The failure of Andrew Denton’s word game comedy Randling to find an audience was partly because of the cost cutting process the ABC put the show through, MD Mark Scott has conceded.
The show, in the ABC’s key 8.30pm Wednesday night comedy slot, struggled to reach a metro audience of 600,000. Its final week, by which time it had moved to 9.30pm, it rated just 434,000.
But the entire 27-episode series was shot before any of it was aired, leaving no opportunity for Denton’s production house Zapruder’s Other Films to develop the format in response to audience reaction.
Scott told Mumbrella’s sister title Encore: “One of the things we did with Randling that we learned from, and this was partly a budget thing, was that we locked all that away. It was all locked away before it went to air. If we had been broadcasting it as we were making it,...
The show, in the ABC’s key 8.30pm Wednesday night comedy slot, struggled to reach a metro audience of 600,000. Its final week, by which time it had moved to 9.30pm, it rated just 434,000.
But the entire 27-episode series was shot before any of it was aired, leaving no opportunity for Denton’s production house Zapruder’s Other Films to develop the format in response to audience reaction.
Scott told Mumbrella’s sister title Encore: “One of the things we did with Randling that we learned from, and this was partly a budget thing, was that we locked all that away. It was all locked away before it went to air. If we had been broadcasting it as we were making it,...
- 1/31/2013
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
Channel Nine’s Mornings has beaten rival The Morning Show across the five city metro market for the first time since it launched.
Mornings rated 141,000 and Seven’s The Morning Show rated 134,000, according to preliminary ratings from OzTAM.
The Nine show won in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane but lost in Adelaide and Perth.
Mornings launched in February with new hosts Sonia Kruger and David Campbell, taking over from previous host Kerri-Anne Kennerley who presented from October 2002 to November 2011. The debut of the relaunched show rated 104,000.
The last time Nine had a win across the five city metro market in the time slot was on 21 October 2008 with Mornings with Kerri-Anne rating 136,000 to The Morning Show’s 135,000.
Meanwhile, seasonal comedy A Moody Christmas produced respectable numbers for its ABC1 debut last night.
Airing at 8.30pm, the show, the first long form situation comedy from production company Jungleboys, rated 677,000, across the five city metro market,...
Mornings rated 141,000 and Seven’s The Morning Show rated 134,000, according to preliminary ratings from OzTAM.
The Nine show won in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane but lost in Adelaide and Perth.
Mornings launched in February with new hosts Sonia Kruger and David Campbell, taking over from previous host Kerri-Anne Kennerley who presented from October 2002 to November 2011. The debut of the relaunched show rated 104,000.
The last time Nine had a win across the five city metro market in the time slot was on 21 October 2008 with Mornings with Kerri-Anne rating 136,000 to The Morning Show’s 135,000.
Meanwhile, seasonal comedy A Moody Christmas produced respectable numbers for its ABC1 debut last night.
Airing at 8.30pm, the show, the first long form situation comedy from production company Jungleboys, rated 677,000, across the five city metro market,...
- 10/31/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
The Chaser’s media and news analysis show The Hamster Wheel returned last night, slightly down in the ratings on last year’s debut.
The team’s opening sketch, a mocking show tune, lampooned not only themselves but ABC1′s struggling Wednesday line-up including mentor Andrew Denton’s Randling, Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell and Qi as well as ratings winners such as The Voice and Howzat.
The ABC1 comedy, which aired at 9.10pm, averaged 784,000 viewers across the five city metro markets according to preliminary ratings from OzTam. It was 12th for the night.
Last year’s premiere, which aired at 9.30pm, rated 857,000 and placed 10th for the night. Both season debuts aired after Gruen Planet.
The Hamster Wheel was seventh in 16-39 and eighth in 18-49 and 25-54.
The team also used music and the subject of ratings to promote their season return, parodying Coles’ ‘Down Down’ ad with Status Quo.
The team’s opening sketch, a mocking show tune, lampooned not only themselves but ABC1′s struggling Wednesday line-up including mentor Andrew Denton’s Randling, Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell and Qi as well as ratings winners such as The Voice and Howzat.
The ABC1 comedy, which aired at 9.10pm, averaged 784,000 viewers across the five city metro markets according to preliminary ratings from OzTam. It was 12th for the night.
Last year’s premiere, which aired at 9.30pm, rated 857,000 and placed 10th for the night. Both season debuts aired after Gruen Planet.
