The Project refuses to die as posts continue
The Project may have been axed last month after 16 years of service, but the show’s Instagram account has kept posting light-hearted news content.
On Tuesday, the show’s Instagram page posted a graphic in the show’s visual style, joking: “The bosses really should have changed the password from password1”.
An accompanying caption suggested the show’s page had been hijacked by the show’s social media producer, Kieran Simpson. Interactions on the post from co-host Sam Taunton, and Rove McManus — whose production company Roving Enterprises owns the show format — suggest it may not have been as unauthorised as the post suggested.
Mumbrella has been told that Roving Enterprises is meeting this morning to work out how to proceed.
On Instagram, it appears to be business as usual, with The Project’s account dealing in the same light-touch news content as the show.
Yesterday afternoon, a plan seemed to be forming, with a post “from the social media desk” offering some insight.
“So … I posted a few things. People noticed. Slightly more than I expected,” the post begins.
After noting that “there’s a lot of news” and The Project’s audience “seem to like it”, the post continues:
“So here’s the deal: I post news, you read it, laugh, comment, maybe have a little existential crisis (optional), and we keep building a space that feels smart, sharp and not sad all the time.”
The Project has 399,000 followers on Instagram, and 16 years of television goodwill – a substantial launch pad should production company Roving Enterprises wish to start a social-led news publication.
There has been an outpouring of love on the show’s social media accounts, with calls for Ten to reinstate the show. Mumbrella has also seen numerous people leaving comments calling for a return of the show on related articles.
The Project’s on-air replacement, 10 News+, has hit choppy water after less than a week. The program debuted on Monday with a total national audience reach of 769,000, dropping to 743,000 on Tuesday. Wednesday’s show dropped by over 150,000 – with just 586,000 tuning in, and Thursday saw just 468,000 viewers watching.
For comparison’s sake, all week, Seven and Nine’s news bulletins have each drawn over 2 million viewers in the same 6pm timeslot.
It is not yet clear whether production company Roving Enterprises has officially sanctioned the continuing posts. When questioned by Mumbrella, Simpson wouldn’t speak on the record, and directed us to Craig Campbell, the show’s creator, for an official comment.
We will keep you informed.
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Nathan Jolly is the Features Editor at Mumbrella. He joined the team in July, 2023.
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