★★★★★ 0/5

More tough numbers for Today show

Beaten by ABC's News Breakfast, Nine show hits an all-time low in survey.

32
Leave a comment

It’s been a tough week for the Today show as it continues to cop a battering in the ratings.

On Wednesday it hit a 2019 low of 163,000 viewers.

Then on Friday it slipped lower still to 155,000 -not just a low for 2019, but an all-time low in survey for the 7-9am standard.

It was beaten by ABC’s News Breakfast at 159,000 across two channels. Sunrise was very nearly double Today at 298,000 viewers.

It isn’t clear how Nine will address the ailing numbers, but rumours have abounded about further change including the possible return of Karl Stefanovic with Alison Langdon (the latter featured prominently at recent Upfronts). Other rumours have even suggested Carrie Bickmore but Nine denied any approach.

With 4 weeks remaining in survey Nine is likely to ride out the current situation. A year ago it turfed Stefanovic  from the show during summer and introduced a new team for the Australian Open.

32 Responses

  1. The show needs to pick a genre and stick with it. Is it going to be high jinks and goof non-stop, an extension of people’s family living room (read some of the comments here and that seems to be what many want) or a breakfast news show? When you try and do all 3 it ends up being messy. I don’t envy the journalists who are being asked to play that role right now, though I’m sure they’re being well compensated for it. Maybe the breakfast bubble has burst – we have tablets, apps, smartphones, more accurate weather on-hand, etc..

  3. Karl and Natasha Exelby would rock. Get a bloke to read the news and a girl to do sport for something different. Get rid of all the current mob including the weatherman. I do think Deb Knight is a class act though.

  4. I find Georgie not warm and friendly and Tony also is rude when hosting 3aw. They need a complete makeover. I used to only watch today in the old days with George, Liz, then Steve and Tracy but never watch it now. It’s boring and needs to be fun in the morning with hosts who warm to each other.

  5. Both Today and Sunrise are just terrible now, excruciating to watch both, I have ended up watching ABC News Breakfast and I never watch ABC, perhaps it’s the Melbourne attitude but they seem more sincere than both Sydney based productions from Seven and Nine

  6. If 10 were ever going to have another crack at a breakfast show, now would be the time while a key competitor is limping along. I’ve heard they still own the Good Morning Australia trademark

  7. I didn’t mind Georgie Gardner when she was the newsreader (and fill-in host), but for some reason she hasn’t transitioned well into the main hosting role full-time.

    Clint Stanaway would be good as the sports presenter.

  8. Easy to fix and he’s already on the Nine roster. Get Dougal Beatty to host. I’m sure a lot of people would enjoy waking up with him in the morning 😉

  9. If you find yourself on a bus, train, tram or ferry – look around. Do the people on Today look like the average Australian? No. Time for this show to stop being so whitewashed and have a more inclusive look and feel.

    1. They tried that right now – hasn’t worked and sunk to record lows. Those on the train etc you describe don’t watch breakfast tv anyway.

    3. Agreed – Australian tv is too whitewashed in general, in my opinion. They continue to change the personalities and it’s always disappointing to see the lack of racial diversity. 4 people at a newsdesk and they’re all white in 2019 – doesn’t bode well for attracting minority audiences.

  10. As a fantasy marketing strategy, I would go towards a breakfast radio comedy style show on breakfast television as a point of difference from Sunrise or ABC News Breakfast that could potentially lead to an increased audience. The Today format is almost the same as Sunrise, even if Today started broadcasting well before Sunrise but it is now being outclassed in the ratings.

  11. The show is old and it feels old. the set and studio is old and out of touch. it’s boring and bland and the hosts of the show, while they have experience as journalists, they just aren’t warm enough to win over the viewers.

    Of course nine would deny any Carrie Bickmore rumours, they’d want to keep it quiet to avoid drumming up support which could lead Carrie to asking for more money.

    Carrie and Carl with the right team would be unstoppable. I don’t know who producers the Today show, but they should follow in Sunrise’s shoes and hire someone younger who is more in touch with a broader audience.

    1. Will never happen. It would be a step backwards for Carrie. She has a prime time TV show as well as radio and 3 kids. Her life is full and she has mentioned on The Project that she has sleeping problems so Today would not work for her.

  13. You can bet if Karl returned to save the show he’d be on a lot more money compared to his co-host than was the case when Lisa quite rightly resigned.

    Don’t think that is the long term answer myself but just wondering at what point might Nine stop looking at changing the line up of Today and instead look at axing Today and replacing it with a new brand completely?

  14. I personally think that the numbers relate to chemistry. These are wonderful individuals who have a wonderful future ahead, but they don’t translate to a well-rounded team together. I would suggest that an Allison Landon, Ben Fordham and Georgie Gardner team would be amazing, plus Clint Stanaway on sport.
    Plus they need to launch with a new set. It’s just been recycled for a while.

  15. I’m sorry to say but Georgie just seems inauthentic, Sunrise are fun and zany and have managed to make that work very well. Karl coming back would definitely help Today

  16. I don’t think you need a radical change to the line up. I think the elephant in the room is Georgie Gardner.
    Ratings began to slide on Today when Lisa Wilkinson defected to Network Ten over a pay rise.
    I think consistently viewers have been saying they don’t like Georgie hosting breakfast TV and they have many reasons, however she’s fantastic at reading the news.
    It would be a shame for Deb Knight not to be given a chance with a new co-host.
    I don’t think Karl is the answer. You’ll get a sugar hit then the ratings woes will continue.

    2. I can’t see Carrie defecting. She seems very loyal, she has a flexible schedule on the Project after being there for 10 years and her radio show work leads into her shift at the desk.

  19. I watch both Today & Sunrise & really don’t understand why Sunrise rates so highly. It’s not a better show. But 9 definitely have to do something. They got rid of Karl because of the ratings bit they didn’t improve but got worse so they should get him back.

  20. I would bring in Karl now get rid of Georgie & keep Deb & Tom. Bring in Clint Stanaway for sport instead of the lame Tony Jones. As for Allison Langham? Have they watched her on Weekend Today? She is the weakest link on that show. If Deb was to go then I woul look to Jane Azzopardi as co host (when her maternity leave has ended) she has a cheeky quality that would match Karl. They need to bed in a new team over Summer.

Leave a Reply