I was reluctant to make a comment regarding the breakfast ratings situation as I wasn’t sure if it was just a quick faze that the shows were experiencing given their respective refreshes… but based on the figures yesterday, I think it’s fair to say Sunrise is in trouble. Today smashed sunrise yesterday, 342,000 to 243,000. That’s huge!!! Today even won by 3,000 in Perth. I know the size of the win yesterday hasn’t happened before, but the reality is the lead is getting bigger and bigger and when Perth start turning off well then you know you’re in trouble.
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I think that there is also a strong view that Samantha Armytage doesn’t appreciate the great role that she has. She appears aloof and doesn’t look like she is enjoying the role.
It is very noticeable when/ if big news breaks that she just can’t anchor in the same way Mel was able to and Kochie has from places such as Christchurch, fires and floods.
She had some news cred, but it is long gone and it needs to come back, as does a perception that she doesn’t think that she is better than everyone.
Thinking back, when she anchored the 4:30 news she wasn’t committed to that either. Days on, days off. Very inconsistent.
She needs Sunday night, some strong interviews (She must really prep for them because it appears like a lack of preparation when she does interview) and work as a team member. Kochie looks like he is in misery next to her.
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Sam has a new Friday segment on Home Designs it’s a ridiculous idea in my opinion .A better idea would be to get her out to conduct a serious interview with someone newsworthy.
On one side, Today has Lisa really beefing up her hard news record and Sam regularly on holidays or doing soft ball segments. Hope they can turn it around.
It’s quite interesting how Today has started to overtake Sunrise in the ratings at a time when Seven’s primetime schedule has been the stronger of the two major commercial networks. If and when Nine has a stronger primetime lineup, Sunrise is probably going to be in some serious trouble that may take a decade to recover from.
Personally, I think it’s absolutely fantastic to see Today finally having some ratings success. Sunrise had it too good for too long, didn’t innovate, got complacent with their success and is now paying the price.
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Now that I’ve been watching more of Today I’ve noticed they have more news content every hour than Sunrise does. I guess people prefer more news and less fluff.
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What makes Sunrise’s ratings collapse ‘unique’ in a way is how it seems the ‘relaunch’ didn’t just flip the ratings pendulum towards Today slightly (ie; in a way you can tell the relaunch was the direct cause) but significantly in their direction. Hence I think it’s hard to do what many here (myself included) have done in using it as an opportunity to pin the reason behind it on things they don’t like from the presenters to the graphics to the network and everything else in between.
In truth, we don’t know whether the ‘relaunch’ was the catalyst for people to switch away from Sunrise because they didn’t like how the program changed or because it simply provided an ‘ideal’ chance to sample Today and having like what they’ve seen, stuck with them since
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I come from a very unusual perspective. I was a Samantha Armytage fan right back from When she joined Seven- I always thought she had potential. I loved watching her on the 4.30 News and thought she was an excellent Weekend Sunrise co-host and worked really well with Andrew. So to say, what I am about say to is bashing and being unfair to Sam is absolutely ridiculous.
As for Mel, I actually was never really a fan of hers, to say the least. Yeah, she was good in the early days with Kochie but her mummsy attitude and IMO views were really annoying. But what do they say, ‘you never know what you have until it’s gone’. So to say I miss Melissa Doyle, must be saying something! [quote=“Read_It_First, post:812, topic:69”]
when Perth start turning off well then you know you’re in trouble.
[/quote] I know and the same with the weekend show. On Thursday, when Sam was co-hosting solo, I think they suffered one of their biggest defeats. [quote=“Today_Sunrise, post:815, topic:69”]
On one side, Today has Lisa really beefing up her hard news record
[/quote] Lisa is absolutely terrific. Here interviewing skills are superb, excellent with politicians. [quote=“SydneyCityTV, post:816, topic:69”]
Personally, I think it’s absolutely fantastic to see Today finally having some ratings success. Sunrise had it too good for too long, didn’t innovate, got complacent with their success and is now paying the price.
[/quote] And as I mentioned in the TMS thread, Sunrise has become the wrecking ball of Seven Morning programming, while Seven News is gaining its strength. Who ever thought that would happen? But seriously, Seven needs to do something. I would revert back to the 6am start, hasn’t seemed to work and the words of 5.30am tomorrow is never advertised. Maybe a new E.P or simply someone above Pell who can direct him more. Bring back Nelson and fix Eddy’s role up. All in all what do I care? I have waited 7 years for this and finally it is happening.
