Nine CEO admits Gallipoli audiences are a ‘disappointment’ as network prepares to ‘burn’ drama series
Nine Entertainment Co CEO David Gyngell has admitted the ratings performance of Nine’s drama series Gallipoli has been his “biggest disappointment” for the year, asserting it has failed to standup against Seven’s “spectacular” My Kitchen Rules.
Speaking at today’s half-yearly financial results announcement, Gyngell admitted that the expensive drama series was “my biggest disappointment for the year,” on the same day it emerged that Nine has now moved to air double episodes of the show from Monday, a practice often referred to as ‘burning off’ a show.
The show, produced Endemol, debuted with an audience of 1.104m, according to preliminary numbers from Oztam, before plunging to 580,000 metro viewers on its second outing. The third outing of the show was watched by 527,000 metro viewers.
Nine has also put the entire series on its streaming platform Stan after the first episode aired on the channel.
Really? A bunch of genii couldn’t tell Australians are over seeing this flogged to death story of Australians getting screwed by their masters? next up, ‘Out of Touch’….
And the reason it wasn’t held off until the weeks leading up to Anzac Day with the finale screened on Anzac Day evening is…
So who thought it’d be a clever idea to launch it 2 months out Anzac Day? It failed because there’s no contextual/timings relevancy.
Given the success of ‘In Their Footsteps’ on Nine
it seems incredulous that this very good production is left like a shag on a rock at 9PM on Monday nights after an hour and a half of The Block
Sunday Night should always have been where Gallipoli was positioned
Programmers are losing touch with their audiences and showing them no respect…
At the end of the day there is enough blood shed on our TV sets. Galipolli is a quality production, but just failed to resonate with audiences who are tired of war and darkness. It’s where MKR wins… can’t get much lighter than a bunch of people cooking and taking any chance to criticize each other.
What the Australia needs is yet another telling of the same story we’ve heard hundreds of times.
Using the same title as the Peter Weir film doesn’t do it any favours, either.
But at least it doesn’t have running commentary by renowned historian Rebecca Gibney.
Soz but 9pm on a Monday night is too late for me…not the best programming decision methinks!
Tabloid TV.
“We need to make MORE money!”
– “OK, lets play on the emotions of middle Australia.”
“What this time?”
– “Lets go for Gallipoli.”
“Don’t we milk that enough already?”
– “Nah, we will hype it up on the back of successes like Under Belly and make a fortune in sponsorships and ad revenue”
“What, so a cheap production, with the usual actors…?”
– Yep
“Then run ad’s like every 10 – 15 mins?”
– “Yep”
“Sod the viewer, it is all about raking in lots of cash?”
– “Yep”
“Sensationalist and condescending voice over’s to promote the series, just like our news delivery?”
-“Yep…”
It would be awesome if the networks put the viewer first. Thought about it a little more. Longer term, they might rake it in!
Viewers first nine, not $’s!
Do you know why it didn’t get the viewers? Many people thought it was one of those one-off shows. It explains alot.
Smaltz is Smaltz however you market it.
With the utmost respect, I’ve been living in Australia for 4 years and I’m already shit sick of the Gallipoli story/legend. It’s talked about ad nauseum. People are happy to acknowledge its significance and that’s a good thing, but the prospect of sitting down to watch a show about it? Can’t think of anything more unappealing and boring. Can’t we find other Australian stories to focus on?
I found it really boring and lasted only five minutes. needed a good dramatic start.
I think also ladies and gents that Channel 9 needs to take a good look at their promos.
If I see another description like ‘jaw dropping’ or ‘riveting’ or ‘landmark TV’ I will throw my drink at the TV.
Enough.
Let the show speak for itself and go easy a bit on the pre-show hype.
Channel 7 do it also…I find FTA TV excruciating at times due to the hyperbole used in promos.
Just sayin’.
Shame – I’ve watched it all on Stan, with no ads, no annoying promos for The Block, and no damn watermarks. IMHO – its one of the finest pieces of commercial drama produced in years. it’s a tragedy it was programmed so poorly by total idiots.
Exactly Georgia, most feedback I heard was that it was too slow. Maybe it should have been a two night mini-series aired directly around ANZAC day…
Another glorious example of misappropriated government funds (screen Australia) throwing money at boring content nobody wants to see.
