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The tribal mind: Week 41

This blog is now a heritage item -- worth studying but no longer current. For the latest discussion on TV trends, click here

Updated 10am, Sunday October 15
Channel Nine's attempt to squeeze the last drops of ratings from rugby league did not work on Saturday. The Australia-New Zealand match drew strong audiences in Sydney and Brisbane, but Melbourne showed no evidence of having been turned on to new delights by its freak participation in this year's NRL grand final.

Seven won the week, with a prime time audience share of 28.5 per cent, while Nine got 26.4, Ten got 23.1, ABC got 16.3, and SBS got 5.7. These were Saturday's top programs ...

What Australia watched, Saturday
RNK Description STN Network Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth
1 NINE NEWS SATURDAY Nine 1,162,000 317,000 390,000 211,000 155,000 89,000
2 SEVEN NEWS SAT Seven 1,126,000 291,000 285,000 213,000 145,000 192,000
3 GREAT COMEDY CLASSICS Seven 1,084,000 226,000 356,000 200,000 151,000 150,000
4 NEW TRICKS ABC 1,048,000 302,000 323,000 132,000 130,000 161,000
5 ABC NEWS SAT ABC 961,000 283,000 286,000 126,000 120,000 146,000
6 BILL ABC 937,000 282,000 312,000 132,000 86,000 125,000
7 AUSTRALIA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEO SHOW Nine 923,000 132,000 382,000 100,000 168,000 141,000
8 THE LAST DETECTIVE ABC 860,000 256,000 273,000 141,000 95,000 95,000
9 2006 RUGBY LEAGUE TRI-NATIONS SERIES Nine 845,000 371,000 28,000 424,000 11,000 11,000
OzTAM preliminary estimates, mainland capitals)

What Australia watched, Friday
Description Network Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth
1 SEVEN NEWS Seven 1,302,000 343,000 371,000 208,000 180,000 200,000
2 HOME AND AWAY Seven 1,291,000 417,000 403,000 193,000 131,000 147,000
3 MIDSOMER MURDERS-EV ABC 1,285,000 360,000 392,000 208,000 138,000 186,000
4 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS Seven 1,276,000 363,000 436,000 175,000 135,000 168,000
5 TODAY TONIGHT Seven 1,227,000 359,000 319,000 185,000 164,000 201,000
6 NATIONAL NINE NEWS Nine 1,094,000 283,000 340,000 242,000 126,000 104,000
7 A CURRENT AFFAIR Nine 1,082,000 278,000 367,000 239,000 111,000 86,000
8 TEMPTATION Nine 1,071,000 290,000 352,000 200,000 118,000 110,000
9 MOTORWAY PATROL Nine 1,051,000 307,000 302,000 208,000 114,000 121,000
10 CRACKERJACK RPT Ten 911,000 247,000 284,000 144,000 132,000 103,000

Updated 10 am Friday October 13, 2006
What if they put a bunch of celebrities in danger and nobody cared? Seven is enduring this nightmare with Celebrity Survivor, which has now sunk to a million viewers. The series will be allowed to finish, but there will never be a CS2. Still, it's doing better than Nine's US Survivor on Wednesday night (631,000) and on Thursdays, Ten's Jericho (902,000) and David Tench Tonight (606,000).

What Australia watched, Thursday
1. Home and Away Seven 1.33m
2. Seven News Seven 1.31
3. Today Tonight Seven 1.27
4. Nine News Nine 1.26
5. A Current Affair Nine 1.22
6. RPA Nine 1.21
7. My Name Is Earl Seven 1.20
8. Jamie's Kitchen Ten 1.17
9. Two and a Half Men Nine 1.14
10. Temptation Nine 1.14
11. How I Met Your Mother Seven 1.09
12. Getaway Nine 1.05
13. Celebrity Survivor Seven 1.05
14. ABC News ABC 1.00
15. Bones Seven 0.97
(OzTAM preliminary estimates, mainland capitals)

Updated 10am, Thursday October 12
A new episode of House (at last!) and a strong episode of Thank God You're Here gave Channel Ten the rare experience of winning the night on Wednesday – with 29.4 per cent of the prime time audience – and Channel Nine the rarer experience of coming third, with 22.4 per cent to Seven's 25.2, ABC's 14.7 and SBS's healthy 8.3 (thanks to 640,000 for the Asian Cup qualifier between Australia and Bahrain).

Seven will be distraught that its new action thriller series, The Unit, launched with just 730,000 (suggesting it appeals only to the same small audience who enjoy 24).

What Australia watched, Wednesday
1. House Ten 1.74m
2. Thank God You're Here Ten 1.67
3. Seven News Seven 1.45
4. Home and Away Seven 1.39
5. NCIS Ten 1.34
6. Today Tonight Seven 1.30
7. The Force Seven 1.20
8. A Current Affair Nine 1.20
9. Temptation Nine 1.20
10. Nine News Nine 1.19
11. Police Files Seven 1.18
12. McLeod's Daughters Nine 1.15
13. Spicks and Specks ABC 1.09
14. Forensic Investigators Seven 1.07
15. ABC News ABC 1.03
(OzTAM preliminary estimates, mainland capitals)

Updated 10am, Wednesday October 11
Is there anything those Working Dogs cannot do? The most popular new Australian program of the year, Thank God You're Here has now became the TV show most often (legally) downloaded for viewing on computers. It was created by Working Dog Productions (made up of Melbourne comedy veterans Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro, Rob Sitch, Jane Kennedy, and Michael Hirsh) who previously generated the TV series Frontline, All Aussie Adventures and The Panel, the movies The Castle and The Dish, and the travel guides Molvania and Phaic Tan.

And just as TGYH reaches its peak, Working Dog launches a third travel text – San Sombrero – which includes a bonus "jetlag guide" with quite the finest collection of pleasure opportunities this column has seen, including:

"At the Zimbawezi Big Game Lodge, arguably the hottest luxury travel destination in Africa, everything is designed to impress – from its three-star Michelin chef to the specially trained animals that emerge after dark and perform scenes from The Lion King."

"Cafe Condescendo, Venice: The bar staff are renowned as the rudest in Europe and will make absolutely no attempt to understand English, despite the fact that most of them speak it fluently. Getting in is not hard but getting served can sometimes take a day."

"Politically Correct Itineraries offers an exciting range of culturally sensitive tours. Why not head to Alaska for dog sledding with the Inuit – where you get to pull the sled, giving these wonderfully indigenous people and their hardworking canines a well-earned rest? Or for a more 'urban' experience, try one of PCI's popular 'Homeless People Homestays' ... Who needs tacky souvenirs when you can come home with a smug sense of superiority?"

Add a few celebrities and this will be the next hit TV series.

Seven won Tuesday night with 35.5 per cent of the prime time audience (and looks to be unbeatable for the week), while Nine got 25.9 per cent, Ten got 21.0 per cent, ABC got 13.4 and SBS got 4.2.

