Yes, I agree.
In 2018 Australian TV networks should focus on local content for their main channels, with almost all US content (established hits like…say, The Big Bang Theory or Modern Family are probably notable exceptions to the rule) being reserved for multichannels.
I agree. It’s redundant. Australian networks never did do the right thing by viewers and schedule US content appropriately. Perhaps they’d still have an audience for it if they did. They pretty much forced interested viewers to use smart DNS and VPN technology in order to enjoy US content and participate in the discussion of it with the international audience. Even New Zealand has managed to get the first episode of Roseanne to air. The buzz surrounding that show will have died by the time Ten gets around to airing it so why bother?
The Good Doctor seems to have done alright.
In some ways I agree with you, but maybe its time for a rethink for the Ten schedule. If you look at WIN Television, they air the former Nine daytime serials on 11. Maybe Ten should think on that prospect, even if its just Young and The Restless on the main channel, possibly moving Neighbours and either Judge Judy or ET to 11 (maybe 3pm til 4pm weekdays). At present Channel 11 (on WIN) finishes the serials at 2:50pm before airing Alive and Cooking for 10 minutes, so an option is there.
However, I have felt for a long time encore of reality TV belongs on the multi channels
Local unscripted content is preferable and often performs better than overseas programs. But in the scripted stakes most of the highly successful programs seem to come from overseas. Even now in a lower rating traditional tv landscape we have Good Doctor, Young Sheldon and Big Bang as most consistent top performers (scripted).
It also counts towards the local content quota which they need.
But they get around that buy airing cheap NZ stuff don’t they? Like Outrageous Fortune or daytime kids content? Neighbours gets them over the line.
Ten touted a Footballer Wives type Aussie drama and that sounded like it had potential. If it gets up, it could be a bright spot but am conscious they promised Secretary and that never happened.
Not just talking about the drama quota here. I don’t think they have any NZ dramas these days. Neighbours gives them enough drama points these days because multichannel shows are included.
There is also a local content quota where they need to screen more than 55 per cent local.
yes, there are exceptions to the rule - but I think US programming on main channels in prime time is dead. It died when other methods came along and Aussie networks still maintained the Feb-Nov ratings season (or rather, the desire - desperation - to believe that Aussie audiences would wait so they could get the ratings.
Big Bang Theory and Modern Family (and others like them) are snack size programs… it isn’t hard to sit down for a 30 minute window where you don’t have to think about whodunnit etc.
The Hit New Drama Series. Alan Cumming Returns To Television.
Coming Soon
Alan Cumming returns to Network Ten with killer instinct and infectious charm in Instinct, the hit new police procedural drama that is making history for having the first gay lead character in an hour-long US broadcast drama.
Cumming (The Good Wife, X2) plays Dr. Dylan Reinhart, a gifted former CIA operative and author who is lured back into the CIA by tenacious top NYPD detective Lizzie Needham – played by Serbian-Australian actress Bojana Novakovic (Shameless, The Little Death) – after a killer starts planning crimes based on his first book.
Written by Michael Rauch and adapted from James Patterson and Howard Roughan’s 2017 book Murder Games, Instinct also stars Daniel Ings (Lovesick) as Andy, Naveen Andrews (Lost, The English Patient) as Julian Cousins and Sharon Leal (Dreamgirls, Supergirl) as Lt. Jasmine Gooden.
Already a runaway ratings success in the US, with an average weekly audience of about 10 million, Instinct boasts a stellar line-up of guest stars, including Academy Award winner Whoopi Goldberg (Ghost, The Color Purple) as Dylan’s agent, Sarita Choudhury (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Homeland) as the Mayor of New York City and John Doman (The Wire, Oz) as Dylan’s father, who is also a CIA officer.
Instinct has been embraced by viewers and critics alike in the US:
“Cumming is so fresh and fascinating as this particular profiler of sociopaths that his entertaining performance alone raises Instinct above the norm.” — San Antonio Express
“Alan Cumming’s killer ‘Instinct’ strikes again.” — Los Angeles Times“He wears a lot of hats and his outfits are impeccable. It’s kind of a perfect Cumming vehicle.” — The Hollywood Reporter
Executive produced by Rauch, Marc Webb (also director of the pilot), Alex Kurtzman, Heather Kadin, James Patterson, Bill Robinson, Leopoldo Gout and Alan Cumming, Instinct promises to break new ground when it arrives on TEN and WIN Network.
Instinct is struggling in the US but Ten are desperate so why not give it a go I suppose?
I reckon Instinct will go straight into the post-9pm timeslot, the question is which night.
They are saying it has a weekly average of 10 million viewers which is a blatant lie.
EDIT: Actually it could be if they are counting DVR.
I don’t know why networks think Australian viewers care how many viewers a show gets in the US. It is irrelevant and if there’s any evidence showing the US ratings influences people to watch a show when it airs here, I’d love to see it.
A good point, a well-produced promo beats a headline US ratings number anyday.
I think Ten would be better to produce long-form promos that show an entire clip from the show rather than the usual hastily edited ones that they normally make. A longer ramp time before these shows go to air would be a help as well.
Ie - Just show this promo, and always in full
It’s a way to make it sound like it’s successful. How else do you suggest they do it though?
3 mins is too long for broadcast tv promos. Maybe fine for social or online but they need 30 or 60 second cuts for tv.
“Hit new series”, “Breakout hit”, “Show you won’t be able to stop talking about”, “Has audiences around the world hooked” etc. Do you think viewers seriously look at a show and go “oh Roseanne got 18 million US viewers I am sooooo gonna tune in”? LOL
Police procedural ? Why do all the CBS shows Ten get seem to be crime / police procedurals?
Surely this won’t rate as well as local content.
But that’s the reason it made headlines here and got so much media coverage. You’d think that might attract some extra curious viewers.