Eleven outrates Ten as viewers choose Neighbours over news
Neighbours – on new digital channel Eleven – outrated Ten’s 6.30pm Evening News on Tuesday night, the first occasion during primetime that a show on a digital channel has outrated its sister main channel.
Neighbours delivered an average audience of 311,000 according to preliminary overnight metro ratings from OzTam. Ten’s Evening News averaged 310,000.
The result demonstrates the dramatically changing TV landscape. While a 310,000 audience is low for prime time on a commercial station, the combined number is better than Ten would have expected in the timeslot before launching Eleven.
Network Ten’s strategy has seen Neighbours and The Simpsons switch to Eleven, which is performing competitively.
But the network faces a long journey with its sweep of news.
Ten’s hour long News At Five averaged a healthy 752,000 – well ahead of Seven and Nine’s gameshows Deal Or No Deal and Hotseat which rated 555,000 and 482,000 in the 5.30pm slot.
But 6PM With George Negus was unable to hang on to that inherited audience for Ten, averaging 382,000, down on Monday.
Ten’s news decline then continued at 6.30pm with the 310,000 Evening News audience.
The 7PM Project recovered much of Ten’s audience, delivering 740,000.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Is it me or does it seem (possibly just on the surface) that the new digital channels are highlighting the fact that the programmers really don’t know their audience?
There maybe other strategies at play (possibly longer-term ones) but the feedback i’m getting is that the audiences are showing that the primary channels are not delivering the consumer’s want. For me i have found that the new ones are now becoming the primary channel i want to watch.
Neighbours instead of News is a great line that says so much 🙂
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People just have no idea Ten has news at 6.30 because the marketing has been so cumbersome and confusing. They still associate that hour with programs like Neighbours and don’t think to tune in. Viewers might have a vague idea of some sort of “Why” program with Negus but, other than that, the message has not cut through at all. They should have just concentrated on selling 6.30 news, what it is and why they are offering it. Where are the sports and weather people in the campaign – they would scream localism, people would “get” what they’re offering.
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Anthony, I think the thing is that the parent channel broadcasts the first run programming, whereas the secondary channels can cherry-pick the classics from the archive library. I think it shows that there are many more ‘great’ shows in the archive than first -run – but that is to be expected.
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if i had digital, i would be switching to neighbours at 6.30 as it was what i watched and personally don’t see why 10 have got news on at 6.30 pm when the one hour news does most of what they are telling us at 6.30. george negus is annoying and i don’t like watching him – he doesn’t let his guests speak – spoke of julie bishop tonight and for a journalist that is the wrong thing to do to a mp and deputy leader.
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I watched 7 and 9 news at 6 for serious news, not ch10 with whoever…you already got 5 o’clock news…abc24news is better than ch10 6 o’clock news too
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I have a complaint about the current storylines on ‘neighbours’ on eleven. Character Paul Robinson was the one who committed the adultery, and now the storyline has twisted it making the character of Rebecca’s actions to it her fault. Not good writing for those in her situation in real life.
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I have two complaints about current storylines on ‘neighbours’. The character Paul Robinson was the one who commited the original adultery which lead to the storyline where his wife character Rebecca is now the victim. Not good for those going through the situation in real life. Also storyline of the fake pregnancy of character Tash – going on for too long. Not a good example for other teenagers in real life.
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