Nine will host its 2018 upfronts at Sydney’s Fox Studios today. Discuss the network’s line-up and acquisitions here.
Returning shows:
Married at First Sight
The Voice
Australian Ninja Warrior
The Block (at the former Gatwick Hotel in St Kilda, Melbourne)
Doctor Doctor
True Story with Hamish and Andy
New acquisitions:
Talkin’ 'Bout Your Generation (in production, previously aired on Ten)
Blue Planet II (first series aired on ABC in 2001)
New shows:
Bite Club (new Australian drama)
Underbelly Files: Chopper (first announced at 2017 upfronts last year, currently under production)
Love Island Australia
In doubt:
House Husbands
Love Child
Here Come the Habibs
After the ratings success of MAFS and Ninja Warrior this year, I expect Nine will maintain the flow of reality shows in 2018, which is:
Married at First Sight -> The Voice -> Australian Ninja Warrior -> The Block -> another reality show (could be Family Food Fight)
Nine will have more NRL matches to show on Thursday nights next year (up to 23) which will help its ratings in Sydney and Brisbane.
The big question is whether Nine will rest shows during the Commonwealth Games in April.
I’d imagine that the return of Family Food Fight will depend on how the show rates while Love Island Australia could be used as a spoiler for The Bachelor(ette) on Ten, similar to how Seven use MKR as a MasterChef spoiler.
As for the shows currently in doubt, I think Love Child might have a chance of returning while House Husbands and Here Come The Habibs will probably be axed.
I’d be very surprised if Nine (and Ten) didn’t rest shows while the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games are on Seven in April.
Last time the Commonwealth Games were held in Australia (Melbourne 2006), Seven showed the second season of Desperate Housewives and Lost against Nine’s coverage. It backfired and the ratings of the two shows never recovered. Things may be a bit different this time.
I think Nine would be silly to give up during the Commonwealth Games. They are not the Sydney Olympics. I expect the games to rate very well in Brisbane, but based on the last Olympics I think they will rate ok in the rest of Australia but not spectacularly. Nine should go all out during those two weeks.
Doubt Seven will be able to get any more Thursday night games because the broadcast agreement sets aside only 11 games that they can air outside of FNF/SNF/Sunday Afternoon (eg; TNF and around public holidays)
The trouble with making comparisons with Rio 2016 is that primetime coverage was mostly highlights/recaps whereas the Commonwealth Games will have swimming/athletics finals in primetime which probably should better ratings-wise
I must say, i’m pretty disappointed with Nine’s lineup for 2018, although I wasn’t expecting anything different. The network is far too reliant on reality-TV and past franchises to make up it’s content. Another edition to the Underbelly series is unnecessary and I predict that the series will not be a moderate ratings success. I hope Nine only airs one series of The Block next year, like they did this year.
I don’t know about everyone else, but I want to see something completely different, not another rehash of a past franchise or the same reality-TV formats. Is it any wonder why so many people are leaving FTA in droves for streaming, when streaming offers so much more content choices. Not everyone is a fan of reality-TV or crime drama.
Even though it really shouldn’t, I’m sure The NRL Footy Show will return on Nine in March 2018.
Yep, I agree.
The 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games mightn’t even be as big as Melbourne 2006 was, but I’d probably still expect mainstream interest in the event and significant TV ratings for events like swimming & athletics finals. IMO, we’re probably more likely to see Nine running repeats and movies against primetime coverage of GC2018 rather than any of their key franchise programing.
That would be great, but I’m fully expecting any legacy NBN branding to continue indefinitely. I mean, they even went to the trouble of putting an NBN News logo on the desk of their “new” set that only launched a couple of months ago!
New shows for 2018: property show Buying Blind, Driving Test, 2 parter Eat Well for Less, Date Night.
Love Island will air on 9GO! and 9Now.
Delta returning to The Voice is bad news for Seven in terms of scheduling of Olivia Newton-John mini-series. Delta may not be available to help promote the miniseries if her Voice contract starts on January 1.
