If you take risks in TV, of course there will be failures

“Sometimes it’s easy to call. I must confess that after I watched the now axed Got To Dance make its debut last Sunday night, I wrote the next day’s rating story that night and left gaps for the actual numbers – it was that obvious as a viewer that the show was going to flop.”

think you mean Everybody Dance Now, not Got To Dance

they’re probably both as forgettable as each other anyway

“Wouldn’t you rather a few local flops than double episodes of Modern Family every night?” – Yes! Nice piece TIm. Poor old Ten are getting a bad rap in the press and certainly not every format will work but at least they aren’t rehashing more American crime shows and repeating sitcoms where I find myself saying at least twice a week – ‘Oh, I’ve seen this one before’! How can one every know if they don’t try!

The problem local programmers face is that they relied on overseas formats for entertainment and reality shows and studio output deals inclduing drama series. They paid a motza and usually they delivered. But nolonger. Nine were terribly lucky to pick up The Voice. Television has always been parochial and has become more so. So it now requires executives with more demanding skill sets and an eye for originality, for Aussie shows which can work. This is a very difficult task but if you go to the UK or the USA where original formats and dramas are an absolute necessity then there are people who can achieve it. Ten is not alone in being able to find original ideas. The ABC’s performance with a range of under performing new formats, unfunny comedies and poorly written dramas is just as bad. Perhaps what we need is some new television executives with some fresh ideas and instinct for what free to air requires.

Spot on Tim. I was there when Ten was doing a 16 share in a 3 station market. Then came BiG BROTHER. We had been braodcastng Law and Order and Hill street blues for years before that but they didnt rate, all of a sudden the audience was exposed to the promo’s every night through the success of BB’s mass appeal.The whole schedule took off. As kevin Costner said , if you build it they will come.

“Right now, it’s the turn of Ten’s David Mott in the firing line. This year, he took a chance on several new pieces of Australian-made programming and so far most of them have not fired.”

I’m sorry you seem to think David Mott is taking chances…where..with what original programming? I fail to see any on offer. David Mott and the entire executive board have an obvious problem. CYNICISM. Cynicism kills creativity and murders anything that might be original. Channel Ten only have themselves to blame. They think their audience is stupid and weirdly they are prepared to spend a lot of money proving this ill conceived perspective. Audiences are changing, media consumption is changing and there sit the networks scratching their stupid heads wondering how they got it all wrong. I threw out my TV months ago. Why? It was just filled with mindless crap. I’ve never regretted it.

Here’s a tip Channel Ten..stop talking with Freemantle Media and having an interest in the mindless dross they produce and start looking for people with fresh ideas and perspectives. Take out the broom and get rid of the dead wood and start talking to people with real original ideas that catch an audience. And for fucks sake have some faith in your audience, raise the bar, don’t lower it and kill the conversation with anybody telling you they have a proven format. If its proven its more often than not boring. You run out of chances when you stop taking them…so take real chances not predictable yawn inducing ones. Who Dares Wins.

Perhaps local independent producers need a fair return on their work and ideas. The returns are reducing as piracy removes audience that the broadcaster can monetise through ad revenue. So why would they bother working for peanuts. It’s the price you pay in the digital race to the bottom.

Jim, to be fair most of what Ten has done is not very “daring” but I think I Will Survive and Puberty Blues are.
However, the run of outs Ten is having since the new management came in is beyond just needing one hit. Seven’s base when “Lost” and “Desperate” launched was much higher than Ten’s now and they had a loyal audience. Ten’s problem is no one has any loyalty to their brand anymore, even their promos which were once the “ties that bound” and gave them the cheeky edge are now bland and unoriginal.
TEN is miles from needing one hit, they need a big franchise hit (like Masterchef S1 & S2) plus a couple of big US shows and a couple of Aus dramas just to draw breath. At the moment they have 1 Aus drama (PB). Ex Ten there is no “Law and Order and Hill street blues” in the line up now..
Ten programming has tried but their judgement has been appalling, they appear to have no “gut instinct”. It’s not just what has failed but what has been axed or passed on BB, Idol, So you Think, X Factor the list goes on. I’m lead to believe that every part of Ten’s management has been turned upside down in the past 2 years except one. Guess which?

there’s no ‘like’ button here, but quite simply @jim and @rob have pretty much nailed it. ten’s continuing string of f**k ups are because they perceive the average Aussie viewer as dumb. if they modified their thinking, and started making tv for intelligent people (as most of us are), their ratings might take a skyward turn.

hey ch 10 execs: here’s a free tip for you – have a look at natalie tran, ray william johnson and the ‘what the buck’ guy off YouTube.

talk to them, maybe even hire them as concept consultants etc, get some fresh ideas from a trio of people who get millions of viewers (simply by word of mouth).

these are young creative people, with great output and great viewership. they could give you some pointers on how you could bring a fresh approach to your programming and turn the tide.

disclaimer : I do not personally know any of the YouTube people mentioned above – nor do I have any financial involvement with them or their channels.

Ok, I withdraw my last 2 sentences now…

You’re absolutely right Tim – the worst outcome would be for networks to commission less local content. Although the shows themselves are questionable, at least Ten is taking a chance, which is what the local industry desperately needs. Now we just need to convince the networks to commission projects from a range of producers, not just the usual 3 or 4!!

And while we’re at it…

1. How are we gonna explain to the remaining dance teams from the failed ‘Everybody Dance Now’ that some of the dance teams will not be winning the big money, etc.? And while we’re at it, we should tell the remaining contestants in advance that ‘NO ONE IS GOING TO BROADWAY TO BE A TRIPLE THREAT!’. In game shows you only get paid for your winnings if your episode screens, but what about reality show competitions, does it work differently?
2. I think Four Corners should do a series of stories featuring people whose promising ‘claim to fame’ have been ruined by cancelled Network Ten shows. They should interview those dancers from EDN as well.
3. David Mott should put his nuts in a vice for making Ten Network fail.
4. We need to train programming directors for Ten as well.

Unless “Can of Worms”can rise above its present chosen subjects for discussion,
even its most loyal fans are going to tire of gossip that was perhaps once a little
bit daring and stimulating to those with extremely restricted and uneventful lives.

Maybe a programme like this could in time drive its viewers towards a trial of other
formats that are not too pretentious but encourage fresh thinking and
nurture intelligence.