Report: CBS talks to Seven, Nine.
CBS has spoken to Seven and Nine execs, despite their output deal with Network TEN.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
US broadcaster CBS has spoken to executives at Seven Network and Nine about potentially selling them content, despite their output deal with Network TEN, reports the Australian Financial Review.
Australian network execs have recently been in Los Angeles for the annual LA screenings.
CBS Studios produces such shows as NCIS, The Good Wife, Elementary, Hawaii Five-0 and The Millers.
The newspaper also reports TEN has signed former Nine’s former Melbourne programmer Len Downs as a part-time consultant.
Downs retired from Nine last year after many years with the network.
He is now on a three-month contract and reporting to chief programming officer Beverley McGarvey.
TEN took Seven to court over its aborted pursuit of veteran Seven programmer John Stephens.
Share
- Tagged with Elementary, Hawaii Five-0, NCIS, The Good Wife, The Millers
19 Responses
@ gabbo
On the inability of the viewers to read and only choose a channel based on sticking with the channel the viewers like to watch all night. I wish the TV networks would work it out. Because they still do awful stuff in the “name of promotion”. Ironically causing me to change the channel because I can read. Ugh.
That said I can and will read the TV Guides, EPG, David’s Blog, as well as watch the promos to look for interesting shows to watch.
Although I do think people do pay attention to the radio. Because I did hear SBS promote the JFK documentary last year that way and they got huge (for them ) numbers for it. It doesn’t work on me but I am not average. Also I did notice promotion for MasterChef too. But it doesn’t always work.
While OS shows are no longer the top rating shows, they are still for the quality and needed to fill slots. There’s more than 20 OS shows running in prime-time at the moment on main channels, and a couple on secondary channels.
The Networks just want fewer of them and to pay less. Instead of the $500m output deal for all WB content for 5 years that Nine had, the trend is for deals that allow selective picks where they only have to pay if the series stays on air for a certain number of weeks in the US.
Plus, aren’t Seven and Nine supposed to be moving away from US content? Seven ditched NBCU and Nine ditched Columbia. Plus, Gyngell is on record as saying that most US shows don’t work, so Nine are moving towards more local productions.
Ten would be stupid to ditch a major output deal. They don’t even have enough content right now, and US shows like NCIS, SVU and Modern Family often outrate some of their local shows like TBL, SYTYCDA and HYBPA?.
@gabbo: It is not about the ability to read a TV Guide. The fact is, Ten is not well-regarded by the Australian viewing public, and many people simply won’t watch a show because it’s on Ten. And Ten management have only themselves to blame for that.
The Good Wife is a quality show, but I don’t know if it would be a hit on Seven/Nine. There is zero connection between popularity and quality. Seven or Nine would probably air it in a 9:30 slot, but it wouldn’t start until 10:15 due to reality show overruns. Then Seven would start airing it in double episodes and it wouldn’t finish until after midnight (eg. Parenthood).
@Shoudy Chen – TEN already has CBS News. Are they going to stop Studio 10 at 10:30am to air the full CBS bulletin? Unlikely. Nine gave up on that idea decades ago.
@johntv – Nine still has first rights to CBS 60 Minutes. I don’t think CBS care too much about how their shows are rating on TEN. It’s all about $$$.
OK The Good Wife is an awesome show, but if on Seven or Nine it would be screened at 12 midnight like “Suits” is on Seven.
I would rather watch it at 9.30 thanks instead of having to record all my watching because the LCD watches contrived reality, or pro/amateur singing contests.
At least TEN keep faith with their viewers look at “White Collar” on ONE always on Wed nights at 7.30.
Thank goodness one network shows the same show every week at the same time.
@poss / @gabbo – thank god for your sane views.
It’s a scary situation when we have two very dominant players in the market – it’s bad for the advertisers, viewers and consumers.
Despite 10 being down, I think CBS moving away from them would be a bad move – how could 7/9 properly support these shows in addition to their existing content through their current output deals.
The Good wife would do much better on seven or nine. Its an amazing show but not many people watch it for some reason.
What is it with Ten and the hiring of retired programmers from other networks? They’ll be getting a court order to disinter Kerry Packer next!
Eleven is a joint venture of Network Ten and CBS. Hope Ten can get the CBS Daily News.
So, The Good Wife & other shows would be higher rating if they were on 7 or 9? What does this say about the intelligence of Oz TV viewers? What does it say about our ability to read TV guides and to change channels? Surely a good quality production should be found and watched regardless of channel/promotion. No? We’re a lazy lot really – we still need to be told what is “must see TV” and what is not!
I reckon all this talk is because is about to be sold to Fox. CBS can see this coming…..
Wow. This is interesting. David when does the current deal with CBS and TEN end? Maybe they are in talks about a new deal? I must say being connected to Seven or Nine would be much better for the studio than TEN. Is kind of strange though considering TEN and CBS have a joint venture Eleven. Maybe things are not as cosy as we thought they were.
Ten may be taking less CBS content, leaving some free they can sell to Seven or Nine.
Intelligence was a CBS Studios production that Seven has. Though ABC Studios was also involved in the production and could have the international distribution rights.
Could The Bold and the Beautiful end up on Seven or Nine?
At least 10 actually show out the season, 9 and 7 are shocking at scheduling.
I am sure The Good Wife would be a hit if Seven or Nine had it, so I’m guessing CBS wants some of it’s new older audience focused dramas to get a chance on Seven or Nine instead of failing dismally on TEN.
There’s shows of theirs that Ten could screen on the One & Eleven channels, but foolishly don’t and instead they opt to show repeats of old shows.
I mean ones like The Talk (only shown once a week on Ten, instead of 5 times), omg Insider, Inside Edition, The Arsenio Hall show, etc.
Wow, this is big news; especially as Eleven is a joint venture between Ten and CBS.
Nine would be keen to get CBS News back so they can get content for 60 minutes. The current arrangement of having to buy it from Ten has been problematic at times.
Looks CBS are concerned that their products are not getting the ratings and results they expected on TEN.