What Australia watched, Tuesday
1. Dancing with the Stars Seven 1.77m
2. Home and Away Seven 1.43
3. Seven News Seven 1.41
4. Today Tonight Seven 1.35
5. All Saints Seven 1.24
6. Nine News Nine 1.21
7. 20 to 1 Nine 1.20
8. The Simpsons 7:30pm Ten 1.17
9. CSI Nine 1.17
10. A Current Affair Nine 1.16
11. Futurama 8:00pm Ten 1.12
12. Temptation Nine 1.11
13. Futurama 7:00pm Ten 0.97
14. ABC News ABC 0.95
15. Neighbours Ten 0.92
(OzTAM preliminary figures, mainland capitals)

Updated 11am, Tuesday October 10
It was Ten Ten Ten all the way on Sunday. Australians locked on early for the car races (which peaked at 2.2 million), and stayed for the singing races. Australian Idol got its best result ever for a non-final, and while 1.9 million were watching the pop singers, 724,000 were watching the opera singers on the ABC's Operatunity. The trend is away from the faded celebrities and towards the ambitious nobodies.

Ten won the night, with 29.6 per cent of the prime time audience, while Nine got 28.8, Seven got 23.5, ABC got 13.5 and SBS got 4.5. But Seven reclaimed the lead on Monday with 30 per cent of the prime time audience, while Nine got 24.8, Ten got 22.4, ABC got 16.0 and SBS got 6.8 (thanks to 667,000 for Mythbusters).

What Australia watched, Monday
1. Grey's Anatomy Seven 1.80m
2. Australian Idol Live Verdict Ten 1.50
3. Home and Away Seven 1.50
4. Seven News Seven 1.49
5. Today Tonight Seven 1.43
6. A Current Affair Nine 1.39
7. Nine News Nine 1.27
8. Temptation Nine 1.27
9. What's Good For You Nine 1.20
10. Criminal Minds Seven 1.09
11. What A Year Nine 1.09
12. Law and Order: SVU Ten 1.08
13. The Great Outdoors Seven 1.02
14. ABC News ABC 1.02
15. Enough Rope with Andrew Denton ABC 0.98
(OzTAM preliminary estimates, mainland capitals)

What Australia watched, Sunday
1. Australian Idol Ten 1.89m
2. 60 Minutes Nine 1.49
3. CSI Nine 1.49
4. The Real Seachange Seven 1.43
5. Bathurst 1000 Ten 1.40
6. Nine News Nine 1.34
7. Medical Emergency Seven 1.32
8. Ten News Ten 1.30
9. Seven News Seven 1.29
10. CSI: NY Nine 1.17
11. Backyard Blitz Nine 1.14
12. ABC News ABC 1.10
13. Movie: Supersize Me Ten 1.05
14. It's Me or the Dog Ten 0.96
15. Movie: Starsky and Hutch Seven 0.95
(OzTAM preliminary estimates, mainland capitals)

What Australia watched, week to October 8
Whatever Australians were doing to recover from footy frenzy last week, it did not include much televiewing. Audience numbers were way down for the commercial stations, making the ABC look healthy with its 1.4 million for Midsomer Murders and 1.3 million for Spicks and Specks, and making SBS look good with its 719,000 for Mythbusters and 401,000 for a repeat of Inspector Rex (imagine how well SBS would do if it repeated Skippy, Australia's answer to the clever Austrian canine.

Seven will be wondering at the apparent decline of Dancing with the Stars, Ten will be delighted with the persistence of Australian Idol, and Nine (which won the week) will be wondering why it replaced Rome with the latest Survivor, which managed a mere 801,000.

Description Network National Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth
1 RUGBY LEAGUE GRAND FINAL Nine 2,552,000 817,000 871,000 806,000 39,000 18,000
2 DANCING WITH THE STARS 5 Seven 1,858,000 594,000 551,000 294,000 191,000 228,000
3 THANK GOD YOU'RE HERE 2 Ten 1,751,000 421,000 652,000 308,000 186,000 183,000
4 NATIONAL NINE NEWS SUNDAY Nine 1,641,000 480,000 515,000 348,000 161,000 138,000
5 GREY'S ANATOMY Seven 1,620,000 413,000 559,000 314,000 144,000 190,000
6 AUSTRALIAN IDOL - THE LIVE VERDICT Ten 1,489,000 427,000 470,000 260,000 144,000 188,000
7 ALL SAINTS Seven 1,450,000 440,000 476,000 197,000 152,000 186,000
8 MIDSOMER MURDERS ABC 1,449,000 444,000 430,000 252,000 151,000 171,000
9 HOME AND AWAY Seven 1,336,000 388,000 397,000 222,000 137,000 193,000
10 SEVEN NEWS Seven 1,324,000 336,000 373,000 221,000 157,000 235,000
(OzTAM mainland capitals)

COMMENTS

Re post: Crank up you're recording devices people, NINE has moved The Sopranos to midnight Wednesdays.

  • by paora on October 08, 2006 at 11:37 PM

Stickyweb at October 8, 2006 01:23 PM (in the previous week's blog) wrote: I'm no statistician so I would love to hear from someone who knows ... How appropriate is the sample size & method used to produce these figures? To me they seem ridiculously small & out of touch with viewing habits.

In theory, the sample size is quite enough to project trends and analyse the figures. The problem is that the sample size presumes an unbiased, ie representative, sample, and I have long held the belief that being human, ie having opinions as to what you like and what you don't, having cultural and social and demographic biases such as whether or not you need to work thursday nights, and all the other baggage that distibguishes person A from person B mean that there is no such thing as a representative sample. The best that you can do (short of a total sample) is to make the sample large enough and broad enough that the biases and consequential errors are smaller than the quoted values - in this case, an error of less than 500 would permit reasonably accurate estimates of audiance values quoted in the thousands. A sample of 10,000 would enable an accuracy of 1 in 10,000, or 0.01%. If there are 4 million sets (and I'm not sure whether or not there are more or less than that) then that 0.01% would be 400 viewers, which would make the quoted figures reliable to within the magnitudes quoted, at least in theory. Since the actual sample size is about 4000 sets, and no allowance is made for viewers timeshifting programmes, that says to me that the ratings are only accurate in each city by a margin of plus-or-minus 2,500. With 5 state capitals, and assuming that the total country population plus NT and the ACT are equal to another one, that gives an error of 2500x6= 15000, worst case. But wait - the official sample size isn't 4000 per state, it's 4000 total. So divide the 4000 amongst the 5 state capitals, or multiply the error by 5, and you get 65,000. So when David quotes a figure of 801,000 for the latest Survivor, I read 'somewhere between 736,000 and 866,000 viewers'. The problem is that on any given weeknight, the margins between first and second can be only a couple of tenths of a percent, or 8000 viewers - and the margins are up to 8+ times that difference.

The theory is that a smaller sample than the one I've calculated can be used because the 'noise' caused by all those individual behaviours will cancel out - an error will be up a bit in this part of the viewing community and down a bit in that part. There may be more viewers in western Sydney for a given show and fewer in the northern beaches, say. This theory ONLY works if there are no widespread factors that might put a given programme up in the ratings across a wider audiance segment, ie more in BOTH northern beaches and western sydney. The official ratings assume that this only happens with major one-off events like the Olympic Games etc, which distort the audiance numbers by appealing to a wider audiance segment. I contend that a whole heap of other things can have the same widespread effect. What effect do train delays and traffic jams have on the theoretical audiance? Does one segment of the population watch less television as a result? Obviously, in some timeslots, the answer is yes - because people who are working are more likely to be delayed by such things. The effect on school-aged viewers at 6 PM would be relatively minor. It's this sort of thing, multiplied by the ten thousand other things that go on in real life, that can and do create the margin of error, and that only cancel out in a truly representative sample.
P.S. I hope that I have my numbers right - 4000 households sampled, 4,000,000 households to be viewed - because if they are wrong, so are the results of the calculations. Hope this answers your question.

