Can Masterchef’s success help Ten cook the books?
Last night’s ratings win for Masterchef was a very important moment for Network Ten argues Mumbrella editor Alex Hayes.
It’s become something of a morning ritual to write a ratings report with news of a returning franchise showing dwindling audiences. So for Masterchef to not only win the night, but also boost its launch audience by 44 per cent, is deeply impressive.
Especially given the brutal competition from Seven and Nine, who both took a leaf out of Ten’s book by simulcast their new reality shows House Rules and Reno Rumble on their multichannels.
While Ten coined this trick last year for the launch of Family Feud and continued it with I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, they decided not to with Masterchef. Clearly it paid off with a rare audience share win.
I think Ten learnt a trick from MKR – bring out the personalities its not just about cooking its about the journey,
I really don’t understand the point of showing the same show at the same time on different channels. If you don’t want to watch it you are not suddenly going to decide you do if you flick and it’s still there? Do they think people will get tired of changing the channel and just think “oh well my finger is tired so I’ll just watch it”?
Cook the books…? Are you implying that Ten is somehow going to commit fraudulent accounting due to their success with Masterchef? I understand that it was supposed to be a pun but it’s confusing and simply the wrong usage.
Hi Toroto, not at all – just a play on words – certainly not implying Ten would ever dream of any dubious accounting practices.
Cheers, Alex – editor, Mumbrella
Thanks Channel 10, we enjoyed Masterchef last night, but already we are over the commercials, if a better mix of programme and commercials can’t be found be found, on goes the PVR. So please don’t load a good programe, with so many repeat adverts and station promos, if you continue to do so you’ll turn off more viewers than you gain.
Viewer I think previous shows showed that people didint want the journeys and the long stories. they just wanted cooking. So i dont agree with your point. I didnt watch last night. in fact forgot about it. was catching up on the real housewives!!
The media landscape has changed dramatically. More importantly is the diversification of what the traditional TV provides – not only games, more and more channels, downloadable content, Foxtel and DVD movies to name a few. I am not sure the ratings actually mean anything in terms of cut through, nor give advertisers the value they once received when there was less entertainment options to choose from.
Viewers are time poor and resent interuption of their viewing time with high frequency advertisements. I know of individuals who wait for the DVD release so they can watch, without ads, their favourite show or DVD movie
Simulcasting is a dangerous game for the TV networks to be playing with the government.
They’ve already got their spectrum cheap compared to what telcos would pay for it.
They’re now asking for another licence discount. If you’re not going to use the spectrum to give the public choice, then give it back so it can be sold to somebody who’ll contribute to the public purse.
I hope it’s because people are sick of the terrible, dated, cheesy, repetitive, several times a year rubbish that usually passes for ‘major event television’.
At least Masterchef is a format with some credibility.
The fundamental problem is that Ten’s owners have loaded the company with debt in order to avoid income tax, based on a model of revenue growth that hasn’t eventuated.
What Ten needs is a reorganisation of its debt structure – as occurred with Nine. This will give it enough funds to buy programs, or alternatively, to be able to run on lower revenue streams and not have to “max-out” revenue to pay back debt.