Nine plays down soft start to 2011
"Were we pleased with that start? No. But it's only four weeks," says Nine's sales and marketing director.
- Published by David Knox
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Nine Entertainment Co’s sales and marketing director, Peter Wiltshire, has acknowledged the network’s underperforming start to the ratings year but says its key demographic, 25-54yo, has increased in the last two weeks.
”We didn’t start with the new product and as a result they [viewers] have gone looking. Were we pleased with that start? No. But it’s only four weeks. They have the privilege of choice but now they are coming back,” he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
But Nine has actually played a number of new shows: Ben Elton Live from Planet Earth, Mike & Molly, $#*! My Dad Says, This is Your Life, Harry’s Law, two Parkinson / Frost specials plus returning shows including Underbelly, The Farmer Wants a Wife and more. Not to mention its cricket content in ratings season.
So far it has won 3 nights in the ratings year.
Wiltshire said viewers were sampling digital channels.
”Our challenge has been dealing with the proliferation of viewing and trying to see where people are going to land, and it’s taken a few weeks,” he said.
”We are now scheduling against 14 other channels.
”It has definitely become more complex.”
Programmers will also be looking towards the end of Daylight Savings in April, always a point when numbers will rise.
John Sintras, chief executive of media buyer Starcom, agreed viewers were sampling more digital content.
”Whereas before someone might have said there wasn’t anything worth watching [on the main channels], they are now looking at the other 12 or so channels and finding something to watch,'” he said.
Commercial peak-period viewers had fallen year-on-year by 1 per cent for Seven, 9 per cent for TEN and 15 per cent for Nine, but overall peak-time viewing is up 8 per cent.
Source: smh.com.au
32 Responses
yet again there will be a special sunday edition of ACA so one of only 3 shows i watch on 9 send in the dogs will be replaced by this sh*t the only other 2 shows i like on 9 are customs and RPA i hate 9
Bad programming is costing Nine dearly.How does Nine expect to compete up against NewW episodes of Home and Away and the 7pm Project with recycled for the 20th or 30th time episodes of 2.5 men.
Time for something new up against those two.Any ideas with the exception of bringing back Temptation or Moving Hot Seat there will be considered.
I never watch channel 9 at all ever. i dont like 2.5 men or The Big Bang Theory and frequently shows from 8.30-10.30 get taken off after 2 eps if they rate below 1mil, so i don’t waste my time with new series. to win me over they would need to schedule new series and only yank them off air if they get below 400,000, then over time i would feel i could rely on them again. i regularly watch 7two as it has found its niche in classic uk programming. I thought gem was targeted at women but it seems a bit of a mish mash.
Wasn’t there a book published called “Who Killed Channel 9?”
I think Peter should just re-direct people to read that book. That will answer everything
I hope Peter Wiltshire reads these comments because it is the same whom ever you talk to: Commitment! Offer shows same bat time same bat channel it’s not rocket science. Fast track and run as close as possible to original airdate. Don’t hold off then do do double eps (Fringe, Survivor etc.) Take off TBBT or show it consistantly from start to finish do same for 21/2 men.
Hey maybe viewers will tune in. Stranger things have happened!
I remember channel nine. That was the channel I used to watch 3 nrl matches a week on. Now I may try to watch one match if it’s the live one but because I have trouble seeing the ball I record all the rest off foxtel and watch in HD. Channel nine have told their viewers to look elsewhere for quality and we have.
Well they can’t talk it up can they? These posts are both funny and right. Things must change but will they? More derivative drama like SP and RSO for the rest the the year just to make their content points is not going help matters either. There is no doubt that commissioning and programming needs an overhaul. How about some new staff – these people have all been in place for at least 1 decade and some them much longer. Where’s the generational change? Where can new ideas come from?