  • by Mike Bourke on October 09, 2006 at 01:51 AM

Hi All,

I missed the finale of Doctor Who on Saturday night, damn wedding !!! Can anyone tell me what happened in the episode ?

Cheers,
Guzza

  • by Guzza on October 09, 2006 at 10:20 AM

Channel 9 is screening a new episode of Cold Case tonight. I distinctly remember the voice over at the end of the last episode saying that the new series would start in the new year! Ch 9 is up to their old tricks again.

  • by Callie on October 09, 2006 at 11:22 AM

My 2 bob on how accurate are ratings...

I know a guy who has a ratings box and he openly announces that he skews figures for shows he hates, for example, the AFL. Hes a huge NRL head, but whenever theres an AFL match on, he will change channels even if hes not watching it, and even if he has to change channels hours in advance because he is going out.

So, based on Mike Bourkes logic, this could be a couple of thousand people less watching TV because of someones petty hatred towards a show, and have 100 of these people and the figures are going to be well skewed.

Still, its a yardstick figure and better than pulling a figure out of the air when you are looking at the billions of dollars that rely on these figures.

  • by Reckless Life on October 09, 2006 at 01:16 PM

Hey Guzza, shame you missed the last Dr Who episode...perhaps it was weddings that didn't allow it to reach its 1 million viewers mark. An episode summary is available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_%28Doctor_Who%29

  • by Chloe on October 09, 2006 at 01:33 PM

Guzza:->I missed the finale of Doctor Who on Saturday night, damn wedding !!! Can anyone tell me what happened in the episode ? >

You missed the season finale for something as mundane as a wedding? For shame! : ) There's a detailed synopsis at:-http://www.gallifreyone.com/episode.php?id=2006-13
You should try and see it, though - it was a cracker.

  • by Mark on October 09, 2006 at 01:41 PM

Thanks for the links Chloe & Mark. I will have a look at them tonight.

I did have some stern words with the person whose wedding it was, even considered trying to talk him out of getting married in a vain attempt to be able to watch it.....

  • by Guzza on October 09, 2006 at 02:07 PM

Guzza, Dr Who is too detailed to summarise quickly, but I will say that I cried more during that episode than I have at any wedding. It was a brilliant episode - in fact this whole series has been the best yet.

  • by katie on October 09, 2006 at 02:14 PM

Such glowing reviews of Doctor Who is not making the fact I missed the episode any better !!!

  • by Guzza on October 09, 2006 at 03:07 PM

Guzza, I can give you a VHS copy of the DR Who Ep is that's any use.

TM can you act as conduit and give Guzza my email address which I have submitted with this posting?

  • by kate on October 09, 2006 at 03:58 PM

Yes, a highly emotional last episode of this series of Dr Who.
I admit I was in tears at the end!
For those who haven't yet seen it, I won't spoil things, but remember to have your tissues handy.
David, how well did the Opera Australian Idol like program rate last night on the ABC? I liked it far more than I was expecting.

  • by Evan on October 09, 2006 at 05:43 PM

Did I miss something? Since when do SBS show ads in the middle of their programs? I was watching Mythbusters tonight and was really REALLY annoyed with all the interruptions for ads - I used to like the fact that while SBS did have commercials they waited until the END of the program to show them. Does anyone know if they will be showing ads during movies as well??

  • by natasha on October 09, 2006 at 08:56 PM

Yes Dr Who was excellent, and yes I did cry, and yes you missed one of the best episodes so far.

What do we all think of the new touchy-feely Doctor? Are the purists horrified that he actually cried?

Personally, I think David Tennant is excellent, but then again so were all the previous ones in their own way...

sorry, am I getting off the subject?

  • by ruth on October 10, 2006 at 09:04 AM

I have afriend who downloaded the whole series so this weekend i will be watching it all weekend!!! i have waited so long.....

  • by missfreelove69 on October 10, 2006 at 10:22 AM

Hey where are the Daily ratings updates? Have they moved again? I can't seem to find them.

  • by Helena on October 10, 2006 at 10:59 AM

Paora : re Sopranos being moved to midnight - does that start this week? My TV guide says 10.30pm.

  • by scarlett on October 10, 2006 at 11:00 AM

scarlett - change once more, NINE are confused somewhat, Sopranos has been dumped this Wednesday night and moving to Mondays at midnight from 16 October.

  • by paora on October 10, 2006 at 11:36 AM

Sunday: TEN:29.6%,NINE:28.8%,SEVEN:23.5%,ABC: 13.5%& SBS 4.5%

Idol Ten 1.89
60 Minutes Nine 1.49
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Nine 1.49
The Real Seachange Seven 1.43
Bathurst 1000 Ten 1.40
National Nine News Nine 1.34
Medical Emergency Seven 1.32
Ten News Ten 1.30
Seven News Seven 1.29
CSI: NY Nine 1.17
Backyard Blitz Nine 1.14
ABC News ABC 1.10
Supersize Me Ten 1.05
It?s Me or the Dog Ten 0.96
Movie: Starsky and Hutch Seven 0.95

Monday: SEVEN:30.0%,NINE:24.8%TEN:22.4%,ABC: 16.0% & SBS 6.8%

Greys Anatomy Seven 1.80
Idol Ten 1.50
Home and Away Seven 1.50
Seven News Seven 1.49
Today Tonight Seven 1.43
A Current Affair Nine 1.39
National Nine News Nine 1.27
Temptation Nine 1.27
Whats Good For You Nine 1.20
Criminal Minds Seven 1.09
What A Year Nine 1.09
Law and Order: SVU Ten 1.08
The Great Outdoors Seven 1.02
ABC News ABC 1.02
Enough Rope with Andrew Denton ABC 0.98

  • by paora on October 10, 2006 at 12:03 PM

A little ratings update:

Australian Idol was the top show on Sunday with 1.89 million viewers, followed by 60 Minutes and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (both 1.49 million), The Real Seachange on Seven (1.43 million) and Bathurst 1000 V8 race (1.4 million).
Thanks to huge ratings with Idol, Ten won the night with 29.6% of audience share, followed by Nine on 28.8%, Seven on 23.5, ABC on 13.5 and SBS on 4.5.

Grey's Anatomy was the top show on Monday night with 1.8 million viewers, followed by Australian Idol verdict show and Home And Away with 1.5 million each.
Seven won the night with 30% of audience share, followed by Nine on 24.8%, Ten on 22.4, ABC on 16.8 and SBS on 6.4.

  • by johnson on October 10, 2006 at 12:20 PM

I cannot believe that even after all the public anger aimed at Ch9 for their shoddy treatment of last season's Soprano's, they make the fans wait all this time for the new season only to muck the fans around AGAIN!!! Why bother? That, to me, is Ch9 showing total contempt for its audience.

