A missed opportunity
If the 7PM Project wants to be a show that responds to the daily agenda, why did 'the Kyle incident' last just 25 seconds?
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
Last night was a golden opportunity for The 7PM Project to connect with its audience. It led its bulletin with the news of yesterday’s awkward radio stunt by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O.
It even initiated a discussion between Charlie Bickmore and Dave Hughes.
“What I want to know is what part of lie detector, child, sex and live radio interview didn’t ring some alarm bells along the way? Like, get responsible,” said Pickering.
“I’ve had my moments with Kyle before I won’t deny that,”added Hughes “and I’ve done somne dodgy things on radio, but that’s pretty dodgy.”
Both true enough points.
But there ended the analysis, lasting just 25 seconds.
Here was an opportunity to discuss a hot topic that hit the new show’s demographic right between the eyes. The story had emerged from an FM radio show, it involved a teenager and it spoke to a very serious topic.
Unfortunately there was nobody invited to speak to parenting, duty of care or media responsibility, let alone issues of rape.
Like it or not, yesterday was a day when caring for children was put front and centre on the agenda. It could have led to a wider discussion on child welfare with a psychologist, or spokesperson from a Rape Crisis Centre. Or if that was too hot, then some insight into responsible broadcasting perhaps?
Was this so quickly moved on because Kyle is a TEN personality?
I thought 7PM Project wanted to be a show that responds to the daily agenda. Yesterday there was no hotter topic for this demographic.
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- Tagged with Australian Idol, The 7pm Project
67 Responses
Right of reply? dousnt he have a huge radioshow which he uses as an ago stroking soap box for his POV?
Better be hard hitting, if it is it will get newsspots and give exposure to the show, give it cred. \
If they fail at this they might as well cancel it.
I watched the first 5 minutes last night after giving up last week.
Dave Hughes has to go ( serious story comes up, he tries to be funny – quirky story crops up , he tries to be serious)
and yes David, we have serious topic and they ignore it..
7PM project appears to be Waste of Space.
I will watch tonight just to see if they have guts to ask hard questions or just pander to a Ten personality.
If they drop the ball tonight, it’s good bye from me to 7pm project
Kyle is in NZ this week anyways so unless they are going to do a Live link which I doubt, he won’t be on.
Charlie Bickmore?
Kyle’s going to be on the show tonight to tell “his side of the story”
Can’t wait for the hard hitting questions….
TEN has previously said the show could serve as a “right of reply.”
TEN says at this stage he is not appearing.
I know! (David). The crazy thing is the demographic that watches the show is so intune with that subject matter they would be actually interested.
1) new set – warmer not colder, no feet showing, relaxed set, not so shiny.
2) Biger panel – with a good compare in the midle, they dont have one.
3) better promos – that are funny. The soundbytes are useless punchlines at the mo’.
I’m glad you raised this David and I hope ten are reading because next time something worthy of discussion happens they might like join in with that discussion. This sort of MX style headlines and no depth is so far, a dissappointment.
Not Quite Everything with Jackie O.
Her Alone worked wonders in getting Focuses Out the Ford Dealership and It was inoffensive which is more than what could have been said about those Nissan Kim Cattrall Commercials
They’ve already established that this show doesn’t dwell on topics for too long, so it would seem odd to suddenly dedicate an extended part of the episode to one incident.
Plus it’s a minefield for saying the wrong thing, particularly amongst comedians, which, as they are also live just as the show they’re decrying, means, just by talking about it, what Charlie listed partially applies to them as well.
They probably could’ve done something more, but Dave Hughes’s legendary dislike for Kyle Sandilands would most likely open a huge can of worms of its own.
10 would have taken them off the air if they hasd a go at one of their personalities. 10 are idiot’s that hired him and look at the shows that he has been on since he joined them see our much they have gon into decline. well big brother was already and idol was going well when he joined. now look at it
It may have something to do with the fact that Kyle is part of channel 10 with him being on idol so maybe they were told not to go to far with it as he is a fellow channel 10 man.
@Nathan: How would they have dealt with it? By pressing the 7-second or 30-second panic button, that’s how. What kind of bushweek operation is this? Haven’t they hard of this stuff — it’s been around for decades.
Couldn’t agree more with you David.The show should go far deeper on the most important topics of the day, otherwise the show should be renamed “Headlines for 30 minutes”.
The show is way too light weight for me to watch now.
The producers of the 7 PM Project don’t have isight into making the show a talking point with viewers next day.It kind of reminds me of “Entertainment Tonight” .
