Ten focuses on sport, dancing and the return of “event TV” formats to lift ratings
Hamish McLennan
Network Ten has pinned its hopes on premium sport and event TV to lift the network out of a poor ratings year and extend its reach into the target demographic of people 25-54, it was revealed at last night’s up fronts.
Presenting a platform of premium sport as the launchpad for new local and imported shows, the network moves into the new year with 35 prime time cricket games in the KFC T20 Big Bash League and the Winter Olympics in February.
And event TV such as The Bachelor, said to be a hit with women 25-54, will return to the network, as well as a relaunch of So You Think You Can Dance Australia, promoted last night by panel judge Paula Abdul.
Louise Barrett, chief sales officer at Ten, said Ten aims to be the most interactive network though all digital platforms, targeting its key audience of people 25-54.
“Forget the over 55s, people aged 25-54 account for about half of the total TV audience and represent almost two-thirds of personal income,” Barrett said.
As part of this strategy, programming boss Beverley McGarvey said Masterchef will return to Ten next year, this time with Cantonese chef Kylie Kwong, the proprietor of the Billy Kwong restaurant in Sydney, as a judge on the show. The Biggest Loser will come back to challenge a town of 11,000 people, and there will be a new Bachelor in 2014. Although the Woolworths-backed show Recipe to Riches was promoted as a success for the supermarket, there was no word of its return in 2014.
McGarvey said: “We will grow and engage a 25-54 audience on Ten by continuing to make better shows and deliver a consistent schedule. Masterchef’s back and will be less scripted, less predictable, more spontaneous, more exciting and more food focused than ever before.”
Dramas slated for 2014 include the launch of new political drama Party Tricks, and new seasons of Offspring, Wonderland, and Puberty Blues, the second season of which was promised last year but not delivered.
McGarvey also said Have You Been Paying Attention?, a new comedy current affairs quiz show, will continue its summer run until Christmas and return with a longer run in 2014, and the new breakfast shows Wake Up and Studio 10 will continue along with existing news and information programming next year.
US imports through Ten’s contracts with Fox and CBS include 24, Crisis and The Millers. Crisis, a hostage/political thriller from the director of Revenge, has been considered a strong pilot for US network NBC however its production was halted after the fifth episode to correct its course. Family sitcom The Millers has been a strong performer for CBS.
Ten will also continue to run Modern Family, Elementary, The Good Wife and Under the Dome on the main channel.
The network also teased the launch of a new family entertainment show in the 6pm timeslot without revealing any details.
And new six part series Secrets and Lies will utilise Ten’s multi-screen platform as its featured webisodes make the second screen integral to the program.
Network Ten CEO Hamish McLennan praised Ten’s catchup TV service tenplay and the network’s partnership with zeebox making more content available on multiple platforms.
Meanwhile Ten’s partnership with Twitter will let the network share more content through the social media portal with the aim to build audiences and increase engagement.
Barrett said shows such as Recipe to Riches, Masterchef and The Bachelor and Masterchef provide “remarkable engagement” opportunities for advertisers, and have attracted have large followings on Facebook.
“Ten has momentum, we’ve got a desire and passion to succeed,” Barrett told media buyers in a crowd of around 600 industry professionals at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art last night.
“Our promise to you in 2014 is to understand your business implicitly, deliver the best ideas and content that drive results for your business, be the easiest partner to trade with, and the most cost efficient partner that you work with.”
Now nine months into the job McLennan told advertisers Ten has delivered in its new target category of people 25-54, and the results will continue to kick in.
Introducing the lineup for 2014 McLennan, who joined Ten nine months ago, said: “If you want lateral thinking and a more efficient buy and you want more creative buy, Ten will give it to you.
“We’ve got some great new programs, and there’s going to be more that we’re going to roll out over the next three to six months.
“I feel this business has more good years in front of it, we’re just at the beginning of a long journey. Our on-air and off-air talent are just fantastic, so we’ll work a little bit harder for you guys than the competition because we need your business, we thank you for your business, we’re looking forward to 2014.”
Megan Reynolds
Think its Barrett not Barnett
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New ‘Family Entertainment Show’ at 6:00pm – let me guess, they’re bringing back Family Double Dare!
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Have You Been Paying Attention? – Is this the cheapest TV show you’ve ever seen ? Notice the really subtle mentions of other Ten programmes and advertisers.
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I think Hamish McLennan should take a steps back if his strategy is based on premium sports and Event TV.
Will Ten deliver on that :
– The Winter Olympics is far from premium sport and will only serve better audiences to 7 & 9 – no wonder they are keeping quiet on that front !
– The Bash Big will under perform – summer, low sets in use , new network and lack of a promotion base – my guess average 400,000 viewers,
– Event TV – SYTYCD an old format that was axed by prior management because it failed to deliver..hmmm
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Ho hum…….can’t say it got my tyres pumped.
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Last one out of Ten turn off the light…
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Return to “event ” tv? Looks like more of the same rubbish to me.
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…. save your money and get out of breakfast TV – you’ll never win! Plus, I’m a huge cricket fan and even I doubt I’d watch the Big Bash. Sorry.
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OneTen
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@ really: Spot on – if Winter Olympics and Big Bash are examples of the “big” Marque sports events Channel 10 thinks is going to get them back into the game, then they are delusional. I don’t know whether it’s because they don’t have the budget, or they don’t have the programming expertise or some combination of both, but their programming choices are woeful.
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