  • by pete on October 10, 2006 at 12:29 PM

Hey Ruth, I completely agree with you that David Tennant is an excellent doctor (probably off topic too). Thanks for the ratings update paora and johnson.

  • by Chloe on October 10, 2006 at 12:56 PM

ruth - i have been a fan of Dr Who since I was a kid, Tom Baker was my "first" doctor and the standard by which all others were judged. I was so excited when the new series started and I was quite disappointed when Christopher Ecclestone left but I have to say that I absolutely LOVE David Tenant as the Doctor. This latest series has connected with me on an emotional level that other Doctors have not managed, I have been teary during many episodes this year: K9, the Doctor descending into the pit....
Touchy-feely with a bit of cheek... and not bad to look at either - works for me :)

  • by katie on October 10, 2006 at 12:58 PM

Thanks Chloe!

I grew up with Tom Baker, didn't think he could be bettered, but David Tennant is just so much more fun!

Bring on the next season - quickly - otherwise I'll have to check out the official web site for Dr Who and spoil it all!

  • by ruth on October 10, 2006 at 01:05 PM

Many thanks to Paora and Johnson for the ratings updates above.
What happened to Seven News on Sunday? Not that I'm lamenting its dip in ratings (I'm an SBS World News Australia viewer), but it's a little more than surprising to see that it did so poorly.

  • by James on October 10, 2006 at 01:15 PM

Guzza, just download the show. VHS tape? i don't know what that is but sounds like too much effort. So step 1... download Azureus (search on google). It is a torrent downlaoding application. It's free. Then look up sites such as mininova.com, or torrentreactor.com, or any number of torrent sites (again, google torrents) and bam...you got Dr Who.

  • by Dr DK on October 10, 2006 at 01:57 PM

Sopranos moved again??!! That's it. I am on a channel 9 boycott and will download the rest of the series.

  • by Ryan D on October 10, 2006 at 02:03 PM

I've checked 2 online tv guides and The Sopranos is still on tomorrow night at 10.30pm. Paora - where did you get your Sopranos info?

  • by Callie on October 10, 2006 at 02:28 PM

Could anyone please tell me when ABC is going to bring back the "WEST WING" - they seem to be as bad as Channen 9 with it. Many thanks

  • by dublinaussie on October 10, 2006 at 02:34 PM

Thankyou to Mike Bourke for the comprehensive reply to my ratings question.
As I suspected - system is about as accurate as a piece of string for measuring the weather ... but at least it is something.

My next pondering:

When calculating the figures are the number of households with Pay TV subtracted from the total audience? I know we haven't tuned into 'Free TV' since Foxtel arrived - a far more viewer friendly format. (Ok you still get ads - but far fewer & the programs actually start at the advertised time!)

  • by Stickyweb on October 10, 2006 at 02:39 PM


DublinAussie,

Apparently the ABC intends to screen Season Six of WEST WING in November.

Be warned. The first four episodes ain't great, but then it clicks into gear !

  • by Curious George on October 10, 2006 at 03:08 PM

Further to the Sopranos confussion.

At 2.56pm Tuesday, 10th October, 2006 the program guide at ninemsn.com.au was stating;

Wednesday 11th, October, 2006

10:30 pm Channel Nine Sydney

The Sopranos - The Fleshy Part of the Thigh (70 mins, Rated: MA)
Genre: Drama.

So is it on or not? Is their left hand talking to their right? It will be interesting to see what appears on air.

  • by TGO on October 10, 2006 at 03:08 PM

I just read that David Tench is playing doctor who in the 2008 series. Can anyone confirm?

  • by phil on October 10, 2006 at 03:16 PM

Dublinaussie - no word from ABC about when they'll air S6 of West Wing, although the rumour is "November". Having said that, both S6 and S7 are now available, and very reasonably priced, from Amazon.co.uk, so even if you're not high-tech enough to download, they're out there.
And for those Wingnuts who were disappointed in post-Sorkin Series 5, it does get better in 6 and 7. Don't give up.

  • by Overit on October 10, 2006 at 03:22 PM

how ugly is that birds mug from greys anatomy at the top of this page? she should work in radio....

  • by deano on October 10, 2006 at 03:32 PM

Even further to the Sopranos confussion;
At 3:50pm, Tuesday, 10th October, 2006, the Foxtel electronic program guide is stating;
Wednesday, 11th October, 2006
10:30pm
Ch 9
Comedy Inc. The Late Shift.
So once again, is it on or not? Is their left hand talking to their right hand?

  • by TGO on October 10, 2006 at 04:03 PM

TGO: 100% Whacked mate.

  • by paora on October 10, 2006 at 04:21 PM

Like natasha (Oct 9), I'm appalled with the ads during shows on SBS, now.

It irks me, especially, with the massive white channel ID bars across the bottom of the screen, when the shows come back from the ads.; covering up a good third of the onscreen action.

I might as well go back to watching 7, 9, and 10!! Pity the shows on the 'official' commercial networks are mostly abysmal...

  • by serg on October 10, 2006 at 04:32 PM

As a life long Doctor Who fan, I was gutted when the power went out at my house at 7.20pm on Saturday. I madly scrambled a call to my dad who taped it for me, so please don't spoil it just yet for me!!!

I agree, the new series, both with Ecclestone and Tennant has been amazing. Finally, they have given this series the care and money it has always deserved. Some interesting news is that the third season is in production, with a new companion for the Doctor. Tennant is still in the role, Russell T Davies is still at the helm and it looks like being another cracker of a year. Quiet whispers so far are saying that if the series goes to a fourth season (it will) that it will be Tennant's last as he will bow out after three years in the role.

Yep, mad Dr Who fanboy here... :)

  • by pete on October 10, 2006 at 04:37 PM

9 is stuffing around again. Waking the Dead was advertised in the TV Week, they put on an episode of Cold Case which was actually new, but was from earlier in the season. They'd skipped it for some unknown reason. And the ratings sure seem to show that most people didn't know it was on.

Looks like they're showing the season finale next week.

  • by Katrina on October 10, 2006 at 05:02 PM

Smallville returns with a 2 hour premiere Friday October 20th from 7:30 to 9:30

  • by srdjan on October 10, 2006 at 05:16 PM

Can anyone tell me why Bree is a "goth" in Neighbours? I must have missed that episode!

  • by Kym on October 10, 2006 at 05:23 PM

Dr Who has been fantastic over the last two seasons. Eccleston was great and I thought couldn't be replaced. Tennant is better. The show has a real budget and real stories to tell and is doing so brilliantly.
Saturday's epsiode at the end of a solid season was a total high point. To me, it was the epitomy of good television. During the series I'd found myself asking - how did they even think up that storyline and that resolution, and how did they manage to answer half a question (in some eps) and yet still leave me satisfied.

I'm as annoyed as anyone that the Sopranos has been moved again.
Channel Nine you are abusive and rude.
You NEVER apologise for your mistakes.
You seem to be run by idiots.

  • by david @ wahroonga on October 10, 2006 at 06:07 PM

Stickyweb at October 10, 2006 02:39 PM
All households with ratings boxes are counted, whether they have pay-tv or not. So far as I am aware, having a subscription to Foxtel does not disqualify you from the ratings. However, if you are watching pay-TV then your viewing does not count toward the ratings for the free-to-air TV network.