I predicted this right at the start of production.
“Research panels across the country said Gallipoli was going to be the biggest show on televsion.” You fell for that one David?
Why didn’t
just rent a copy of Peter Weir’s Gallipolli for $1.99 and show it on the eve of Anzac day? Simple, same story, same title, minimal outlay.
When the cliffs of Gallipoli look like the cliffs of Coggee you know you have a production location problem.
The way it was promoted I thought it was a two part mini series – I had no idea it was a series.
Right war, wrong subject. Gallipoli has been done to death – why didn’t they go with the story of the Light Horse regiments that fought their way across the Sinai desert and then up through Palestine to defeat the combined Turkey-German forces? Much more of a rip roaring story where the mounted Australians and New Zealanders had major successes and didn’t spend the war bogged down in trenches. For example, the audacious charge on the Turkish stronghold of Beersheba by the Australians breached the seemingly unbreakable enemy line and led to the taking of Gaza where the British had been held up and shot to pieces for months. Real swashbuckling stuff and one of the greatest victories in Australian military history. There were real tragedies too – hundreds dying of malaria and dysentery – but ultimately it’s a grand and uplifting story.
Then again, all those men, all those horses, all that sweeping panorama – too costly for our bargain basement TV networks. But there’s always another cut price cooking contest to bore the masses silly.
Not just Ch.9 that needs to overhaul their promos. Did anyone see the self-absorbed tripe last night that was the three-minute promo for Ch.7 news, or more specifically, Mark Ferguson and how awesome he is? And then the teaser for MKR tonight – “GET READY FOR A NIGHT YOU’LL NEVER FORGET”. Really? Who writes these things? Did anyone seriously believe a Thursday night episode of a cooking show would count as a night we’d never forget?
Channel 9 should open up the channels for writers to propose drama ideas direct. I’ve just finished a drama that would be perfect for nine, but i can’t be arsed jumping through hoops to get it in front of someone there. I’m now writing a sitcom for the ABC – with them you simply go to their site, download it and someone will look at it.
Could it be that FTA television is no place for drama? Even the sleaze of the Hancock saga couldn’t kill MKA. 7’s A Place to Call Home bombed too. In a country of 23m or so, I.6m viewers who watch a cooking show are considered decision makers?
Series???
(I thought it was a two night thing on Sunday night) …
on a Monday night at 9pm … my mum’s asleep then…
anyway, who was in it???
Maybe it was too easy to watch. If Nine had made it available on torrent sites and uploaded the full first episode briefly to YouTube with some links to it on Reddit, it would have had some much-needed buzz. Maybe free is no longer appealing to 18-54s unless it’s slightly illegal?
Or maybe they should have resisted centenary temptation and made a more contemporary historical drama about pointless Anglo Australian/Middle Eastern hegemony: “Maroubra”.
@Blow in. I am with you, bud. Me- a 5th gen Aussie with grand pop gassed on western front. And I am Shit sick of the “glorious” re-telling of the Anzac bullshit.
Stupid dumb colony too insecure to realise we had no business getting involved in Boar War or the Gallipoli crapshoot.
We’ve learnt nothing. Why just this week the NZ PM announced more Aussie troops for Iraq. WTF?
What has this rant got to do with poor ratings for poor ole gynge? Everything and nothing. I don’t need to watch yr second rate rehash of a faux history so you can sell more soap powder, or whatever.
You know what I would watch?
A mockumentory behind the scenes expose as if I was there true life story – why you and the Packer were going for it like bogons in the streets of Bondi.
That I would tune in for. !
I agree with many of the comments on here about why this has performed poorly and I’ll add a couple of others:
– Same old vanilla storyline
– Time slot is too late
– Too many ads
– Should have been a one off telemovie or two part series
– Too far out from main Gallipoli anniversary
P.S. I hardly watch any free to air anymore as it’s all stubbornly still only SD (I can watch GALLIPOLI on STAN in HD when I want)
Now contrast this with the upcoming 4 x 1 hour mini-series DEADLINE GALLIPOLI for Showcase/FOXTEL which has a fantastic, unique storyline, amazing ensemble cast and it will be broadcast in April 2015 right around the 100 Year Gallipoli Anniversary.
