Ten shifts So You think You Can Dance to Thursday night
Channel Ten has shifted struggling reality show So You Think You Can Dance from Sunday evenings to Thursdays in a bid to give it “cleaner air” and get more traction with viewers.
The network heavily promoted the show, which it brought back after a four-year hiatus, during its Summer schedule including the Big Bash League, however it failed to pick up viewers from the off, debuting on February 10 to a capital city audience of 466,000 viewers, and sinking as low as 313,000.
It has also invested heavily in talent, bringing in US judge Paula Abdul and Carrie Bickmore to host it. The show’s failure two weeks ago condemned Ten to its lowest ever audience share of 6.4 per cent.
Competition from established competitors My Kitchen Rules on Seven and The Block on Nine has been blamed for sapping the audience initially, prompting the network to move it to a later time at 7.30pm to avoid the blockbuster franchises.
In an analysis piece on the problems Ten is facing one programmer tole Mumbrella Ten would have been well advised to have launched the dance show on a Thursday, when there is less staunch competition, but also traditionally has smaller audiences.
The move also comes less than a week after the network hired veteran programmer John Stephens to help with its scheduling issues.
This Sunday the network will be playing the Australian Grand Prix until 7pm, then Have You Been Paying Attention? at 7pm with the movie Thor at 7.30pm and The Graham Norton Show at 9.30pm.
A spokesman told Mumbrella: “From Sunday, March 23, on we will have Have You Been Paying Attention? in its usual timeslot of 6pm, family movies at 6.30pm, Elementary at 8.30pm and The Graham Norton Show at 9.30pm.
“The changes have been made to increase our Sunday night audience numbers and to give So You Think You Can Dance Australia cleaner air, ie, on Thursday nights.”
It is understood The Biggest Loser will move to Friday nights.
Deckchairs on the Titanic…
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Will be interesting to see if John Stephens moves swiftly to have the last word on all commissioning at Ten. It is unlikely he would have ever commissioned a sequel to a failed dance show. He would not have commissioned Wonderland and certainly not renewed another under performing show. Secrets & Lies also would not be commissioned as it is very unclear what audience it is trying to reach, putting aside its poor execution. Some hard headed and knowing leadership is required. If you get it right TV is in fact one of the few enterprises which can be turned around relatively quickly.
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Let’s be blunt do you honestly think John went to 10 as a career move at his age, or to take the big $ they would have paid for his experience. He was only working a couple of days a fortnight at 7.
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Why don’t they get it? Australians don’t WANT dance shows! It was popular around 2006, but why bring it back? Actually, that show with Kelly Rowland as a host flopped, then why try again? Honestly, learn from your mistakes people! However, I must say, it is always a delight watching an ad for an upcoming dance show and thinking, “Wow, I wonder how long it’ll take for this to flop…”
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I used to love this show, it was my brain-off moment but it’s all too touchy-feely now.
The judges just want to talk about people personal problems – Just talk about the dancing!
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Bring back the Simpsons at 6pm – now i find im staying back at the office 🙁
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Yes I agree bring back the Simpsons!!
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This is the blight of television. How can a show build an audience, if it keeps being shifted all around the viewing schedule? Australia is a small viewing audience, and we have to set realistic targets for shows of this type.
Dance is personal, otherwise we will be watching robots. The best moments come when we see real emotion being expressed through dance. For the Simpson fans, buy yourself a box set and then you can watch it as much as you like.
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Such a shame, i absolutely love the show;-)
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MVEL, speak for yourself! These dance programs are very popular. SYTYCD was a top rating program before TEN cancelled it to try replacing it with a local copy of Got To Dance UK, which didn’t work. It was a stupid decision that has cost TEN dearly. If free-to-air stations rely on old reruns, they’ll go broke. They need to compete with Pay TV and that requires new and popular programming, not cheap crap we’ve seen a million times. It’s not what advertisers pay for and it doesn’t attract viewers. I’d much rather see extremely talented Australian’s dance their hearts out in competition than watch fat people lose weight for money – or the damn Simpsons!
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Hi. I just arrived home to settle in for my favourite show, So You Think You Can Dance, and its not on! I wait all week for it. I find it mostly exquisite. The majority of the choreography is world class as are the dancers.
I watchTV once a week and as such did not know of the time change. Its great that Channel 10 are moving the show rather than taking it off the air as it is launching many young dancers and showcasing some magnificent choreographers.
So You Think You Can Dance inspires so many people I know of all ages.
I am an Australian and this dance show I love. Mvel, for you to generalise and say “Australians do not want dance shows”, in the case of myself and my friends you are very wrong.
As a note to Channel 10, it would be preferable for your dance loving audience if the camera focus stays on the dancers when they are dancing and off the judges or audience. Thanks
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My Sunday night is ruined! I agree about the personal stuff, we do not need it, let the dancing speak for itself. I do think the choreography is weak when compared with US version which does not help recruit new followers. But, let us support our young artists or we could all end up like Homer Simpson! Also, on a Thursday I now have to choose between American Idol on 11 and So you think you can dance Australia on 10.