The Hamster Wheel was seventh in 16-39 and eighth in 18-49 and 25-54.
The team also used music and the subject of ratings to promote their season return, parodying Coles’ ‘Down Down’ ad with Status Quo.
- 9/27/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
I always thought that being a footballer must be one of the worst jobs in the world. Having thousands of people watching you up close and howling at your every error.
If I tried to cope with that in my day job, my spelling would be even worse than it is already.
But being a TV programmer must be worse.
There aren’t many gigs where millions of people judge your work every single day.
Every morning at 8.30am, the ratings come through – and we all find out if they are dunces or geniuses.
Right now, it’s the turn of Ten’s David Mott in the firing line. This year, he took a chance on several new pieces of Australian-made programming and so far most of them have not fired.
Which leaves the network struggling for audience share and facing dreadful headlines.
I’m part of that problem, by the way.
If I tried to cope with that in my day job, my spelling would be even worse than it is already.
But being a TV programmer must be worse.
There aren’t many gigs where millions of people judge your work every single day.
Every morning at 8.30am, the ratings come through – and we all find out if they are dunces or geniuses.
Right now, it’s the turn of Ten’s David Mott in the firing line. This year, he took a chance on several new pieces of Australian-made programming and so far most of them have not fired.
Which leaves the network struggling for audience share and facing dreadful headlines.
I’m part of that problem, by the way.
- 8/21/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
One of the independent TV production sector’s most successful collaborations is coming to an end with Anita Jacoby reported to be departing Zapruder’s Other Films, the company she created with Andrew Denton.
Zof merged with Cordell Jigsaw earlier this year.
Zof’s many successful productions have included The Gruen Transfer, Enough Rope and Hungry Beast. The company is also responsible for Can of Worms, Randling and ABC1′s Country Town Rescue.
Jacoby told The Australian: “I only came together with Andrew for 13 weeks to make Enough Rope but it lasted 11 years.”
Jacoby and Denton in a video interview with Mumbrella’s Tim Burrowes two years ago:...
Zof merged with Cordell Jigsaw earlier this year.
Zof’s many successful productions have included The Gruen Transfer, Enough Rope and Hungry Beast. The company is also responsible for Can of Worms, Randling and ABC1′s Country Town Rescue.
Jacoby told The Australian: “I only came together with Andrew for 13 weeks to make Enough Rope but it lasted 11 years.”
Jacoby and Denton in a video interview with Mumbrella’s Tim Burrowes two years ago:...
- 8/19/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
Australia wins silver in the rowing
Day five of Nine’s heavily criticised Olympics coverage saw the network rate with 1.69m – an improvement over the same stage of the comparably timed 2004 Athens Games, which took 1.647m.
The evening coverage, from 8.30pm to 11pm claimed 1.705m, while the early evening slot from 6.50pm to 8.30pm rated with 1.672m, according to preliminary ratings from OzTam.
The Olympics won in every key advertising demographic, with Ten’s MasterChef All Stars following it in the 18-49 and 16-39 demos.
The Olympics coverage was down slightly on Tuesday’s double win, which was 1.79m for Early Evening and 1.539m for Evening.
Gruen Sweat, the Olympic edition of Gruen Transfer, rose in the rankings – despite taking a ratings hit because of the Olympics.
Last week’s episode of the ABC1 ad show took 931,000, placing it 11th for the night and third in its time slot. This week,...
Day five of Nine’s heavily criticised Olympics coverage saw the network rate with 1.69m – an improvement over the same stage of the comparably timed 2004 Athens Games, which took 1.647m.
The evening coverage, from 8.30pm to 11pm claimed 1.705m, while the early evening slot from 6.50pm to 8.30pm rated with 1.672m, according to preliminary ratings from OzTam.
The Olympics won in every key advertising demographic, with Ten’s MasterChef All Stars following it in the 18-49 and 16-39 demos.
The Olympics coverage was down slightly on Tuesday’s double win, which was 1.79m for Early Evening and 1.539m for Evening.
Gruen Sweat, the Olympic edition of Gruen Transfer, rose in the rankings – despite taking a ratings hit because of the Olympics.
Last week’s episode of the ABC1 ad show took 931,000, placing it 11th for the night and third in its time slot. This week,...