  • by Mike Bourke on October 10, 2006 at 06:16 PM

Thanks srdjan for the info about Smallville, it's about time 10 brought it back. Searching the web tonight found that the BBC production of Robin Hood has started o/seas, first ep was last Saturday.

  • by dab on October 10, 2006 at 09:38 PM

The Big Question on 'Lost': Where'd the Audience Go? - "... But by the end of last season, "Lost" had misplaced nearly 6 million of the viewers who'd watched the season starter, and ABC suits were acknowledging they'd mishandled the show, letting too many reruns and plodding, head-scratching story lines drive away fans."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/05/AR2006100501678.html

  • by canoli on October 11, 2006 at 05:18 AM

I cannot believe that even after all the public anger aimed at Ch9 for their shoddy treatment of last season's Soprano's, they make the fans wait all this time for the new season only to muck the fans around AGAIN!!! Why bother? That, to me, is Ch9 showing total contempt for its audience.

Ask Helen Coonan for another fta licence people - before she does more favours for eddie and James

  • by Geoff on October 11, 2006 at 08:29 AM

Here is an paragraph from an smh article you should all read - this means that fta is not going to get any better:

The winners are, of course, the free-to-air television networks. They have been cushioned by the Government from the competitive challenges of the digital revolution. They are able to multi-channel and use some precious spectrum but will not be forced to face a real rival.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/pm-delivers-media-to-the-market/2006/10/10/1160246131249.html

  • by Geoff on October 11, 2006 at 08:36 AM

Shortly after 4.00pm, 10/10/06, Ch 9 updated the program guide on their website stating, Comedy Inc The Late Shift, had replaced The Sopranos at 10.30pm Wednesday.

The change had been listed for some time on the Foxtel epg. Meanwhile, the readers of this blog had learned of the change 3.5 days earlier.

  • by TGO on October 11, 2006 at 08:47 AM

In regards to working dog. what ever happened to all aussie adventures...from what I remember it was a huge hit.....did they take the mentality of quit while we are ahead????

  • by Paul on October 11, 2006 at 09:13 AM

From London, the new Sopranos series is exc. So many twists & characters "out of character" so whatever motherf%^&ing time it's on, catch the bastard.
Saw the Howlin' Bells tonight, they suck big time

  • by pitto on October 11, 2006 at 09:34 AM

Another unhappy Sopranos fan...
What a farce. One of THE best dramas to come along for a long time, and it gets treated worse than "Hot Dogs" late night game show!! I guess you have to be grateful that 9 are not trusted with anything else. Not having Fox, had always wanted to see Deadwood. Grateful now it has never received the Channel 9 star treatment! Can somebody point to a D/L site??

  • by G on October 11, 2006 at 09:46 AM

Read an article earlier today issued by a nine spokesman who said " Despite support from a small group of loyal fans and critcis, The Sopranos has not performed to our expectations. While it is a program we are extremely proud to own, it unfortunately did not sustain the audience to warrant keeping it in the Wednesday 10.30pm timeslot'. Proud to own? yeah right.
On another note CSI NY is on for 2 hours this Sunday night with no episode of the original and the best. Your fast losing your viewers nine for these practises.

  • by dab on October 11, 2006 at 10:42 AM

Why on earth would 9 pull The Sopranos for Comedy Inc? How could that possibly rate better than The Sopranos? Does it rate better?

Can we please have a comparison of how it does tonight versus how Sopranos did last week in the same slot?

I recommend doing a google search on torrent +sopranos and you'll find all the links you need - but it is not the same as watching it in HD on a tv screen!
:(

Why Nine? Why?

  • by Matt on October 11, 2006 at 10:57 AM

i was wondering if you have the ratings for the soccer friendly bet Australia & Paraguay on Saturday night. Many Thanks

  • by wow on October 11, 2006 at 11:08 AM

To Kym at October 10, 2006 05:23 PM

When Bree on 'Neighbours' did a DNA test for a school project she discovered that she didn't match the rest of her family and as such wasn't a Timmins. It turns out she she had been accidently switched at birth, at Colac hospital. When she tried to caontact her biological parents, they did not want to meet her, so she became a goth because she felt like she had lost her identity. As you do.

  • by J Bar on October 11, 2006 at 11:37 AM

I cant believe I am writing this but

Stop whinging about Channel nine's treatment of the sopranos (this time)

The fact is, the show doesnt rate. If it doesnt rate, it doesnt make money. Running a TV station is not a community service. Be grateful that in this instance they are still showing it. Fine, abuse them if they do what they did to West wing, abuse them if they take it off and dont show it anymore. But if they are showing it be grateful, and learn to use your VCR (or download it).

Anyway, you aint missing much, it really doesnt go anywhere this season

  • by tim on October 11, 2006 at 11:45 AM

Has Real Stories been signed for another season? Last nights episode was truley fabulous and i laughed my arse off

  • by Annabele on October 11, 2006 at 11:46 AM

channel 7 are the biggest sore losers out of all the networks.They are now claiming that It takes Two is out performing Australian Idol!!!What a joke.It takes Two can only dream of audiences Idol brings in.Channel 7 - IDOL will now pull at least 1.9 on sundays and 1.5 on mondays which is far better than your come and go ratings of 1.3 - 1.4.oh sorry and 1.5 at its best.And just as idol is fighting its way back to the top dancing with the stars is now falling from the top.And seven also claimed that dancing was Australias no.1 entertainment program....wrong....Australian Idol has taken back its crown.Why dont seven and nine be more like ten.look after their viewers.and they wonder why dwts is rating like it is????they have stuck with the same format,set,and god forbid daryl somers for five seasons.all squashed into 2 1/2 years.....idiots 7.

  • by Matt Reilly on October 11, 2006 at 12:41 PM

Looking at the figures for the past couple of weeks, I was struck by how low the national totals are dropping. It's not just that the top rating shows are rating a little lower - everything seems to be lower across the board...could this be a reflection of the US season? Now that the big shows, and the new prime-time shows are all up and running in the States, plus recent-but-not-aired-in-Aus series are available on DVD from overseas, are we finally seeing evidence that viewers are turning away from local FTA? I'm not one of the technically savvy who downloads, but one of my friends is, and she downloads and passes the shows onto me, plus, I've already bought and watched S6 Gilmore Girls and S7 West Wing on DVD. Even if there was anything on FTA that I wanted to watch, I doubt I'd have time! The figures above must be cause for concern at the big end of tellie-town.

  • by Overit on October 11, 2006 at 01:03 PM

I just finished watching the 12 part 6th series of Sopranos. My mate bought a pirated copy in Thailand. Woo Hoo! I never liked watching it on ch9. I remember when it used to be on late monday nights. The time was hard to predict because Eddie's show used to run way over time.

Have the last 8 episodes of series 7 been released in the states yet? I need to watch it now!

It is along with Arrested Development my favourite show on tv. Series 6 wasn't quite as good as the other series. Too much focus on the family and not enough action with the mafia family. Still better than everything else though.

