Julian Assange show rates 1.336m, wins time slot and all main ad demos for Ten
Alex Williams as a young Julian Assange
A tele-movie about Wikileaks founder Julian Assange rated with a hefty 1.336m for struggling broadcaster Ten last night.
The Matchbox Films-produced show, called Underground – The Julian Assange Story, went out at 8.30pm, smashing Nine’s House Husbands, which rated with 961,000 and Killing Time on Seven, which rated 730,000.
It was the top show of the night in the key advertising demographics 18-49, 16-39 and 25-54.
Assange was a classy production.
Just a pity they turned Assange into a saint.
Why would Channel 7 program Killing Time against Underground? Blind Freddy could have told you the Assange film would out-rate any film about ANdrew Fraser. I wanted to watch both but picked Assange over Fraser. Channel 7 virtually wasted and dumped Killing Time with its suicidal programming!
Thank God there was Anh Do on TV last night – it was a great light hearted show – just need him to make some more so we can all have a great belly laugh.
Contrast the Assange telemovie with the performance of Puberty Blues which had about 600,000 less viewers. Broadcasters will argue poor lead in programming depresses numbers etc but the fact is that if Ten commits to commissioning much more Australian drama and brings far greater rigour and scrutiny both to the quality of the writing and its audience then this could be a very effective tool for it to regain both ratings and credibility. Let’s hope that Ten’s management and its Board have realised this. Perhaps it is time for its advertisers to start the dialogue.
Wasn’t Killing Time a repeat anyway?
I was truly impressed with the Assange story.. great script, great acting, just all round a fantastic story told in a classy production. If only TEN would commission more quality drama’s like this one.
‘Underground’ was fantastic – terrific casting, acting and script. I think it will do really well in the overseas market. @Grim Reaper, I think Killing Time has already been aired on foxtel??