- 8/2/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Last night’s winner announcement of the fourth edition of MasterChef rated 2.191m last night – the weakest result of the four series, although it faced tough competition from the final of Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent and the series debut of Gruen Sweat, neither of which rated above 1m.
Meanwhile, The Masterchef contest show show preceding the announcement of Andy Allen as the winner rated 1.888m according to preliminary overnight metro ratings from OzTam. The show delivered The its best ratings of the year and helped the network to a rare win for the night.
Previous Masterchef winner announcement metro ratings:
Series 1: 3.745m Series 2: 3.962m Series 3: 2.568m Series 4: 2.191m
Australia’s Got Talent, won by Andrew de Silva, rated 998,000, seventh for the night.
The result was dramatically down on the 2.91m viewers who tuned in to see the 2011 Agt winner announcement.
ABC1′s Gruen Sweat...
Meanwhile, The Masterchef contest show show preceding the announcement of Andy Allen as the winner rated 1.888m according to preliminary overnight metro ratings from OzTam. The show delivered The its best ratings of the year and helped the network to a rare win for the night.
Previous Masterchef winner announcement metro ratings:
Series 1: 3.745m Series 2: 3.962m Series 3: 2.568m Series 4: 2.191m
Australia’s Got Talent, won by Andrew de Silva, rated 998,000, seventh for the night.
The result was dramatically down on the 2.91m viewers who tuned in to see the 2011 Agt winner announcement.
ABC1′s Gruen Sweat...
- 7/25/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
The Gruen Transfer franchise is to return to ABC1 next month with a four episode Olympics special titled Gruen Sweat followed by ten episodes of Gruen Planet which goes beyond advertising into the world of spin.
Both shows will run at 8.30pm on Wednesdays in the timeslot currently occupied by Randling, which is also produced by Andrew Denton’s Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder.
Randling will move to 9.15pm.
Denton said in a press release: “Every four years, the cream of the world’s advertisers come together for the greatest marketing event in history – two weeks of elite competition played out while the whole planet looks on. This year it’s in London and for the brands taking part, their very presence is a testament to years of dedication and focus, of sweat and toil. What do they want for their efforts? Gold, gold, gold. They want to bring home glory, to...
Both shows will run at 8.30pm on Wednesdays in the timeslot currently occupied by Randling, which is also produced by Andrew Denton’s Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder.
Randling will move to 9.15pm.
Denton said in a press release: “Every four years, the cream of the world’s advertisers come together for the greatest marketing event in history – two weeks of elite competition played out while the whole planet looks on. This year it’s in London and for the brands taking part, their very presence is a testament to years of dedication and focus, of sweat and toil. What do they want for their efforts? Gold, gold, gold. They want to bring home glory, to...
- 6/24/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
An audience of 2.472m viewers watched Nsw beat Queensland in the second match of the 2012 State of Origin Rugby League on Nine.
The match was Wednesday’s clear ratings winner, followed by the pre and post match wrap-ups but was down slightly on the first game result of 2.51m.
However, it was the highest ever game 2 result, with a peak of 2.823m.
Across the five city metro markets, Sydney was the clear winner with 1.185m average viewers ahead of Brisbane’s 774,000. Melbourne had 366,000 viewers while Adelaide had 68,000 and perth 79,000, according to preliminary results from OzTam.
The post-match wrap up took 1.978m viewers, but did not screen in Melbourne while the pre-match show took 1.558m viewers, but did not screen in Adelaide or Perth.
Nine was the clear winner on the night, as The Block won in regular viewing, fourth overall, taking 1.378m followed Nine News taking 1.309m viewers in fifth place.
The match was Wednesday’s clear ratings winner, followed by the pre and post match wrap-ups but was down slightly on the first game result of 2.51m.
However, it was the highest ever game 2 result, with a peak of 2.823m.
Across the five city metro markets, Sydney was the clear winner with 1.185m average viewers ahead of Brisbane’s 774,000. Melbourne had 366,000 viewers while Adelaide had 68,000 and perth 79,000, according to preliminary results from OzTam.
The post-match wrap up took 1.978m viewers, but did not screen in Melbourne while the pre-match show took 1.558m viewers, but did not screen in Adelaide or Perth.
Nine was the clear winner on the night, as The Block won in regular viewing, fourth overall, taking 1.378m followed Nine News taking 1.309m viewers in fifth place.