  • by adam on October 11, 2006 at 01:12 PM

Paul at October 11, 2006 09:13 AM

I think 'quitting while they are ahead' has always been a brilliant scheme for Working Dog... They never seem to let anything keep going and going and going (downhill), so something which was originally great doesn't die a slow, miserable TV show death. They always have left things on a high note (Late Show, Frontline, Aussie Adventures)..leaving people wanting more. Again, part of their clever charm IMHO. I think it seems to work. Other TV creators could learn a thing or so about 'quitting whilst ahead'.

  • by Lisa on October 11, 2006 at 01:35 PM

Paora : Many thanks.

TGO - yep ninemsn guide says Comedy Late Shift is on at 10.30, but when I checked earlier in the week it said Sopranos.

David @ Wahroonga - Ch 9 'seems' to be run by idiots?? I would say defintely run by idiots.

  • by scarlett on October 11, 2006 at 03:58 PM

I agree that David Tenant makes a great Dr. Who. I didn't think anyone could better Tom Baker but I was wrong. That last episode was a credit to Russell T. Davies who wrote some amazing scripts.

I thought the ABC's OP OZ on Sunday night was better than the original UK version. Simon Target is a great documentary maker and Richard Gill is a National Treasure.

  • by David on October 11, 2006 at 04:03 PM

Sopranos must'nt have been rating in that time slot adequately, what else is channel 9 gonna do?

  • by phil on October 11, 2006 at 04:23 PM

The stalking webcam chick from the Wedge is in the GhostRider trailer. Not that I watch the Wedge, but I remember her from the days she played Toula on Fat Pizza.

  • by sean on October 11, 2006 at 04:32 PM

A new record in complete idiocy has been reached with Nine's shoddy treatment of the new season of The Sopranos. No wonder Nine is going down the gurgler when they can't market an Emmy award winning show. And my melbourne friends tell me that Eddie is a great businessman!!

  • by Sleeping dogs on October 11, 2006 at 04:47 PM

Smallville season 4? 5? Or 6?
5 is out as a box set in US and 6 has started, torrents are up.

  • by jed on October 11, 2006 at 07:31 PM

Everyone is complaining about the treatment of Soprano's, what did you expect that suddenly Nine was going to start showing begining to end at a reasonable hour - why start now. Be happy you even got it, west wing got canned for not rating despite being on at anywhere between 10.30 and 1am. Do what the rest of us do, download or buy bootleg off ebay or the markets in asia.

  • by Lou on October 11, 2006 at 09:06 PM

Anyone know what happened the 'Sopranos' last night?? It didn't appear on my videotape this morning

I've had a look at the Ch.9 TV guide for next week and there is no sign of it anywhere...What's going on here???

  • by Denis on October 12, 2006 at 08:13 AM

I cant believe I am writing this but
Stop whinging about Channel nine's treatment of the sopranos (this time)
The fact is, the show doesnt rate. If it doesnt rate, it doesnt make money. Running a TV station is not a community service. Be grateful that in this instance they are still showing it. Fine, abuse them if they do what they did to West wing, abuse them if they take it off and dont show it anymore. But if they are showing it be grateful, and learn to use your VCR (or download it).
Anyway, you aint missing much, it really doesnt go anywhere this season
Posted by: tim at October 11, 2006 11:45 AM

I don't mind if they don't show it - but do not hold up the DVD series being released just so you can stuff around with the programming and lose more viewers.

  • by Ryan D on October 12, 2006 at 10:06 AM

Sopranos must'nt have been rating in that time slot adequately, what else is channel 9 gonna do?

Posted by: phil at October 11, 2006 04:23 PM

Put on another quiz show?

  • by Ryan D on October 12, 2006 at 10:10 AM

Ratings seem to be down in general. TGYH was far more enjoyable, and far less cringeworthy than it usually is last night (thank goodness for no Akmal and Hamish), yet received the lowest ratings so far in its second season. (Nice to see that the Yasmin's Getting Married host was given a part. ;-))

The way you wrote it, TM, makes it sound like that Ten winning a Thursday is rare and surprising; which it hasn't been for a while.

  • by James on October 12, 2006 at 10:51 AM

Was The Soprano's on or not? I set the VCR, and knowing nine's early/late start habits taped 5 hours and only got AC, Win news, some comedy show , the late show and some dumb persons gameshow.
PS I'm in Tassie.

  • by Ned on October 12, 2006 at 10:57 AM

Hey!
Does any1 know how Survivor: Cook Islands rated last night? Any improvement from last week's 801,000?
Thanks, Michael. :)

PS. 1.9 & 1.5 million for Idol - that is fantastic! I hope Jess wins! :D

  • by Michael on October 12, 2006 at 11:02 AM

To Matt Riely - Idol is doing much better this season, but its high point of 1.8 with and average of 1.45 or so, could not be said to have topped DWTS average of over 2m earlier in the year and for the 3 preceeding seasons.
The latest batch is down a little but i think its because they have picked celebrities that no one cares about, like Kerry Armstrong and the chess girl. They needed a hottie or two at least and a few more controverstial people, it will come back bigger though at some stage!!

  • by JAK on October 12, 2006 at 11:03 AM

Was out last night, taped ABC, but the TV guide said NCIS was repeat (and don't watch House), so I didn't bother taping it. Rating though, would indicate it may have been new.
can anyone shed some light?
Also, may have watched The Unit (as I like 24 a lot) if I was home, but forgot about it as I haven't even bothered to check what Ch 7 showed on Wed since Prison Break finished.
BTW, Yasmin host is Jo Staney - quite well know on radio in Melbourne. Thought Andy G did OK, but James Matheson is a much quicker wit in my view and would have been the funnier of the two Idol hosts. Josh Lawson is almost getting too good at it, nothing worries him. I thought the woman off (dare I speaketh its name) The Wedge from last weeks TGYH was very good (the poker machine sketch is the ebst thing on the Wedge).

  • by chris on October 12, 2006 at 11:25 AM

Michael - Survivor died with 630,000 last night

  • by paora on October 12, 2006 at 11:27 AM

Just spoke to Ch9 and the 'Sopranos' has been moved to Monday nights at midnight (for now, that is....)

  • by Denis on October 12, 2006 at 11:37 AM

Hey
To end the debate - can you tell us the figures for Comedy Inc last night. Did it rate more than the 375 000 that watched The Sopranos?
AARON

Tribal Mind makes a special guest reappearance to report: Comedy Inc got 372,000 last night.

  • by Aaron on October 12, 2006 at 11:41 AM

This constant moving of this blog is giving me the irrits .
As the Tribal Mind it was easy to find each new update , but this SiT format is shite .
I try ALL different ways , can't this blog find a permanent home at the one url I can keep in favs as I used to ?

Tribal Mind replies: There is no "constant moving" of the TV blog. From its beginning nine months ago, it has always been reborn at a new address each week. If we kept it at the same address, there would be thousands of old posts at the end and readers would get sick of scrolling down for hours to register their comments. A new ratings report appears each Sunday, and then gets updated for seven days until the next ratings week begins. It can be always be found at the top of www.smh.com.au/sit.

  • by jane doe on October 12, 2006 at 11:42 AM

Chris @ 11:25am : NCIS was indeed a repeat.

