If for any reason the ratings start to go down significantly they could make such changes. However they should do the same in Sydney Fergo rates ok but he will never beat Peter Overton on Nine. Only chance they have is to make a change and having Michael Usher and Angela Cox could change that.
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I think that will only happen if somehow Alicia and Tom turn out to be a raving success. I think it’s pretty clear Nine moving Hitch off weeknights was a reaction to Seven’s success in the first place - so why change a winning formula?
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Regardless of who presents, Seven in Melbourne do have a competitive advantage over Nine due to the AFL and cricket rights (inside access, more exclusive stories etc.), which will appeal to many Melbourninans. NSW being an NRL state are more likely to tune to Nine as that’s where most of the big news for that sport will be, and as such, the ratings will reflect that.
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Rates well?
Currently, Seven Melbourne has been loosing all summer.
But I do agree that this is not the time to remove Peter from weekdays.
If Alicia and Tom work out to be a success in 2024, then we might be having this conversation this time next year.
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Same goes in Brisbane, where Nine News has been more dominant for most of the last decade. Queensland’s Origin domination since 2005 (only four series losses in the past 18 years) could also have something to do with it.
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There could be other factors at play over summer which explain why 7 in Melbourne have been behind. Perhaps the demographic of 7’s audience is more likely to be out and about at 6pm in the holiday period.
You’d have to wait to see what happens outside of school holidays/summer to see if that trend holds. Obviously the impact of Tipping Point may or may not make a difference also.
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I wouldn’t put too much on the cricket rights, it just doesn’t seem to have the cut through it once did. Whereas the Australian Open totally takes over the city for weeks and you hear lots of people talking about it around town.
7news Melbourne has won the last two years with Peter Mitchell and then he wasn’t on during the summer so you cannot blame him for their ratings for the summer period.
I have no idea why there has always been suggestions here about replacing him when he has done well in the seat.
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No disrespect but you have the worst takes…
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It’s the same in Sydney. Mark Ferguson is boring and robotic. I would promote the Friday-Saturday team (minus Sally Bowrey) to Sunday-Thursday. They made a huge mistake shafting Chris Bath and her husband Jim Wilson to weekends in January 2014 and April 2016. And also making Talitha Cummins redundant while she was on maternity leave in January 2017.
He’s done well in the seat for about six (2005-08 and 2022-23) of the last 23 years… That’s not great overall.
Doesn’t matter if Mark is boring and robotic as you suggest. The fact is he’s made serious inroads against Nine over the last 12 months and it will certainly be an interesting contest in Sydney this year.
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Weeks won 37 to 3 in Melbourne - says it all.
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I believe it was one member on here.
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What did Mark do differently as anchor in 2023 that changed the figures compared to the previous nine years of his tenure?
Nothing.
And what has Peter Overton done in the same timeframe to drive viewers away?
Again, nothing.
I’ve come to the view in recent years that the presenters themselves are largely irrelevant in modern television markets, it’s their marketability in the context of the overall look/feel of the bulletin that matters.
Seven seems to have cottoned onto this fact much more quickly than Nine, at least in the Sydney/Melbourne markets.
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Don’t forget, Nine has the Olympics this year and so Seven would be restricted to what they could air in their news bulletins. In the past, when Seven had the Games, it would naturally easily win the 6:00pm battle in the fortnight.
The battle between The Chase Australia and Tipping Point at 5:00pm will also be just as intriguing.
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Andrew McCormack is presenting the Afternoon News in Melbourne today.
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Amber Laidler presented the Morning News and Sydney’s Afternoon Bulletin.
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Good to see Amber being used for newsreading. She’s really good.
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Today - Friday Jan 19
Gertie Spurling is presenting Adelaide’s Afternoon News, with Andrew Hayes presenting sport.
Gertie has also been presenting the 6pm weather this week, as well as on the 4pm news on Monday and Tuesday
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