Synopsis – DEADLINE GALLIPOLI explores the origin of the Gallipoli legend from the point of view of war correspondents Charles Bean, Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett, Phillip Schuler and Keith Murdoch, who lived through the campaign and bore witness to the extraordinary events that unfolded on the shores of Gallipoli in 1915. These were the first truly embedded war correspondents whose defiance ignited a change in the campaign’s course and whose commitment to the stories of the men turned the war from a strategic failure into a triumph of the human spirit.
This is a story which I want to learn more about and watch!
It’s directed by Australian Michael Rymer (Battlestar Galactica, Queen of the Damned, Hannibal) and written by Stuart Beattie, Shaun Grant, Jacquelin Perske, Cate Shortland.
Cast:
Sam Worthington as Phillip Schuler
Hugh Dancy stars as Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett
Ewen Leslie as Keith Murdoch
Joel Jackson as Charles Bean
Charles Dance as General Hamilton
Rachel Griffiths as Lady Hamilton
John Bell as Lord Kitchener
Bryan Brown
Jessica De Gouw
Anna Torv
Dan Wyllie
James Fraser
Cale Morgan
Robert Rabiah as Mehmet
Trailer – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuaIpBMWiuA
Gallipoli is a production that had two major problems , both are covered in part by the comments above. The title was a very poor choice, and the subject (still inaccurate and over stated by the way) has been done and done and done to death.
Drama is an essential part of any range of good entertainment, and this is vital to good television.
The fact that a mindless load of manipulated, anal retentive, schlok with the childish title “My Kitchen Rules” can dominate the air waves for so long in the name of entertainment, is the prime indication that the level of drama production has finally reached the absolute bottom of the dump pile.
N.B. Mr Gyngell. Drama production can not be rated by cost. Throwing loads of money at a production may work for a firework display, but it will never improve drama.
Shakespeare, Ibsen, Lope de Vega, Brecht, and a long list of other major contributors of great drama, cost reletively little to produce. Epensive drama productions are often a sign of panic or wishful thinking on the part of the producers, just like rehashing the Gallipoli story in the hope of grabbing ratings.
The nine Gallipoli series sucks. We’ve heard this all before. 20 mins in and you know you’re never getting that time back again.
I wonder if they thought we were obligated to watch.
Peter Weir’s version of Gallipoli is far superior.
And yes @canne(s)d, a packer up your clacker would truly be essential viewing.
@Martin Walsh
Crikie! Not another big Anzac production about to become cannon fodder.
Just maybe the correspondents who bore witness won’t bore witless.
My suggestion to get an Aussie audiance: recut it so we win. It’s so long ago , who’s gonna remember. And you’ve got till April.
Re-name it MY KITCHENER RULES
What a bunch of negative pricks you all are taking a dump whenever you can on whoever you can.
A bad title choice? What should they have called it then?
Vanilla storyline? Really? I don’t even think you’ve watched it, instead you’re like a bunch of vultures lingering to rip open a negative story with your tired old beaks.
And try to learn how to spell. It’s the Boer War. Not Boar War. In no history books have I read about a bunch of pigs battling it out.
And @martinwaslh – such subtle spruiking for your own production. “This is a story which I want to learn more about and watch!” Yeah. Because you were involved in making it.
Go do some volunteer work and stop raining your crap on everyone.
Veronica er, Peter Rush er, whatever your name is…..
Wow, you need to chill dude and instead of attacking people who have a personal and professional opinion take a good hard look at yourself. Further, we’ve all expressed reasons for it tanking in the ratings and the results speak for themselves.
Do you really think the ratings are down simply because people on here have expressed opinions about it? There’s a reason why the ratings have dropped off so much and some of us have expressed some ideas about why.
And spruiking my own production, really? I have absolutely NOTHING to do with it, so nice try at attacking other people simply for having an opinion.
And by the way I have been watching Nine’s Gallipoli …..
Yep, Nine now knows the exact point where over-promotion kills a show.
Channels 7 and 10 (and even Aunty) take note. Don’t promote the crap out of shows – it’s just another bloody advert as far as viewers are concerned.