  • by James on October 12, 2006 at 11:45 AM

Last night's TGYH was ok. I agree with Chris - Josh is definately getting to 'used' to it although he is the funniest in the pre-recorded scenes, and while Andrew G was surprisingly ok (I thought he'd tank for sure)..bring James M on - he certainly seems to be pretty amusing off the cuff on Idol (in the unscripted bits of course).. The girl was Jo Stanley..she was so-so but they did give her a pretty lame scenario. But better than Fifi, though that's not really saying much.

  • by Lisa on October 12, 2006 at 11:50 AM

This is how I find Tribal Mind.
I first check out the headlines on the smh homepage. Then, when I'm ready to go and check the ratings I go the website field on the top of my browser and type sit at the end of www.smh.com.au/
simple.

  • by merciless on October 12, 2006 at 12:02 PM

Have rung and written to Ch 9 this morning re Sopranos. Sooo mad. They cite "lack of viewer support". I counter "well if you don't support the program why would you expect viewers to stay with it?" And they wonder why they are no longer "the one". But I don't even believe that one about the ratings - anyone still watching this far into it must be truly committed and prepared to put up with 9's bastardry. Maybe they know we're such fans we'll watch anytime and take any amount of screwing around?

  • by shelley on October 12, 2006 at 12:21 PM

Is it just co-incidence that Seven is likely to win the first week after football has finished?
Is footy ratings that significant?
What then does this mean for Nine next year, given that Seven has the AFL rights? Does it even up the ledger, and make Seven morelikely to win the year in 2007 (if all other shows etc remain steady in ratings)?

  • by pb on October 12, 2006 at 12:25 PM

It would be (SMALLVILLE) Season 4 (where we left off) hopefully the audience finds it on Friday Nights - it's a good alternative to the otherwise dreadful offerings on that night.

Can't quite understand how Nine has never been able to make The Sopranos work @ 9.30pm, if Ten had the rights (as with a lot of shows) it would've been a different story.

  • by Jimmy James on October 12, 2006 at 12:28 PM

Posted by: Reckless Life at October 9, 2006 01:16 PM

About "skewing ratings"

Well, I did hear of someone interviewed who openly admitted she agreed to have a box in her house because she liked the ABC and she wanted to support it. She watched a lot of it, but that attitude might mean she'd be interested in skewing ratings, eh?

  • by Yasmine on October 12, 2006 at 01:07 PM

Denis:->Just spoke to Ch9 and the 'Sopranos' has been moved to Monday nights at midnight (for now, that is....)>

Thanks, Denis - that saves me from panicing when I get home tonight. Like many others, I set the VCR last night, with a generous allowance of extra time to make up for any possible delays, fully expecting to get "The Sopranos". However, I didn't check the tape this morning; if I hadn't read these posts, I would have assumed that somethng had gone wrong. How foolishly naive of me to expect one of the FTR stations to screen programs when they've advertised them!

  • by Mark on October 12, 2006 at 01:09 PM

Why is anyone still surprised at Channel 9? They treat their viewers with contempt, in fact all 3 commercial networks are as bad as each other.
Channel 10 for instance: why do we have to wait until the middle of October for the NCIS season 3 finale? Last night's episode was a good one, but it's been on before.
How long before they start moving Jericho to a 10.30 PM timeslot?
Oh well, the non-ratings period over summer ought to be a good one: will we see Rome, Nip Tuck, any other good series that were canned by the networks earlier in the year? Nah, it'll be Cricket, cricket and more cricket on Channel Eddie.

  • by Evan on October 12, 2006 at 01:15 PM

So the Sopranos got 378,000 last week and got ditched for rating too low. Comedy Inc got 6,000 fewer viewers and 378,000 Sopranos fans are furious.

  • by Wendell on October 12, 2006 at 02:04 PM

As already noted The Sopranos have been moved to midnight on Monday. More cynical and contemptuous (of their viewers) programming from Nine. Nine's explanation is that it's not rating well enough to warrant being screened at 10.40pm on a Wednesday. Well, what sort of ratings do they expect at that time? And that's a serious question. What sort of figures do they expect at that hour in the middle of the week? (I'm a working mother and it's a stretch for me to stay up that late but maybe I'm out of touch.) Anyway, my husband rang Nine (not something he'd usually do but we were REALLY angry) and the woman who took his call said they'd had hundreds of calls of complaint. Does Nine's Programming department just not care or do they just assume we'll all put on our recorders or is there some Sales dept strategy at play? Could they be trying to drag viewers to midnight on Monday to increase numbers to increase potential sales revenue for a time that's a long way from prime time? Is that possible or do people just set their recorders?

  • by Leanne on October 12, 2006 at 02:11 PM

The best shows on TV are all in late tiem slots!
So glad to see OZ back on the SBS. Its a cracker and really gets me in. But, it clashes with thw most clever show on TV, Boston Legal.
And, please ABC, never take Spicks and Specks off the air. Along with Andrew Denton, another reason the ABC need to be applauded for taking risks the commercial staions wont.
Remember, Working Dog started off as The Live Show on ABS as well.
Lets face it, nobody else would take on the VERRY FUNNY Chasers War on Everything.
Commercial guys, you just aren't grabbing me.
P.S Get Daryl off TV!!!!!

  • by Rob on October 12, 2006 at 02:20 PM

Quoth James at October 12, 2006 10:51 AM: "Ratings seem to be down in general. TGYH was far more enjoyable, and far less cringeworthy than it usually is last night (thank goodness for no Akmal and Hamish), yet received the lowest ratings so far in its second season."

I think Akmal and Hamish were over at Spicks and Specks. (Hamish was at any rate, and I think the other guy was called Akmal. I was a bit distracted by small children last night...)

And ratings seem to be down everywhere. The start of summer-y weather taking its toll, perhaps?

And I saw enough of TGYH to see Andrew G's Hair. Which should have top billing, really. (And, getting back to Spicks & Specks, I have to say that watching Myf's hairstyles week to week is one of my viewing "pleasures". Not quite sure who's styling it - probably Myf herself, I'm sure the ABC's budget doesn't stretch too far - but it's quite an amazing construction each week.)

  • by tqd on October 12, 2006 at 02:51 PM

akmal & hamish were both on spicks and specks... Interestly enough alan brough who is also on s & S was on thank god your here last night... wonder when Myf will get on TGYH!??

  • by anj on October 12, 2006 at 03:17 PM

I can't believe they are cancelling Stargate SG1, I hope my fav Daniel Jackson decides to move to Atlantis. Kaz

  • by Karin on October 12, 2006 at 04:24 PM

I'm sure Survivor will be the next show for the chopping block. With low ratings for the Sopranos and even lower ratings for Comedy Inc, it's only a matter of time before Survivor ends up in the 10.30/10.35/10.40/10.45 timeslot. I'm hedging my bets with the start time because Ch 9 varies it by up to fifteen minutes these days. I don't blame fans for being angry but why haven't more people written to their local federal members to complain about the changes to media laws that continue protect free to air from competition in Australia?

  • by J Bar on October 12, 2006 at 04:28 PM

I thought Andrew G was pretty awful last night on TGYH. I was uncomfortable even watching it. He seemed really nervous, generally awkward and not very funny. However, I was really surprised by Jo Stanley. I thought she was great.

