Today show’s We Love Australia tour branded ‘odd strategic move’ by Sunrise executive producer
The executive producer of Seven’s breakfast show Sunrise has taken aim a rival Nine’s Today show’s decision to rehash its We Love Australia tour, pointing out they had already done it twice before.
Speaking after Sunrise completed a challenging tour to broadcast from five countries in five days Michael Pell said of Today’s announcement: “I thought that was weird to be talking so much about us rather than themselves – it was an odd strategic move.”
Nine’s Today Show launches Australia week last week.
In the press release for the week Today host Karl Stefanovic is quoted as saying: “We live in the best country on the planet. Why on earth would you want to go anywhere else?”
“But good on them,” Pell added. “They have done it twice before, and for two of the five days next week we are also doing OBs (outside broadcasts), but they can do their thing and we can do ours. I would say though, I was surprised that the rollout for their week referred to our international week so much.”
A spokeswoman for Nine chose not to return fire but told Mumbrella: “We love doing our trips around Australia.
“The audience love it and so do we, seeing our viewers and experiencing the great diversity of our country as well as supporting local businesses and industry while promoting tourism at home is just the best start to the day.”
Pell made the remarks during an interview covering the success of the five countries in five weeks broadcast which he argued was a ratings success because the show was “at the mercy of the gods”.
Sunrise last week broadcast from Dubai; London, UK; New York, USA; Niagara Fall, Canada; and Cancun, Mexico in what it claimed was a television first.
And the challenge appears to have paid off with Oztam overnight ratings showing Sunrise beat Today every day, with an average margin of victory of 81,000 viewers.
Many in the industry wondered if the global broadcast had backfired on Sunrise after Malcolm Turnbull rolled Tony Abbott on Monday night to become Prime Minister and rivals Today rushed its hosts to broadcast outside Parliament House in Canberra.
The Sunrise crew were on a plane between Dubai and London when the spill happened, but Pell argues the audience “forgave” them: “When we landed in London and found we had a new Prime Minister that for me was a huge challenge.”
Pell: The gamble paid off
The breakfast EP noted that it had to get the tone right, but added they were fortunate most people already knew the news.
“Based on previous experience yes we probably would have (sent them to Canberra),” he said. “But then again in some ways we were lucky that it wasn’t unfolding while we were on-air.
“The good thing is most of Australia had learnt what was happening the night before and it was more something that required a lot of content around it.
“Even though we were in London a lot of the content was around the new Prime Minister and what that meant. People went along for the ride and forgave us for that.”
Tuesday saw the smallest audience gap of the week with Sunrise on 397,000 and Today on 339,000.
“It didn’t disadvantage us (in the ratings),” said Pell. “At the end of the day we try and do a show for the viewers they are the ones who matter – not for other journalists.”
Asked about the low lights Pell noted that the team came close to missing their broadcast in New York and then were stuck on the tarmac.
“As a TV producer this was TV nerd heaven,” he said. “The low light for me was being completely powerless to change flight times and get a plane off the runway quicker and get to New York – that was definitely the most nerve racking part.
“When you do something like this you are at the mercy of the gods on some of this. I think that was why it was so exciting for viewers because there was an element of will they or won’t they make it.”
Pell noted that there were contingencies, with Morning Show hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies standing by to fill in, but admitted he was enormously hesitant about pulling the pin on the global broadcast.
“Of course we had contingencies but you didn’t want to have the show come out of Martin Place when you have a team placed around the world,” he said,
“I’m really happy with the ratings and it’s a huge credit to the team.”
The producer of Sunrise said it was this element of “working without a net” which helped Sunrise beat its rival each day last week.
“I thought there would be a level of interest but I was blown away by how much interest there was,” he said.
“One of the reasons for that was people were just interested to see if we could do it. Previously we never gave insight into how we put these things together, this time you got that insight every day.”
Nic Christensen
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I didnt read the whole article except the first few lines. Today are such copycats. Sunrise did a tour of five countries in five days, today has to tour Australia. think of something original.
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