- 6/13/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Viewers are falling fast for Andrew Denton’s new show Randling, which has fallen from 859,000 on its debut to 488,000 last night, according to preliminary ratings from OzTam.
The ABC1 show rated less than Wild Life at the Zoo on the same channel, which pulled in 515,000.
The return of Amazing Race Australia pulled in 886,000 in the 9pm time slot for Seven, beating Offspring on Ten and The Mentalist on Nine.
Seven won the night overall, pipping Nine by 22.5% to 21.3%.
The day after Nine breakfast show Today recorded its first victory in over a fortnight over Sunrise on Seven, Sunrise responded by winning the morning by almost 100,000 viewers – rating with 390,000 over 287,000. Ten’s Breakfast rated with just 27,000.
Nine renovation show The Block won the Wednesday night ratings, with 1.33m.
Airing between 7pm and 8pm, the show beat an hour and a half episode of MasterChef on Ten, which pulled in 1.094m, and...
The ABC1 show rated less than Wild Life at the Zoo on the same channel, which pulled in 515,000.
The return of Amazing Race Australia pulled in 886,000 in the 9pm time slot for Seven, beating Offspring on Ten and The Mentalist on Nine.
Seven won the night overall, pipping Nine by 22.5% to 21.3%.
The day after Nine breakfast show Today recorded its first victory in over a fortnight over Sunrise on Seven, Sunrise responded by winning the morning by almost 100,000 viewers – rating with 390,000 over 287,000. Ten’s Breakfast rated with just 27,000.
Nine renovation show The Block won the Wednesday night ratings, with 1.33m.
Airing between 7pm and 8pm, the show beat an hour and a half episode of MasterChef on Ten, which pulled in 1.094m, and...
- 5/30/2012
- by Robin Hicks
- Encore Magazine
Leigh Whannell and Angus Sampson’s The Mule is one of 18 productions to receive funding from Film Victoria.
Whannell and Sampson are co-writing and co-producing the black comedy with Paul Clarke and Tony Mahony directing.
Whannell is one of the creators of the Saw horror film series. Sampson was cast in the recent telemovie Beaconsfield as well as Insidious and is currently on Andrew Denton’s Randling.
The Synopsis: “Ray Jenkins, an unlikely drug mule from Sunshine, Victoria, takes on all the authority figures in his life using the only option within his control – holding on!”
Accompanying The Mule, Film Victoria has announced investment of $3m across documentaries, drama series, children’s television and feature films.
Jeni Tosi, CEO of Film Victoria said: “Funding from this round is also supporting the move of both early and mid-career talents into producing and directing on major productions which consolidates the ongoing benefit...
Whannell and Sampson are co-writing and co-producing the black comedy with Paul Clarke and Tony Mahony directing.
Whannell is one of the creators of the Saw horror film series. Sampson was cast in the recent telemovie Beaconsfield as well as Insidious and is currently on Andrew Denton’s Randling.
The Synopsis: “Ray Jenkins, an unlikely drug mule from Sunshine, Victoria, takes on all the authority figures in his life using the only option within his control – holding on!”
Accompanying The Mule, Film Victoria has announced investment of $3m across documentaries, drama series, children’s television and feature films.
Jeni Tosi, CEO of Film Victoria said: “Funding from this round is also supporting the move of both early and mid-career talents into producing and directing on major productions which consolidates the ongoing benefit...
- 5/18/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Last year’s top reality formats continue to struggle to win a big audience consistently, as Wednesday’s top performers were both news programs.
With Seven News taking the top spot with 1.327m, and Nine News behind it with 1.23m, the top entertainment program was Australia’s Got Talent on 1.16m in third place. The talent show ran from 7:30pm to 9pm.
Nine’s The Block and Ten’s Masterchef, both stripped across the week at 7pm is splitting audiences. The Block took 1.128m in fifth place and MasterChef, in sixth place, took 1.025m.
This time last year, Australia’s Got Talent took 1.514m in first place with MasterChef taking 1.443m in second.
Last night, a MasterChef special, MasterChef – Where Are They Nowm followed the cooking contest on Ten, but was split in the ratings by A Current Affair, which took 1.006m in seventh spot. Where Are They Now took 0.991m in eighth spot.
With Seven News taking the top spot with 1.327m, and Nine News behind it with 1.23m, the top entertainment program was Australia’s Got Talent on 1.16m in third place. The talent show ran from 7:30pm to 9pm.