As for the Sopranos, we all know Channel 9 is run by idiots. I don't understand why they never give shows a chance to grow an audience. After only 2 wks they give up and substitute a quality show for something that rates even less.

I wouldn't have thought that 10.30 was a very important timeslot anyway since most networks move shows there when they fail at 8.30 or 9.30 (like the fab Veronica Mars). They do this sort of thing all the time but whenever it happens it still makes me angry.

  • by staci on October 12, 2006 at 04:48 PM

With the NRL season now over, there is only one show I watch on Nine and that is The Sopranos.

Monday at midnight! Are you for real? Great, The Sopranos interrupted by '1900' phonesex ads.

Nine you have never sucked so much! You deserve the backlash you are getting.

I have no intention of watching the lame Comedy Inc. What happens if that too fails to rate to the network's liking? What then Nine? Rome? Double episodes of Survivor? Nip/Tuck? or another 20 to 1 repeat?

Kerry Packer must be rolling in his grave at what has become of his once proud Nine.

  • by Sacs on October 12, 2006 at 04:51 PM

Is David Dale going to write something about Channel 9's total contempt for audiences and its lowest common denominator approach to programming?

When I rang Channel 9 this morning and spoke to the programming department they said Sopranos just didn't rate, advertisers wouldn't pay for it and viewers should be grateful that they are showing it at at all.

Please David give Channel 9 a piece of our minds.

  • by Laura McLeod on October 12, 2006 at 05:02 PM

To the person who said Ch9 was run by idiots, yes well, maybe but bear in mind.. they are expensive idiots.. Eddie got paid $4.4mil to make the decisions he makes :) Cost-cutting could start there , couldn't it then Ch9 could perhaps afford to give decent shows time to settle in. Having said that, all the vitriol focused at the commerical networks, even SBS (which is just hanging for survival)... I for one to not like the antics of the FTA stations but do I think things will get any better? No. Do I think things would even improve if we all had to pay for TV (give Johnny time and he will introduce some Viewing Service Fee akin to TV licences in other countries but for all FTA not just the public broadcaster) ..no sadly even fully paid TV wouldn't improve, nowadays there is too much competition offered by the Web.... what is the actual worth of Ch9 (not its owner PBL) but the station, does it compare with Youtube now? Sadly folks... whilst the internet is taking big chunks of the 16-39 market, FTA programming will not change. IMHO

  • by kate on October 12, 2006 at 06:17 PM

Unbelievable! Who the heck *cares* what position Ten got vs Nine vs Seven?
Does anyone still even BOTHER with those "stats"?
Man! I haven't watched NEITHER of those three in the last 12 months and I don't regret it one bit.
Their advertisers might, but: cry me a river!...
While I'm here: can someone at the SMH please, please, fix up the field order in their blogs?
So that when I hit Tab, I get to the next entry field instead of the top of the screen?
It's *really* not *that* difficult, folks, just requires a *bit* of attention when you design them...

  • by Noons on October 12, 2006 at 10:07 PM

Hey Noons, great rant mate. Its *unbelieveable* that you wasted your precious non TV watching time to post.
Oh, and press tab twice to bring you back to the email field. Its *really* not *that* difficult to overcome such a clunky process, you just need to pay a *bit* of attention when youre using it.
This is a blog about ratings, so obviously some people care. As for not watching any of those commercial networks for 12 months, I guess that says a lot about you then, because obviously you arent into any sport at all. Perhaps too busy downloading patches for your mechwarrior game or maybe running around killing orcs on world of warcraft, maybe downloading too many episodes of docos on alien autopsies or 9/11 conspiracy theories?
Piss off to the whingers blog on IgotPickedOnAtSchool.com...

  • by Dave-o on October 13, 2006 at 08:27 AM

I'm still enjoying 'My Name Is Earl' although I'm quite annoyed that Ch 7 has shown the episodes out of order. Last night's episode was quite obviously an early one in the series. Joy didn't know Catalina's name yet and Darnell thanked Earl for taking over his house.

That's annoying. We need to maintain the rage on the FTA networks.

  • by J Bar on October 13, 2006 at 09:55 AM

To Dave-o, the blog expert:
Listen, extremity-head: it's incompetents like you that give blogging a bad name. The problem is WITH the blog template YOU idiots use. NOT with how people use the blogs. Thank you for telling me of the two-tabs: THAT is the problem, moron!
As for the "sports" being only in the commercial channels. Pull your head out of the proverbial, mate. Sports is a LOT better outside of the crap commercial TV set. Something you and your lot still have to come to grips with. Try to Stay in Touch with reality?
But, I digress: keep watching the rubbish that disguises as commercial "programming, it's very good for your level of intelligence.
Oh, BTW: those computer activities come from your background, stop projecting.

  • by Noons on October 13, 2006 at 10:38 AM

Go Dave-o, That was great! You are right. This is a blog about TV, ratings and shows included. If you don't bother watching, then don't bother writing. It's the same for all those people that write in and say "everything on TV is crap and stop wasting your time , go and read a book or go outside". If you don't like something on telly, don't watch it or tell me i shouldn't.
PS everyone have a great weekend.

  • by Rob on October 13, 2006 at 11:05 AM

#1 = 1.33 million. Where are the TV viewers? Recent figures show that TV viewing hours has risen in the US (better ways to see more programs). Australia it seems is going in the opposite direction. Reason: nothing decent to watch on Oz TV.

  • by canoli on October 13, 2006 at 11:24 AM

I personally think that Australian TV stations are obsessed with 'celebrities' reality shows. The most ridiculous one is celebrity survivor. I mean, someone who is not even in media industry would know that shows like that mean disaster. Putting Imogen Bailey certainly does not help, let alone some other people who think they are 'celebrities'. SERIOUSLY!!!HELLO!!!! WAKE UP AUSTRALIA!!! Then, there's Dancing with the stars...it's more like dancing with who???
I think we can still put up with reality shows as long as they are fresh and interesting. But ENOUGH of the whole CELEBRITY thing!!!
And please no more NICKI WEBSTER...she's just a girl with really bad skin...and little talent.

  • by Fairuz Ibrahim on October 13, 2006 at 11:40 AM

Noons whats your problem. If its all too hard to tab twice i really don't think this blog is for you. I thinks its 'incompetents like you that give blogging a bad name'. You obviously don't care about the "stats" so why are you even on this blog. Have you read your own post.... Makes you look quiet pathetic not Dave-O.

  • by vanessa on October 13, 2006 at 11:41 AM

"I haven't watched NEITHER of those three".
And yet you've referred to someone else as a 'moron', Noons.
Priceless.

  • by poptaculosity on October 13, 2006 at 12:06 PM

Celebrity Survivor.

As one of the draw cards of Survivor was that they were ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, putting celebrities in those circumstances would seem plain dumb.

It is utterly unsurprising this show flopped. I just wonder what fool thought it could succeed

  • by Matthew on October 13, 2006 at 12:40 PM

After 5 nights so far this week 9 has not won a night! Ten on Sunday, 7 on Monday 7 on Tuesday ten on Wednesday and 7 on Thursday. What is the chance that 9 wi