Sunday night’s Logie awards could have created more problems for WIN when it comes to its local news bulletins.
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Last month Channel Nine announced it had ended the long-running relationship with WIN and had linked up with Southern Cross.
The deal means that, from July 1, Southern Cross will have the rights to broadcast Channel Nine’s shows.
For WIN, this means pairing with Ten – the only major network left – or have a lot of dead air in a little under two months.
There has been much speculation about the future of WIN’s news bulletins, given the fact they cost the network more to make than they bring in via advertising revenues.
If the broadcaster does decide to continue with local news, there is another problem it will face – where to put it in the schedule?
The Channel Ten evening schedule is already thick with the network’s most popular – and Logie-winning – shows.
At 5pm there is an hour of national news, followed by Family Feud, which won a Logie for best entertainment program and a Gold Logie nomination for host Grant Denyer.
After that comes The Project – hosted by Gold Logie winner Waleed Aly, who also took home a second gong for Best Presenter.
So what show do you move to fit in a half-hour of local news?
Getting rid of The Project would be a risky move – Aly has strengthened the show and broadened its reach.
He’s also given it credibility – the only Project videos anyone shares on social media are his.
Speaking of social media – The Project uses it during the broadcast. If a regional broadcaster shows it in a different timeslot, then that interactivity with the audience is damaged.
With Family Feud, Denyer has seriously boosted the ratings of the show so much there are people who only watch it for him.
Besides, these two guys just won Logies – that must buy them the right to stay where they are for a while.
Anyway, it’s doubtful WIN could slot the local news in at 6pm and push the other shows back a half-hour.
That’s because sitting in the coveted 7.30pm slot is MasterChef, perhaps the most popular show on Ten.
Maybe the only option might be to go early – risking the rage of soapie addicts by bumping The Bold and the Beautiful at 4.30pm to a digital network.
But then, why would you broadcast your local news 30 minutes before anyone gets home from work?
One thing’s for sure, there are plenty of regions hoping the network can find the space – and money – for the news coverage to continue.