I also think Channel 10 told the 7pm producers, and Dave Hughes, to lay of Sandilands, because of Australian Idol.It’s Channel 10’s fault that thye rehired Sandilands for Australian Idol.
If Kyle gets sacked, and 2-day’s license suspended, it becomes a story. At the moment it is just Kyle doing yet another publicity stunt that is likely to go ununished. I am glad they did not give him more airtime than he deserved – particularly on such a dangerous topic.
As for 7pm – I think we’re too ratings focused. Their best two nights were when the Masterchef winner was plugged to be on and it’s worst was on Friday (ratings deadpatch) in its first week. I think high 600’s to mid 700’s is a realistic target for a new show that is clearly still trying to work itself out.
“Was this so quickly moved on because Kyle is a TEN personality?”
Thats the answer
@Leanne: precisely.
While there are serious questions to be asked about how this whole sorry thing got organised in the first place – and that’s where Kyle and his producers have some questions to answer – from the recordings of the incident it’s quite clear the mother was the most culpable here. So why all the focus on Kyle? Oh, yeah. Easy target, no research needed.
As for the 7pm Report ( which I missed last night due to an IceTV malfunction 😉 – look, it’s not a serious news show. It obviously was never intended to be – I mean, it’s staffed by comedians for hell’s sake! A serious discussion on the subject of rape at 7pm on a show that’s promoted as light entertainment… well, that just isn’t going to happen.
But it brings me back to my point, yet again, that the show needs to drop all serious (i.e. rape, murder, suicide, gangs, terrorism etc) and do what the promos promised – show us the funny stuff and make it funnier. There’s wall-to-wall misery on various news broadcasts for the two preceding hours. Let’s lighten up and entertain the shellshocked viewers, hmm?
Missed this on the 7PM project, but seems like I could’ve blinked and missed it – 25seconds for one of the day’s bigger stories! This is one of the problems with the 7PM project, they haven’t quite got that balance right yet and actually discuss the issue/news item rather than just say a comment and move on. Sometimes we want to see a discussion and some input!
And @Nathan – other radio shows just wouldn’t do this ‘segment’ as you call it!
OK it’s true that there could be good reason for Ten not wanting to linger too long on Sandilands exploits, with Idol about to start and all.
Is it just my imagination, or are they starting to pad stories out to a minute or two instead of tens of seconds, but not bothering to actually fill that time with anything in the way of useful questions. Laurie Lawrence interview last being a prime example.
Dave does look out of his element, always thought he was a somewhat strange fit for a show such as this.
glad you mentioned this david as, i was thinking the exact same thing, i was expecting an in depth discussion and then it just ended so suddenly, 2 lines and that was it, carrie didn’t even give her take on it, also when they where talking about the swim suits, the guy they where speaking to, i think he is the the head of the australian Olympic committee , acted like a fool with he’s nude joke and barley even gave his actual opinion considering this is a issue he should be taking seriously due to his job, but this is not 7pm’s fault, unless they told him to act this way.
I’m so embarrassed for everyone who works on Australian TV and radio at the moment. What pathetic depths they’ve stooped to in order entertain the dumbest members of our society. Whether it’s ‘gotcha’ calls or ‘punking’ innocent people, it’s all so banal and childish I cringe to think of it.
I don’t have words for the dynamic duo on radio but as for the increasingly tragic 7pm Project, what do you seriously expect, David? You can’t “polish a t#rd” after all, can you?
What another sad day for the media.
There were a couple of issues last night that are being talked about in homes across Australia. Kyle & Jackie O for one, and Karmichael Hunt jumping from the NRL to AFL. Hughesy works in radio, and Hughesy loves AFL but barely said a word about either topic. For crying out loud Kerri-Ann covered Kyle & Jackie O more extensively this morning than The 7pm Project did!
A wasted opportunity.
They could’ve done a whole “has the media gone too far type debate/discussion”
Its obvious that the network has told them to drop it with Idol’s launch little over a week away.
This show can’t be all things to all people, it needs a clear direction and get rid of Hughesy and never ever let James Mathison on this show again, what a waste of space he is. Mick Molloy could replace Hughesy.
If they don’t get this right within the next week or so, then the show is as good as dead, its barely alive as it is.
Kyle should be Ten’s poster boy for “The Biggest Loser”!
I think they are trying to cover too much.
In contrast, the interview with Claire Bowdich went on too long.
With the Kyle incident, why the media are not screaming for the advertisers on his show to withdraw is appalling. The advertisers need to seriously rethink their commitment.