All at sea for MIPCOM TV

Nine boss David Gyngell has moored the Packer yacht within sight of MIPCOM's TV trade fair, reportedly to show Seven and TEN he means business.

MIPCOM is being held in Cannes and ends tomorrow.

Gyngell is said to be buying up big on game shows for the network in 2008.

He also has programming boss Michael Healey, head of production Andrew Backwell, factual entertainment boss John McAvoy and LA-based program buyer Andrea Keir at his side.

Nine already has the game show Power of Ten in the pipeline, and has all but forgotten about another, Show Me The Money, it announced as part of its 2007 line-up.

Checkout a floorplan and exhibitors at MIPCOM TV here.

Sources: news.com.au, mipcom
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Out of the Arena

Foxtel took over the management of the Arena Channel from XYZ Networks earlier this month and it has opted not to continue Kathryn Eisman's role as a channel presenter.

Eisman was a reporter for the Xclusive showbiz programme.

"We are developing a new slate for Arena and unfortunately Kathryn doesn't fit in with those plans," a spokesperson told the Daily Telegraph.

But Eisman was upbeat. "From my perspective nothing has changed - I'm still contracted to XYZ and I respect that, I'm excited to be working with them," she said.

"We're just seeing how everything falls after the change." Read more...

Gallery: Nip / Tuck

TV Tonight is pleased to bring you these hot-off-the-scalpel photos and clips of Nip / Tuck season 5 which airs in the US later this month.

Thanks to our friends at FX Network I have received these sexy promo pics and clips of the forthcoming season, even though there is no sign of them airing here in Australia just yet.

Australia still has not had Series 4 on free-to-air TV, - in fact the identity of the shocking, serial Carver still has not been revealed from Series 3! So be warned the following contains spoilers (but relax, no Carver hints).

In Series 5 McNamara / Troy moves its practice from Miami to LA.

As you can see in the land of the perfect, the show will revel in bright scenery and gloriously indulgent characters! There are also a string of guest stars in this longest 22 episode season of the drama.












Please avoid any detailed spoilers in any comments.

Nip / Tuck premieres in the US at 10pm Tuesday October 30 on FX Read more...

Nielsen backflips on new US rating rule

That new ruling by US Ratings kings Nielsen which allowed repeat episodes to combined is no more.

The ruling, which recognised combined audiences if a show was repeated in the same week with the same advertising content, was used by NBC for Heroes -boosting the show's season premiere to 17m viewers. Without the repeat the following week it had 12m.

But Nielsen copped so much flak for the idea from clients it's done away with the idea effective immediately. The strategy was introduced to adapt to shifting audience patterns. Unlike years gone by, we no longer watch a free to air episode at the same time, or even from the same medium, as we used to.

Nielsen says it will continue to move with technological change to measure audiences.

Source: Mediaworks
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Bumped: Damages. Returning: Without a Trace.

Hate to say I told you so.

Only hours ago TV Tonight speculated that Damages would move to 10:30pm following lowly figures of only 463,000 viewers last night.

Nine has just announced that's exactly what it will do.

The show moves by one hour to make way for the return of Without A Trace effective immediately. The first episode from Season 6, "Lost Boy, will air next Wednesday at 9:30pm. It aired in the US on September 27.

Moving from 10:30pm is Comedy Inc which heads off to 11pm Sunday nights as from this weekend. In this deadzone timeslot it now matches TEN's 10:50pm Saturday timeslot for The Wedge. Yep, first-run Aussie comedy is really a winner. At least in terms of their local quota value, anyway.

And the domino effect is all bad news for any fans of Close to Home (hands up the four of you) which is out of the schedule after all this switcheroo.

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More downloads offered for 2008.

Channels Nine and TEN will be offering more full-episode television programmes for download next year, as networks ramp up their online offerings.

Both networks expect to offer free downloads supplemented by advertising.

Seven's position on full-length episodes remains unclear.

Nine has so far offered a largely fee-based service for McLeod's Daughters, Sea Patrol, CSI and Madmen (pictured). But its free, online premiere of Sea Patrol triggered four times the downloads than its pay service of around $2 an episode.

TEN has so far had Supernatural and Thank God You're Here on offer. "The reality is the mass audience is still with the broadcast channel. Then you've got the passionate 20 [per cent] who clearly want more and that's where online and mobile steps in," TEN's general manager of digital media, Damian Smith told the Australian.

Nine's Jane O'Connell agreed. "The only thing holding us back is broadband speeds. Audiences would love it."

US networks continue to see a ferocious appetite for downloaded television programmes with a variety of online platforms. ABC.com has had 140 million views since it replaced its paid online service for a broadband video player.

Source: The Australian.
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Channel V iced with embarrassment

A 'harmless' SMS question on music Channel V's What U Want backfired after viewers were outraged with the text answers that scrolled across their screen last weekend.

Following a clip of the skating movie Blades of Glory viewers were asked to message "their favourite memories on ice."

What followed were drug-related answers scrolling across the bottom of the screen including "Everything's great on meth!", "Lots of sex" and "Too many to name."

Channel V has apologised for a failure in its moderation process.

"Channel V in no way endorses the use of drugs and in fact it is currently in development on an educational series for a youth audience on the drug ice," Foxtel's general manager of music channels Tara King said in a statement yesterday.

