Today (2015-Sept 2020)

2 Likes

Last week’s ratings for Today were the 3rd lowest of the year - you need to go back to early March for a worse result. The result seems significant because it marks a drop of 8% from the average audience over the last 3 months when the numbers seemed to have stabilised. Sunrise’s audience, by contrast, was higher than the 3 month average and the gap was out to more than 90,000.

3 Likes

I don’t think that would be wise. I honestly don’t think one particular host/person is to blame; replacing them would not solve the problem.

Agree. I was surprised that Wick said that they hadn’t done any market research 5 months into the new team, when the Telegraph wrote that article about Georgie. You’d think they would have been inclined to gauge reaction almost immediately.

I don’t think it was an audition. They are just trying to find ways of getting any ratings spike at all- promoting Tom, Pauline Hanson becoming a regular, the Cash Giveaway, 6pm newsreader cross-promotion, Ben and Karl returning, The Beatles Week .

Yet it clearly still hasn’t worked… why even bother putting it to air.

I think the Carrie Bickmore whispers are real.

Don’t buy into the Newscorp rubbish. They’re out to get Nine/Fairfax.

1 Like

But surely where there’s smoke there’s fire. Why Carrie? They could have picked anyone. Surely they can’t get away with just making up straight lies?

What happened to The Project going to Channel 9?

Plenty of reasons why these rumours get started. The argument here is that there’s no such thing as a straight lie.

2 Likes

Are you serious? That’s all they do these days. Same goes for the women’s mags. They blatantly just make shit up.

10 Likes

The weekend team is perfect. Tim and Clint are fantastic additions this year. A very enjoyable show.

3 Likes

Yeah I have a feeling they will be throwing all sort of cash at Ben this but Ben likes his radio gig, its in the arvo, no hair and makeup. I reckon Georgie would be keen to go back to reading the nightly news (unless she needs to pay her mortgage) which brings Deb’s jobs down and she can focus more on Today and her radio gigs.

I also really cant see Karl going back unless his contract is up and he needs to maintain his lifestyle.

Doesn’t Karl’s contract end at the end of 2019? Wouldn’t this free up quite a bit of $$$

I think if they could lure Fordham it would be to replace Georgie rather than Tom.

Lisa Wilkinson’s contract with Ten is currently up for renewal. Perhaps Nine can lure her back with the offer they should’ve made two years ago and reassemble the old team of Karl and Lisa so they can pick up where they left off before that daft decision to let her walk was made.

1 Like

That’s their best chance at getting the viewers back. I’m ALL for Lisa coming back!

If they do get rid of both of the ladies, I think you have to bring back Karl or Lisa and poach someone from another network. Going in-house (both on air and BTS) hasn’t worked.

1 Like

Wilkinson has been wasted at Ten. The expected primetime show hasn’t appeared, with her main role being to fly overseas for not-so-exclusive showbiz interviews. A return to Today would would be good for her, I think.

6 Likes

Tom is a great journo, but not the best fit as a co-host on breakfast TV. He’d be better off on 60 Mins or 9 News special reports.

It would be a real coup to lure Ben Fordham back, and easier to do now Nine pretty much owns 2GB. If he and Georgie anchored, Deb could primarily read news but also still be ‘third host’. And start pulling through Weekend Today people to fill in for sick days/holidays. Stop using Mark Burrows and Brooke Boney to fill in.

3 Likes

I would personally like to see the full return of the 2011-2014 Today team. I know that it was very Sydney-centric and the chances of it actually happening are next to none, but I feel as though the Today show was at it’s peak during those years. The genuine banter and chemistry among the co-hosts is something that is seriously lacking on the show today.

4 Likes

This was as close to the Mel, Kochie, Nat, Berttes and Grant era as Today ever got, and certainly got viewers switching over (including me).
Absolutely loved this team.

Now this I agree with. Whilst I think Tom is a weak host, he is a great reporter and is perfect for 60 Minutes.

How good would that be in terms of publicity. I can imagine the promos!!
But seriously, I think bringing back Karl and Lisa is not the worst idea. It would be like Charlie Gibson returning to GMA in the late 90’s after leaving the year before. I think with Deb on news, Georgie back on Nine News Sydney, and Dickie back on entertainment everyone’s happy.

But does Lisa want to work with Karl again?