TV war -it’s only the beginning
Sunday night's slapdown will set the tone for the year between two great rivals.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
If there’s anything to be learned from Nine’s sudden switch of Schapelle from Monday to Sunday it’s this: 2014 will be a bloody ratings battle.
Tomorrow is the first day of the ratings year but this slapdown will set the tone for the year between two great rivals.
Seven had declared its hand with INXS: Never Tear Us Apart for Sunday night. Nine had opted not to enter that fight and safely earmarked Monday for Schapelle.
But news in Bali changed all that.
It’s impossible to know which aspect of Corby’s release swayed the decision to move by 24 hours.
Was Nine hoping to segue from her release straight into a ratings blockbuster? Were they worried that Corby news would have exhausted us by Monday? Are they hoping the family might be swayed into an interview deal by the telemovie and time is of the essence? Or did they feel the wind in their sails and decide to take on Seven for the first day of ratings?
Nine Publicity simply said the move was “Due to the current events unfolding in Bali.” Publicity advised the show was moving to 8:30pm. However EPG information indicates it starts at 8:40pm (Nine declines to send me amendments and yes, it’s the only network not to do so).
Yes, this is the state of television network programming in 2014, people.
Meanwhile Nine has also not allowed media to preview the telemovie. Does that mean it’s a dog? Unlikely. It means they have been worried about media writing copy which might have jeopardised her parole, and jeopardised their chances at a potential Corby interview.
From a media perspective, this makes it particularly difficult to recommend a drama that has not been sighted.
Seven on the other hand distributed the first episode of INXS a week ago (Review is now online).
Don’t be surprised if either 60 Minutes or Sunday Night trims for length to get the jump on the other by a few minutes.
Caught in the crossfire is ABC’s excellent Rake season premiere. ABC cheerfully locked in its timeslot and distributed previews weeks ago (Review is here). It has its work cut out in this stoush. It’s not the first time 3 local dramas have been pitted head to head.
TEN also unveils So You Think You Can Dance, thankfully earlier, and leads into Winter Olympics coverage.
After 9am Monday morning we will know who won the battle. Timeshifted numbers will be another week away, but it will be all over as soon as the headlines are out on Monday.
Programming is like a game of chess. There are moves, bluff, errors and checkmates. 2014 is only getting started.
40 Responses
You can count on it being repeated Mouse, ad nauseum I would imagine. Just look for any slot marked To Be Advised, and if it’s not Big Bang Theory, it will be Shapelle.
I’m hoping the Schapelle Corby movie will be re-aired. I had pre-programmed movie to record tonight (Monday) only to realise it had been moved to air on Sunday night. So missed it and very disappointed!!
Can it be watched online somewhere?
David, do you know if 9 are going to replay Schapelle?
Just reading a story…in a local…to me…newspaper….saying that there are a number of people trying to stop Shapelle being shown tonight…and producers are worried about a last minute injuction….not sure if this is just hype or not….
My TIVO will be having a stroke by the end of tonight. Too many things to record
Both networks are going hard at it, and almost making me want watch neither.
Last night, both 9 and 7 promo’d their feature Sunday night vehicles in every single advertising break. Every one, no word of a lie.
Probably would have watched both but definitely going to watch only INXS now, great move 9!
I did notice that with Channel 9 – that they kept the ACA story going. One thing I found very amusing though was the Channel 10 coverage – they clearly hadn’t expected it to be in Indonesian, and you actually heard one of the ten crew say “can someone give her the ABC feed in her ear?” (As ABC had a translator).
So Channel Seven Had the Corby Release. before Nine.
Wow Big News Seven.You can see why Nine News wins in Melbourne.
Good Luck Channel seven viewers.
They will have ads every 8 min
Once again thanks David for the info (no thanks to Nine) I had no idea about the change but now with the INXS thing and Rake its one hell of a busy start to the ratings year.
I’ll probably be watching the Olympics which I know its likely to come 4th for the time the others are showing their TV movies.
I shall be recording and watching Rake. Not interested in anything the commercial channels show.
I just saw a Channel 7 promo for Seven News that said: “When Schapelle Corby’s parole was announced, Seven News was there Live!! Meanwhile, Channel 9 were showing a story on a neighbourhood fence dispute”
I nearly spat out my drink!
Like tvf, I would rather watch the QF32 doco than either of these.
However I’ll record both of them… and watch the INXS one first.
Bit of interest in INXS, but I’ll be recording Rake and Spies of Warsaw.