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Gallipoli tumbles to 580,000

Ratings: Nine's flagship drama loses around half its audience in only its second week as Seven wins Monday.

2014_05_19_Gallipoli_0297There will likely be long meetings in TV exec offices today after disappointing numbers on Monday night.

Nine’s flagship drama Gallipoli has sunk to 580,000 in only its second week -around half the numbers of its debut episode. It is a disappointing return for the prestigious show, three years in the making. But while it was well received by critics, audiences have been less enthusiastic about the production matching the hype. Nine may also have sent its most devoted viewers to Stan, where the entire season is currently available, but a 9pm start and the lead-in by The Block is also a factor.

The news for TEN is hardly ideal either. Its two top shows were also those that were simulcast on multichannels -still a long way behind timeslot winners.

But it was a brighter result for the Seven network which won the night with a 33.7% share then Nine 24.0%, ABC 21.3%, TEN 16.6% and SBS 4.3%.

My Kitchen Rules was the cause of everybody else’s grief, scoring 1.69m viewers. It was Seven’s only show over the magic million, but it led by a country mile. Next were Seven News (998,000 / 975,000), Home and Away (921,000), Movie: Identity Thief (571,000) and Million Dollar Minute (454,000).

Nine News (1.1m / 1.07m) was best for Nine then A Current Affair (954,000), The Block (755,000), Hot Seat (631,000) and Gallipoli (580,000). In Their Footsteps was (231,000).

An ABC News Update (1.18m) scored the biggest audience on ABC (hopefully not designed as a ratings tactic). Australian Story was 1.03m then 7:30 (838,000), ABC News (830,000), Q & A (769,000 / 124,000), Media Watch (725,000), Four Corners (762,000) and Antiques Roadshow (262,000).

TEN Eyewitness News was 550,000 for TEN then The Project (545,000 / 466,000 and SVU (420,000 / 260,000).

Worst Place to Be a Pilot (269,000) was best for SBS ONE followed by Which Universe Are We In? (198,000), SBS World News (143,000) and Uncle (72,000).

7TWO’s Judge John Deed (252,000) was best on multichannels.

Sunrise: 358,000
Today: 289,000
ABC News Breakfast: 87,000 / 51,000

OzTAM Overnights: Monday 16 February 2015

55 Responses

  1. Do network read and absorb the sort of criticism on sites such as this?
    – Everyone hates constant late program starts;
    – hates shows programmed to start at weird times and are even later anyway;
    – hates late changes (even the ABC does if) which don’t show up on EPG let alone printed guides;
    – hates long drawn out ‘reality’ shows with constant recaps and a million ads, which could easily be edited to one hour

    And in fact, are starting to hate TV altogether. Nothing is constant, nothing (except News) is set in stone, it’s panic, change, change, change (with no notification). It’s become the viewers versus the networks, constantly at war.

    What a great way to run a business.

  2. When I first heard about Gallipoli I could imagine in my head exactly what it would be like. Watered down. paint by numbers drivel that the networks spoon feed to the masses. Same script, different story. I decided to pass then.

  3. It doesn’t explain the drop in ratings between the two weeks but I didn’t even bother to start watching Gallipoli though I am probably in their target audience (history buff, over 25). I figured a thing meant to last 8 weeks or whatever would never stay at the same time for all 8 weeks (based on my experience of attempting to watch drama on FTA in the past) and I didn’t even bother with the PVR because it’s airing after one of those interminable reality shows that always go for ages over their allotted time so no matter how much extra I allow for on the recorder I always seem to miss the ending. I figure the show will either air again at some point or they’ll sell the rights cheap to ABC or it will otherwise be available to me if I really want to see it.

  4. Is it because of the change in time after it was heavily promoted for 8:30 for the premier (was changed to 8:40 late in the piece)
    New shows that have been heavily promoted need to have a consistent start time to build the audience.
    Does anyone think the series started a month to early? Mid April finish for the series seems better than a Mid March finish?

  5. Fragmentation with streaming services could be a concern but l think it just means commissioning needs to be even more targeted to the particular audiences..FTA or streaming. With the recent announcements from Stan it all sounds a bit blokey which is worrying.

  6. Big mistake for producers not to go with ABC for Gallipoli. 9 has never been known for quality drama. I wish 9 would go back to what they used to be really be good at…live variety TV.

      1. They had a consistent start time week after week, which apart of the nightly news is missing across our screen. The news always rates well, is it because it is the news or because it has a consistent start time?

  7. Terrible programming – a late double episode – but I recorded and watched and only lasted the first 25 mins… they weren’t thinking about the audience. Ponderous, and had seen it all before: fresh faced Aussies and stuffy poms, and better executed in Peter Weir’s film. It’s tough not giving something longer than 25 mins but high end drama needs to be smarter and more surprising at the front.

  8. Well I’m watching it (without ads) and think it’s magnificent in its own way – but I wish it was commissioned and broadcast where it more naturally belongs – the ABC. This is what happens when the ABC is not the centre of excellence in drama I think it should be (and could be again).

  9. When TT announced that Gallipoli was going ahead on Nine I said that the subject had been done to death and it would bomb. The figures prove that I was right.

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