Now there’s a thought? Why not change the broadcasting rules so that all “house ads” are counted as adverts and strictly enforce a cap on minutes per hour – no trade-off between prime time and dog watch allowed.
Ten minutes per hour, flat, would be a good start. (Oh yeah, include Foxtel in that as well).
All interesting comments on here – 9pm on a Monday night seems like a death time slot for a multi part drama series – especially one where Peter Weir’s Gallipoli (mentioned on here a bit) is nothing short of a masterpiece and gets the point / story across in one short sitting. The idea of the “positive” drama is actually the best suggestion on here! A great rounding drama highlighting some other battles of WWI – and screened around ANZAC Day when the country is all hyped up about the 100th year seems like much better timing… But again (repeating myself) Peter Weir did that story – my kids have studied it at school, seen the movie and now have no interest in seeing the same story dragged out over weeks at 9pm (if the Block actually finishes on time)…
@Martin Walsh
You have suggested I am ‘Veronica’. I resent that. I’m one of the few people who has the guts to use my real name on these posts. I have no idea who ‘Veronica’ is or who you are Martin, and to be honest, both your last posts are totally confusing as to your points of view. Have a little read through before you post next time
How about a sequel to Gallipoli?
I had planned to watch it. Thought it was a one off. Then realised I was behind and thought, bummer too late. Would be good to watch on catchup tv and yes closer to Anzac Day.
Sorry Peter Rush thought you were the same troll. 😛
Not sure how your ‘confused’ though:
My first comment was specifically (in bullet points) about why Nine’s GALLIPOLI hasn’t rated along with an upcoming example of a Gallipoli storyline which I think isn’t ‘vanilla’ and instead is different, dramatic and more entertaining.
My second post was in reply to the troll Veronica who was attacking all of us messengers and accusing me of somehow ‘spruiking’ my own production DEADLINE GALLIPOLI which I have nothing to do with.
I recorded it… then heard it was a 10 part series and thought – I dont have time for that – and deleted it…
But I’ll wait till April at the earliest.
@ JB
As in WWII?
Nine “burning off” Gallipoli by showing double episodes? Pity the double episodes aren’t on GEM at 3AM.
Ok, I tackled another episode – I’m really trying here, I want to love it.
The acting was excellent – some subtle performances and young faces that are going to be big in the Industry – no doubt at all. The cinematograhy was real class – big wide shots in the hospital and across the battle fields. I lasted 10 minutes. I ‘m now convinced the problem is the slow movie-style edit . There’s just too many shots holding on faces -asking the viewer to wait. I’m in the lounge room at home – I have too many distractions to wait for the director’s emotional beats.
Channel Nine made a drastic error in its over-advertising of these program during the cricket. The saturation was so intense that people became disgusted with Gallipoli, much like if you listen to a song when you are feeling ill, that feeling will return to you when you next hear the song. Throughout the cricket, which Australians love, we were constantly bombarded with ads for Gallipoli that by the end of weeks and weeks of Tubs and Slats telling us about this achievement in parochialism, if I did watch the show I would have been cheering for the Turks.
@ Canne(s)d
great comment, typos just enhanced it. LMAO!
Watched secound-half of last night’s final episode. Some brilliant moments when Hamilton got the boot – you felt the pain of this proud man humiliated. Extraordinary performance and direction – was something out of the box for Australian television. Whatever distracted you from the previous episodes, do yourself a favour and try and see this one.
Running the show to compete with MKR was stupid.
Existing strong competitor
No context
Wrong night
wrong time
Its as though the programers were tutored by the generals at Gallipoli.
Half the problem is with the Australian take on how to market TV shows in the first place.
Everything has to be “epic” or “the best episode yet” or “the TV event that will blow your mind.
For f*ck sake, give it a rest.
I’m sure the Australian public are not that gullible and suggestible to fall for it. It’s just pathetic lazy advertising and program positioning. Cringeworthy.
Get over yourselves and create something good on it’s own merit without the need for a cheap “epic” voice over to try (and fail) to pursuade me to watch it.
Australia should be producing a Mad Max TV series – Like how Fargo and Dusk til Dawn were done.