Nine’s The Block and Ten’s Masterchef, both stripped across the week at 7pm is splitting audiences. The Block took 1.128m in fifth place and MasterChef, in sixth place, took 1.025m.
This time last year, Australia’s Got Talent took 1.514m in first place with MasterChef taking 1.443m in second.
Last night, a MasterChef special, MasterChef – Where Are They Nowm followed the cooking contest on Ten, but was split in the ratings by A Current Affair, which took 1.006m in seventh spot. Where Are They Now took 0.991m in eighth spot.
- 5/9/2012
- by Colin Delaney
- Encore Magazine
Andrew Denton’s TV return Randling debuted with an average metro audience of 859,000 on ABC1 last night, beating Nine’s The Apprentice and Ten’s Offspring.
However, Revenge dominated the night for Seven with an average audience of 1.33m, according to preliminary overnight figures from OzTam.
The word game-based Randling is produced by Denton’s Zapruder’s Other Films and created by Denton and Jon Casimir, who also created The Gruen Transfer together.
Celebrity Apprentice rated 841,000 for the challenge section, from 8pm, and 815,000 for the boardroom confrontation from 8.30pm. The hourlong Offspring rated 629,000.
ABC1 saw a falloff after Randling with the season return of Laid rating just 424,000.
Meanwhile, Today had a rare win over Sunrise, driven in part by Sacha Baron Cohen’s outrageous performance on the couch in character as The Dictator’s General Aladeen. Today rated 379,000 while Sunrise rated 372,000.
In mid evening, Australia’s Got Talent rated 1.301m...
However, Revenge dominated the night for Seven with an average audience of 1.33m, according to preliminary overnight figures from OzTam.
The word game-based Randling is produced by Denton’s Zapruder’s Other Films and created by Denton and Jon Casimir, who also created The Gruen Transfer together.
Celebrity Apprentice rated 841,000 for the challenge section, from 8pm, and 815,000 for the boardroom confrontation from 8.30pm. The hourlong Offspring rated 629,000.
ABC1 saw a falloff after Randling with the season return of Laid rating just 424,000.
Meanwhile, Today had a rare win over Sunrise, driven in part by Sacha Baron Cohen’s outrageous performance on the couch in character as The Dictator’s General Aladeen. Today rated 379,000 while Sunrise rated 372,000.
In mid evening, Australia’s Got Talent rated 1.301m...
- 5/2/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
Two prestigious Australian independent production companies have joined forces.
Sydney companies Cordell Jigsaw . established by Michael Cordell and Nick Murray . and Zapruder.s Other Films . led by Andrew Denton, Anita Jacoby and Peter Thompson . have formed Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder (Cjz).
The combined company, touted as the biggest privately-owned production company in Australia, currently has 10 shows in the works for ABC, Nine, Ten, Sbs and Foxtel. Such series include quiz show Randling (ABC), telemovie The Great Mint Swindle (Nine), Mega Truckers (Foxtel) and Country Town Rescue (ABC). The first show goes to air this Wednesday morning on ABC3 . You're Skitting Me . which was previously known as Lol. The children's sketch show is a first for Australia.
Established in 2005, Cordell Jigsaw has been responsible for such productions as Bondi Rescue, Hardliners, Recruits, O.Loughlin and the popular Go Back To Where You Came From. The latter . Sbs. highest-rated show of 2011 . saw Cordell...
Sydney companies Cordell Jigsaw . established by Michael Cordell and Nick Murray . and Zapruder.s Other Films . led by Andrew Denton, Anita Jacoby and Peter Thompson . have formed Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder (Cjz).
The combined company, touted as the biggest privately-owned production company in Australia, currently has 10 shows in the works for ABC, Nine, Ten, Sbs and Foxtel. Such series include quiz show Randling (ABC), telemovie The Great Mint Swindle (Nine), Mega Truckers (Foxtel) and Country Town Rescue (ABC). The first show goes to air this Wednesday morning on ABC3 . You're Skitting Me . which was previously known as Lol. The children's sketch show is a first for Australia.
Established in 2005, Cordell Jigsaw has been responsible for such productions as Bondi Rescue, Hardliners, Recruits, O.Loughlin and the popular Go Back To Where You Came From. The latter . Sbs. highest-rated show of 2011 . saw Cordell...
- 2/26/2012
- by Sam Dallas
- IF.com.au
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