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I love dance shows, but this one is pathetic: inane judges who think that they are the stars of the shows (or is that the producers who think that they are doing a re-run of Big Brother), with dancers whose talent is hidden behind bad camerawork and inept direction. I’ve watched every episode of SYTYCD almost since its inception, but not this one! This is the pits!
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Geez,thanks for letting us know,ch 10. Guess it’ll be good to watch Rake but Sunday actually suited me!
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My 8 year old doesn’t read press releases. Does someone from TEN want to come over and console her? She is devastated to find out her favourite show isn’t on tonight.
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Unfortunately, this show has showcased the best talent out if all the
the seasons. I love dance and it is the only show I hate to miss. Obviously the wider audience loves fights, slagging off, and tears. Dancers rarely cry…. because dancing makes people feel something and it makes the dancer happy.
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Well tha’t’s pretty disappointing u think u will increase the viewers but most of young people that watch the show work on thursday nights in retail so we will all miss out on the show :((((
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I love this show and I’m disappointed to find it not on tonight. I think it’s a shame that, if they were going to move it, they didn’t give it the Friday slot – it used to be the perfect beginning to the weekend. I have to agree that the hosts are off-putting. Carrie Bickmore is a bad fit and Paul’s Abdul is a ninny. If I didn’t love the dancing so much, they would make me turn off.
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All ready to watch So you think you can dance , the only TV program I make time to watch in the whole week only to find out it has been moved to Thursday night.
Disappointing.
As a full time worker who rarely watches TV during the week, this is a bad move. A Friday night would have been much better.
Margaret
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Yey.. I love watching the block and SYTYCD so when I saw that they were on at different times I thought my Sunday was complete…until I tuned in to channel 10 at 7:30pm and wtf no sytycd???? Disappointed 🙁 have to agree with Kassey’s comment above, you really need to focus on the dancers, it really pee’s me off when the camera pans to the judges and audience and we miss half the routine…..I want to see the dancers….thanks!
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Yep my Sunday evening is ruined!
The show is great for our Australian dance talent!
However it may be produced and who the judges are, its the dancers who really need these kind of shows to get noticed and flourish!
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Well said Kassey! SYTYCD Australia is a great program showcasing incredible talent and skill. It’s inspiring and motivational. Australians definitely want to see dance on TV, especially in shows focused on high quality choreography and performance.
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If they didn’t try to change the format from the old version it would have been much more successful. This time it comes across as a bunch of hand selected people in a production, none of whom have individually shown me why they deserve to be there. Good looking, coordinated girls in bare feet who can dance are why the show is watched not emotional out-dated judges offering weak feedback
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Come on channel 10 – some consideration for those of us who love this show please? Moved from Sunday night with no apparent notice – please show some respect for your viewers. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but there’s a whole lot of crap on TV these days and at least this programme showcases the seriously amazing talent of dancers who have worked so hard to be there, and choreographers who create brilliant, imaginative works.
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Good one Channel 10, thanks for letting us know of the change of day for this inspirational dance programme. Unfortunately the ratings will probably drop even further now because people will think it has been taken off air. I agree with others that Friday night would have been a good fit.
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One of the very few shows to have the undevided attention of both my husband and myself. What amazing talent portrayed by such dedicated and talented young people. Guess what Channel 10… most people are out on a Thursday night. Even we oldies. Shame on you
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One of the very few shows to have the undecided attention of both my husband and myself. What amazing talent portrayed by such dedicated and talented young people. Guess what Channel 10… most people are out on a Thursday night. Even we oldies. Shame on you. We agree there is a component of crassness, but heck, what do you expect from a commercial station?
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Bitterly bitterly disappointed. I LOVE watching dance and have enjoyed SYTYCD ever since it started. As a full time worker sunday was the perfect time for ending the weekend on a high. Ditto when previous seasons have been on a Friday and the beginning of relaxation for the weekend. I could watch this with my 50 something partner and 17 yo son and we would all be riveted together. Always love the choreography and great music. I agree with comments about the judges why four ? Who cry a lot and give the most limited feedback about the actual dancing? No warning from 10 = no respect for viewers. I had to google to find out what had happened.
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It’s taken me 20 minutes to find out why SYTYCD was not on last Sunday and where it has been shifted to as there is no clear information on 10’s Website. Communication with your viewers would be a good start if you want any audience. You killed the last season by moving it to Friday night, when the majority of your show’s demographic would have been out socialising and not watching TV. Add this to the fact that it’s a fair chance dancers would be at class, etc on a Thursday night, you may find that once again your target audience would have preferred Sunday. This show is essential to nurture Australia’s dancers and to provide an opportunity for choreographers to work within this country – not much work here otherwise. SYTYCD is a quality show and deserves support. There are some of us not interested in Sport, Weight Loss, Big Brother or Cooking!!
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I love the show! So glad they brought it back!!!!
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