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2 year deal for Wake Up, Studio 10.

TEN boss says the network is not walking away from the morning TV challenge, flagging "a 2 year deal."

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2013-09-16_0024TEN is sticking with its new breakfast and morning show, despite low ratings, with a 2 year commitment.

TEN CEO Hamish McLennan told the Screen Forever conference today he was not walking away from the challenge.

“It’s a 2 year deal for us. In no way did we think we would get anything more than the numbers that we got. It’s an important deal for us and you look to the success of Today and Sunrise,” he said.

“Adam Boland, who’s a terrific EP and creative person, likes to say that it’s the window to the network.

“If you look at how successful Seven and Nine have been at being able to cross-promote their shows in the morning with people turning on their TVs and watching those shows, they carry that audience right throughout the day. We couldn’t be in the business where we continue to run reruns of old shows or not have higher-rating shows.”

McLennan said the shows were part of a wider commitment to Live programming.

“It’s very early days. Those shows have been on air for 3 weeks. I think Studio 10 has been terrific, it’s very topical.

“I think we need to do a little bit of work on Wake Up but we’re relly happy with the setting and we know that it’s a difficult timezone to operate in effectively. So we’ll continue to hone those formats until we get them into an optimal state.

“But we’re not walking away from them at all.”

Within minutes of the Screen Forever session TEN issued a statement indicating Natasha Exelby was departing Wake Up.

21 Responses

  1. I agree the beach backdrop doesn’t work and that a breakfast show needs to be done in a studio.
    Another problem, is you can’t be genuinely serious about trying to crack the breakfast show business and have a show that’s only on 5 days a week.

    It’s got to be on 7 days a week, so they need to find 2 hosts for a Saturday and Sunday version.

    Maybe move Exelby to co-hosting a weekend version, with a guy she has better chemistry with.

  2. Phase One: It’s going to take time to build an audience
    Phase Two: Blame & Sack on air talent
    Phase Three: We’re in this for the long haul
    Phase Four: Blame & Sack the Producer
    Phase Five: Cancel the show.

    Looks like we’re at phase three in record time.

  3. Car salesmen are looking better by the day in the honesty stakes. Why would anyone commit to 2 years of mono culture garbage – because they can hardly say the reality i.e. it’s a risk we’re taking because we have no better ideas.

    4 networks basically now running the same program at the same time 7 days a week. What a boring place Australia is when these shows are growing in number

  4. Here’s what I would do:
    Sarah Harris should be moved to co-host at #WakeUp & James Mathison should be replaced with a well known male TV Journalist (an ideal target would be Ben Fordham from Today). Natasha Belling should be a newsreader only.
    The reality is, If Ten wants to pinch market share off Seven & Nine they need to be more like Today & Sunrise, not less.

  5. Can’t believe what McLennan is saying. It sounds like a CEO who might know something about demos but nothing about TV.
    Boland should now realise that making a TV show is not a one man show. Remember he had the huge resources at 7 at his disposal for Sunrise. He has already made huge mistakes with this effort.
    The setting, at great expense, is too Sydney orientated , the remaining Natasha is the only one worth a guernsey and while chemistry is important TV is all about the content.
    The biggest mistake though is why Ten went down this path at all so soon after the previous disaster. McLennan seems to think we don’t have memories. Also why have an expensive vehicle to cross promote shows when no one is watching and in my opinion, will never watch.

  7. I wonder what Tash is thinking after this mind boggling pronouncement from cuckoo land.
    Hamish may be the CEO, but even he would not be stupid enough to think this one up. All that can be said is Hamish, remember David Mott. He got the chop and all he did was sprout the party line as you’re now doing,
    No need for further comments as those before me have said it all, other than to ask, with no advertisers, who pays for all this?

  10. “We’re in this for the long haul.” Should be the Network 10 anti-slogan. It’s like having your picture taken down from the foyer. Boland should watch his back. As soon as people feel they need to say how great you are you need to look over your shoulder.

  12. In hindsight I think the beach setting is a mistake. The view is always the same and too early for many beach goers. The view is good for a while, but now bored with it. Move it to Bourke Street or Fed Square in Melbourne. Martin Place works because of all the movement.

  13. I wonder if Studio TEN will last though? I presume that some of it is sponsored by the home shopping segments and if no one is watching or buying, how will they make money? I remember the same thing happened with The Circle.

  16. i’ll be convinced in 2yrs time. similar things were said about Breakfast and George Negus.
    ten have had some decent shows over the years that have been axed because of bad ratings. why do they all of the sudden have patience for this garbage?

  17. Glad I’m not a TEN shareholder. How are those 30,000 early morning viewers worth the expense while prime time ratings are a disaster??

    Even after a couple of woeful years, it seems TEN still has not hit rock bottom yet.

    Memo to TEN CEO: Hope is not a strategy.

  18. This network is a basket case. I’m worried it will collapse and close. When did the rot set in? As soon as Lachlan Murdoch got his hands on it. After the One Tel debacle, he shouldn’t be allowed to run a meat tray raffle at the pub, let alone a commercial network.

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