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Bumped: Q+A heading back to Mondays

After nearly two years of challenging numbers, ABC backflips on a programming move, and sends talk show back to its previous Monday slot.

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ABC is reversing a nearly-two year programming move by Q+A, sending the talk show back to its 9:35pm Monday slot from 2023.

Despite repeated claims the show was staying put on Thursday nights, Guardian Australia reports the broadcaster has relented, with producers telling staff after last night’s show.

“Looking ahead to next year’s schedule, we want to ensure the program is given its best chance to garner the strongest audience it can,” a spokesperson said. “The Q+A team will continue to explore new ways for the program to best meet evolving audience needs.”

It also comes after programming boss Michael Carrington, Director of Entertainment and Specialist, departed in July. Jennifer Collins is now acting in that role.

Since the exit of host Tony Jones in late 2019, the show has faced upheaval.

Hamish Macdonald hosted for 18 months, follows by rotating hosts Virginia Trioli, David Speers and Stan Grant -with the latter as permanent host since July.

The move to 8:30 Thursdays came in early 2021. ABC had always hoped the switch (coincidentally the same night where the show first aired in 2008)  would benefit being an hour earlier than 9:30pm Mondays. Set apart from the broadcaster’s traditional news and current affairs night it fell to its lowest ever numbers.

In recent weeks it has been hovering around 220,000 metro viewers, rising to around 350,000 in Total TV numbers. Against AFL in September it slipped to just 165,000 in metro Overnights.

There has also been also ongoing commentary around choice of panelists, Grant’s hosting style -even asking one guest to leave the studio after he strayed from the question he agreed to ask- while former PM Scott Morrison declined to appear.

But the show did strong numbers at the height of the pandemic, as the nation came to grips with a wave of news and debate. It continues to trend on social media.

With the move back to Monday nights in 2023 it isn’t clear where this leaves other ABC programming including Planet America, China Tonight, India Now! nor Thursday lead-in Foreign Correspondent.

16 Responses

  1. Someone please remind me again why Hamish Macdonald left the show? I do remember there was alot of criticism of him as host, i don;t know if that was the reason, I’m not sure why the criticism , i maybe biased because i like him on the Project, but i think he did a more than competent job. Stan Grant’s comments/behaviour has been over the top at times but yes it is not an easy gig.

  2. Mr Grant unfortunately is like a lot of these interviewers nowadays they like to make sure they’re seen and heard. They often take up more time on the show than the actual guests. Some are so rude they just cut the guest off before they finish. It’s not just the ABC at fault every FTA has an obnoxious host. Just don’t get me started on Sky News and Fox Sport and some of those supposed interviewers. Some are totally cringeworthy and have the all about “look at me” syndrome.

  3. All I can say is … about time. It should have never been moved and like @daveinprogress, I’ve watched almost every episode of Q+A. BTW, what was wrong with Q&A?

    As with other comments, I hope that the ABC also change the host. I’m would almost say, anyone else, would be better than Stan Grant. Of the recent hosts, I preferred David Speers. I thought he did a good job on those episodes that he hosted.

    Since Sarah never made it to China and is now back in Australia after a short stint in the US, perhaps Tony would like to reprise his hosting role.

  4. Q&A was moved to Thursday because it’s audience collapsed, because it was predictable, even in it’s stage manged attempts to shock, and nobody watches FTA after 9pm anymore. Planet America with out Trump in power isn’t rating either and they will either axe it or return it to ABC News next year with a repeat later in the week. China Tonight, which basically just rebroadcast Chinese propaganda, and India Tonight! supposedly a panel show on India, but really yet another ABC lecture on how racist Australians are for doing Yoga, both failed.

    1. Somehow I doubt China would agree, and India Now was also celebrating culture so I’m not sure how that even ventures into racism lectures. I was reminded this week that Planet America has been on air for over a decade, but yes the Trump era provided plenty of fodder.

    1. Yes he had an outburst like that a week or two ago where he dressed down and shamed a panellist. It’s not a good look. It smacks of call out culture. I thought Katy Gallaher acquitted herself pretty well after it.

  6. If the ABC knows the Thursday time slot was an issue, they must also know that Stan Grant is an even bigger issue. His questions are convoluted, self-indulgent and frequently longer than the answers, and they often contain a good deal of editorialising. Tony Jones could be abrasive, but at least he was pointed and kept things moving along. Grant needs to go.

  7. I agree with all the comments here. I have been a loyal viewer since Day 1, and although I didn’t always appreciate Tony Jones’ style, it has become obvious to me anyway, how tough a gig it is and the revolving door of hosts has illuminated that. I like David Speers and think he has done the best of the replacements, but Tony Jones reallyng knew how to manage all the moving parts.

    That said the discourse in this country and the opinionated hosts stepping in with many follow up questions has changed the dynamic of the program and maybe the ratings dip has been more that, than who the host is. I liked Hamish but he struggled to find the right posture (this is where Tony showed his skill). I have never liked Virginia as a host, and whilst I respect and like Stan, he has not looked comfortable at all recently. I am unsure if he is the best host moving forwards. I think Speersy would do best. He managed the election debates on Sky and many robust panelists from left and right wing.

  9. Used to be a regular Monday night habit with Tony Jones but haven’t watched it since it changed. Not a huge fan of Stan Grant though – would prefer Fran Kelly.

  11. It will take more then just a move back to Monday nights for Q & A to gain a wider audience again.

    Although it does have a few factors going forward in 2023 that I think helped the show out in its early years. A federal Labor government coming out of its honeymoon in a cost of living crisis.

    This will likely provide critical and balanced debate long missing from Q & A and why is tipped watching a few years back.

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