There is no doubt ViacomCBS is pursuing a streaming First strategy globally. Just like Disney. And that makes sense given Streamings growth trajectory V broadcasts declining trajectory.
But Network 10 (and CBS network) still pulls in considerable revenue. SMH reports in 2020 it was $670 million. I doubt very much Paramount + is pulling in even 1/20th of that revenue in Australia
10Play was $40m in 2020
Viacom CBS may have a streaming first strategy for the future - and rightly so - but With 10 bringing in almost a quarter of a billion in revenue in 2020 - I doubt they see that as “place holder” it is very much the overwhelm majority of ViacomCBS’s revenue in Australia
Paramount + won’t ever come close to to that number even in 20 years in Australia
I am not denying that CBS and 10 are the money winners for the company right now. They also have the most eyeballs and will continue to be vitally important for years to come. But they are still vessels for VIAC’s new baby and that is clearly their focus and my point.
10’s lack of programming depth, lack of A list sport, lack of news investment are all proof positive that they’re not spending any money on linear… I agree with Rob - its a $20m a year investment for a decade plus to capture audience share from the others… and that is not worth it, hence 10 being a place holder.
Sure, it’s a lucrative place holder but it’ll never have glory days again. It’s dead, buried and concreted over already… they’re just keeping the lights on and doing the bare minimum to keep the donors happy.
I mean if they’re happy with Five in the UK getting a 3-4% linear share, clearly they’re not going to really be striving too hard to increase 10’s share from where it is now.
I agree. The thing I find about all this that a lot of people are forgetting or deliberately choosing to ignore. 10 has always been number 3.
10 started from a lower median average in the first place when it comes to ratings across the last 5-10 years. When you compare the ratings of 10 to Seven or Nine they were always well below the heights or even the median of those networks.
Naturally because of this, 10 are the first to see the severe decline in ratings based on the content they are producing and the overall decline of linear TV. Morning, News and 6pm onward, 10 are stuffed and they screwed it up.
But we must not forget. Seven and Nine ratings are down as well, they are just nowhere near as bad due to
A) their revenue position
B) content strategy from 5pm onward
C) heavy investment in News that makes them both the “go to”
D) a higher nightly share in the first place
10 are worse because they don’t have those points. So people don’t view the channels anymore as much as they once would
Oh and to @blackbox comment about advertising revenue being down, that’s actually incredibly incorrect.
Sales Budgets within networks are the highest they have been across their programming. The advertising market has also recovered incredibly well from COVID too. It’s not shrinking or “down” it’s actually up.
I don’t have an issue with TVBB talking about 10, but when you target a story about this, then ignore the wider picture as a broader discussion it is biased.
The amount of people on this forum seeing that same point of view shows it’s a widely perceived view.
The last few months the narrative across the site has been :
Labelling them Team Trump (which was childish label)
They won’t talk to us
They are claiming under 50’s (this went on for weeks across the podcast and site)
I don’t agree with the corporate actions of the network, however throwing a tantrum about them not talking to you is immature.
I don’t see many criticisms of Seven or Nine in the same narrative and snarkiness in the way 10 are reported on.
Channel 5 has been growing under ViacomCBS ownership 4 straight years in a row now - growing faster than any other FTA broadcaster. And that’s including loosing flagship tentpole Bg Brother. The channel has a very clear brand or spirited heartwarming UK original fare now - and its working with a audiences and the creative community. Channel 5 used to be a dead zone
If you remove sport and news, I don’t see how 10 is any different to Nine or Seven. Masterchef, Gogglebox, Dog House, Cheap Seats, HYBPA, 5 Bedrooms, Celebrity, are all solid performers especially in under 50s.
I would argue to quality of 10s originals is probably higher than 7 or 9
The thing is sport is expensive - and 10 have decided obviously that it’s not worth the outlay.
News - they’ve just missed this boat on this one and this is probably their biggest weak point. Not having a breakfast show or a 6-7 slot that works means 10 will never rebound in primetime as much. Even if they went all in on breakfast and 6-7pm - and provided the best product in the marketplace, it would take decades for viewer trends to move from 7 and 9.
I dont see how you see 10 is a place holder. A place holder for what exactly?
Year on year the networks streaming platforms saw 65% ad revenue growth.
It’s huge growth - but it’s still reliant on ad dollars.
Unlike Foxtel, Nine and CBS Viacom - 7 West has no subscription revenue
For example Nine’s Stan brought in $311m in 2020 - that’s almost 3 times more than 9Now.
Foxtel’s Binge & Kayo brought in $500m
7West: $0 zero dollars
Every month that goes by that 7West sits on the streaming sidelines it’s losing hundreds of millions in future streaming revenue to its rivals. They cant afford to not have a strategy much longer.
Ten was interested in sport when CBS took over, than had an 18mth period, when they become Viacom CBS, in which they thought Australia was like the UK and a FTA network can survive without sport.
The owners/management have now done a 180turn around and sport is again part of the picture, similar to Nine, the price however has to be right.
