nationally since he started.

“Yes, there is a bit of a challenge on in Sydney, but we’re stronger in Melbourne and Brisbane, the only two other cities where Matthew hosts the show.”

A Nine spokesman said Tracy Grimshaw would be hosting ACA next year. “She is on a long-term contract as the host of ACA and there is no suggestion of change, full stop,” he said last night.

Tracy Grimshaw already confirmed that to TV Tonight two weeks ago.

The newspaper says TT’s Sydney audience has dropped by 7.7 per cent to 305,000, while ACA has grown by 5.8 per cent to 278,000.

The same Nine spokesman was particularly quick to theorise on the reasons for the shift.

“Early days, but my educated guess is those who thought White might bring another dimension have found he doesn’t. The poor bastard is stitched up serving up the same old schlock, because nothing, of course, changes in the management of the program.”

Seven was outraged that White’s seven weeks of Sydney ratings had been compared at all with Coren’s average audience figures during her 2008 stint.

“It is a bogus comparison, an absurd and ridiculous way to analyse statistics,” Seven’s spokesman raged.

He said viewer numbers always drop when daylight saving begins.

Source: Daily Telegraph

16 Responses

  1. I was utterly disgusted by the story on how much Coles is spending on advertising for Christmas. I think it was one million dollars.
    I would like your reporters to confront these companies on how much they are spending on these stupid ads, when families are struggling to cope with all the pressures of Christmas.
    I wish these companies would put more back in to helping charities at this time of year, instead of thinking of making huge profits all the time.

    Regards
    David

  2. I dont know weather this will get to the tv show, but i would like to comment on the cat shooting. I find it disgusting that someone could shoot a cat that many times, I wonder if the people who shot the cat could take half as many bullets themselves, but there is another question where were its owners and why was’nt the cat locked up, as cat are a killing machine killing birds, is that the reason the cat was shot, for eating someones birds ?

  3. Seanie – its well known in the industry that Naomi was forced out due to declining ratings, expecially in Melbourne as well as her ongoing stuff ups – ie. Lizardgate, Make Up Van and Waa Waa.

    And TT is hardly flogging ACA along the East Coast.

    Look at last nights numbers:

    TODAY TONIGHT – Syd – 323,000 Mel – 298,000 Bris – 277,000
    A CURRENT AFFAIR – Syd – 297,000 Mel – 329,000 Bris – 236,000

    TT only marginally ahead in Syd and Bris and behind in Mel.

    Not looking good for Matt.

  4. The main reason 7 dumped Queen Naomi in 2006 was bec ause ACA starting flogging TT in Mellbourne (winning over 10 weeks straight there), even though TT was still winning in Syd and Bris.

    If TT continues to struggle in Sydney, 7 will most definately change the jockey.

  5. selma, i dont know about these “sources” u have, but u seriously reckon they are going to change the east coast host yet again all because they are losing one market? no way in short. Matt is delivering them the goods elsewhere, and aca has recently increased its focus on sydney. Give it time, itll likely return to same old same old seven victories. One week, calm down people!!

  6. My sources inside 7 tell me that Meakin and Co are looking very closely at the ongoing poor ratings for Today Tonight in Sydney. Executives are fearful that Sydney viewers cannot accept White in the new role after watching him present Sport News for many years.

    ACA won last week in Sydney despite a much weaker lead in. TT has frequently shed thousands from its lead in and regularly falls below 300,000 in the crucial Sydney Market.

    Last Week Average audiences in Sydney :
    TT- 290,000
    ACA – 327,000

    How long has it been since ACA won the week in Sydney? Insiders tell me that Sam A. will be the new East Coast TT host next year.

  7. Hmm has anyone thought that maybe its not the host or daylights saving, it could be the content of the show which is pushing viewers away?

    The Adelaide dditon hosted by Rosanna Mangiarelli has a lot of Adelaide based stories, but also most of the ‘popular’ east cost stories too. I really dont watch either TT or ACA Adeladie editions, or the east coast ACA on Sky News, unless I see an add for a segment which might be decent. Rosanna will be on maternaty leave soon, so I wonder if they will start checking the ratings when her temporary replacement starts.

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