[quote=“Jeffmister, post:818, topic:69”]
In truth, we don’t know whether the ‘relaunch’ was the catalyst for people to switch away from Sunrise because they didn’t like how the program changed or because it simply provided an ‘ideal’ chance to sample Today and having like what they’ve seen, stuck with them since
[/quote] I don’t think the reason of the switch was because of the relaunch. Going as far back as 2008, the gap between Sunrise and Today has decreased. Sunrise were losing days last year, more than ever before, and that was before the new set was even launched.
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The ratings for the breakfast shows are an average over the 7-9 am period. That means, that one way a show can get a lower rating is for viewers to watch for shorter periods. It might be that case that someone who was previously watching Sunrise for 20 minutes each morning, is now finding that a segment (or personality) comes on they don’t like and they switch off after 15 minutes. If they also then change to Today for a few minutes, that adds to the Today audience as well.
So, it might be the case, at the moment, that the same number of people are watching Sunrise as did before but something about the flow of the show, makes them switch off earlier and even change the channel.
Eventually, if they like what they see, they might stick with Today and not tune in to Sunrise at all.
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It certainly is interesting. The relaunch also pretty much coincided with the Sex and the City skit which I think did damage to Sam (even if I think it was unjustified vilification to make a story out of it).
. I suspect if this is a reversal with Today being dominant for a few years, then they will once again swap in a few years time. It is cyclical. Eg - 7 News became dominant, 9 news then became dominant, at the moment 7 news is gaining a little bit of traction. It is audiences keeping all shows in check. Look at the US at the moment - the race between GMA and Today has bene really interesting lately. Competition should, if people have their heads on properly, bring out the best in both shows.
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IMO the new set adds nothing to the show. To me, it is just an empty shell with a few screens and lights. It is pretty lacklustre and comes across as quite cold. There was so much potential, for example launching an orange room for Eddy but we got nothing. Eddy could of focused on an orange room type setup and they could of kept Nelson Apsen?
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the new set was a bit disappointing, it seems very bare and basic. If Sam has become an issue, they have the answer sitting next to her doing not much now…
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It’s really strange how Seven have doninated breakfast/morning for 12 years, now Nine are starting to do that.
Never thought The Morning Show would ever be under threat, even Studio 10 is starting to gain momentum.
YET… Nine have suffered their WORST start to prime-time ratings since OzTam began (with AGT a flop, NRL Footy Show ordinary and NRL ratings not that strong). Which is the TV period that of course matters.
Seven just won their 12th week in a row, with a strong 5.5% clare YTD!
Nine’s chief programming officer must be sweating 
When MKR finishes, it’s not looking much better - Reno Rumble V House Rules again, with MasterChef no doubt dominating again (probably more so).
Nine have just started beating Seven, mostly by short margins and bnot every day. Hardly “dominated”. You love using the word “dominate” but I suggest you use it sparingly. To dominate you need to have command and they’re not quite there …at least not yet.
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Yep. For all we know, Sunrise might make a ratings comeback later in the year especially if they respond to viewer feedback and make appropriate changes…as they should IMO.
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And there in lies part of the problem, one which Pell created himself. Sam could get away with being a bit aloof and cold before but with Eddie sitting right there beside her, always beaming and being warm and fuzzy, viewers are constantly comparing the two. With constant rumours about conflict with colleagues and those behind the scenes, topped off with being held, IMO unfairly responsible for the Kristin Davis fiasco, Sam is tarnished goods. That’s very difficult to bounce back from.
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Hey, I watch Sunrise, have since around 2009. In fact, I hardly watch Ch 9 (only like the Footy Show, Cricket & Getaway?)
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[quote=“LukeMovieMan, post:829, topic:69, full:true”]
Hey, I watch Sunrise, have since around 2009. In fact, I hardly watch Ch 9 (only like the Footy Show, Cricket & Getaway?)[/quote]
Doesn’t matter how much you watch on Nine. The point is you often throw around the word “dominate” which suggests something greater than what is being reported. You’ve been doing it with some chat about Ten wins too.
Nine have won a few weeks this year but most have been narrow wins, not dominating victories. If they keep stretching their lead or keep winning for a couple of months then you could declare some sort of domination.
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For me, the issue is Sam. Before she officially replaced Mel and at the beginning of her run the program was still tops. But within the last year or so I’ve started realizing myself how unfulfilled she seems with everything happening around her. She just always gives off the vibe that she doesn’t want to be there. It’s clear now that she was a horrible replacement for Mel.
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I would love to see Nat and Beretts do more or at least used in a different way. They’re veterans in their own right and Nat (as has been discussed) clearly looks uninterested/bored/‘what the hell’ at times.
Also, does Weekend Sunrise still do the ‘Riley Diaries’ (political wrap - like they use to do around 8:30am on a Saturday or Sunday)? Coincidental that Mark Riley was co-hosting too.
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