Source: Daily Telegraph
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Too smart for its own good?

It's easily one of the best on the box.

Classy, dark, malicious and chockful of powderkeg performances.

But is the sprawling, complex plot of Damages too smart for its own good? Ratings for the legal thriller both in Australia and the US have failed to match the critical acclaim.

Last night against tough competition, Damages had only 463,000 viewers nationally. In TV's newest competitive slot it was crushed by the ABC's Summer Heights High with just under 1.2m viewers. TEN's Life performed admirably in its second week with just over 1.1m viewers. Prison Break had around 800,000. All four shows have positive critical acclaim. And SBS has now even weighed in to the timeslot with Shaun Micallef's Newstopia at 10pm.

A figure of 463,000 is certain death at 9:30pm, but Nine is dogged by the humiliation that one of its biggest new acquisitions, screened just weeks after its US premiere will be seen as a failure. It also dropped from its Cold Case lead in of 878,000.

Damages is defined by the unravelling of a twisted, Shakespearean-like crime in which the lines between good and evil blur and switch. It is further layered by its predominantly flashback plot. Anyone who isn't up to speed on the "story so far" is likely to have been left behind in a backwash of intricate legal manoeuvres.

In the US it's the same problem. "The ratings are pretty middling," said John Landgraf, president of cable's FX Network. "It's nothing to write home about. The very thing that makes people so excited about it, the heavily layered serialization, makes it a challenge in the current environment," Landgraf said.

There are three episodes remaining in the US but no guarantees of a second season. The premise of Damages has always been to focus on one legal case per season. The show's fates are now pinned on it winning awards to help greenlight a second series. If Glenn Close isn't interested bet your bottom dollar the show will be over.

Meanwhile should Nine move this show, and regrettably on those figures it should, please god let it air at 10:30. Killing it off altogether would be criminal.

Ratings Week 41

Additional source: LA Times
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First Review: The Abbey

How do you solve a problem like living with Benedictine nuns?

33 days is practically the length of the endurance test a Survivor winner waits to win $1Million. It’s the same duration that five Aussie women will spend in a monastery, shunning modern luxuries, mobile phones, and even conversation for not one red cent. Who on earth would agree to this?

And more to the point, why would humble nuns allow a TV crew shooting their every move? Such is the fascination of The Abbey, the ABC’s new 3 part observational series.

I presume, like the Customs and Quarantines or RSPCA have found, this is an exercise in TV PR. If this series resonates with viewers it may unlock a wider communal spirituality.

Heading up The Abbey is Sister Hilda, a straight-forward, dinky-di character who will oversee the womens’ indoctrination. “They are going to die!” she assures us. Yikes. Hilda serves as Narrator, a new-found skill given her heavy-handed approach to “Spelling! Out! The! Drama!” Nuntheless, (oh the array of puns…) Hilda is a dear old thing, relishing the charge of her five Benedictine proteges.

The sisters arise at 4am daily -to pray for the rest of us who are about to start our day. Talk about Catholic guilt. They also go to church seven times a day. A DAY! And they are almost-universally silent, even during communal meals. Julie Andrews would be impaling herself with her guitar by the second day with this lot.

Our five women are diversely cast: from Gold Coast socialite to divorced country woman facing 50 (she was particularly interesting, there may well be more to her story…). In an idyllic setting their routine is regimented to an inch of its life, from prayer to gardening to candlework and more prayer. Such self-sustaining sisters could probably commandeer the QEII without batting a habit.

That said, I couldn’t help but wonder how the presence of camera crews affected them –were these nuns really so godly, or did they have wine racket with the greenies on the side?

The Abbey is an intruiging exercise, and a world the ABC is more than chuffed to access. It’s certainly interesting to see what lengths some will go to to attain sprituality and seeing what others will endure just to define their own community.

Compass: The Abbey premieres 9:25pm Sunday on ABC. Read more...

Towering trouble for TCN

Following moves by City of Yarra Council in Melbourne to review planning regulations over the future use of the GTV9 site, now Willoughby Council is similarly keen to see Sydney's TCN site given to low-scale residential use if the site is redeveloped.

The council may allow medium to higher density housing to the centre and east parts of the site.

A report in today's Australian also said the transmission tower at Willoughby could not be moved. "The Channel Nine (Sydney) tower can't be relocated, because the towers need to stay in one geographic location; otherwise, the viewers would need to re-point and optimise the antenna relief system," said Joe Giovenco, the chief executive of TX Australia.

But the value of the 233ha site may not be fully realised without the removal of the Nine tower.

"It's a bit of a unique case," said commercial valuer Wayne Wotton. "It's just a turn-off. It detracts from the presentation of the property."

Source: The Australian
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Californication lands ACMA investigation

The Australian Communications and Media Authority will investigate Network TEN's Californication following complaints from lobby groups.

ACMA confirmed it would launch an investigation to Christian group, the Festival of Light.

"This is a show on cable in the US and not free-to-air like here in Australia," Festival of Light spokeswoman Roslyn Phillips told AAP.

"There is still a long way to go. We made our complaint in writing, and Channel TEN responded to the complaint, but ACMA will launch an investigation.

"We are happy with this move but not happy with the show," she said. "We don't like the way the Catholic Church is treated, it's beyond the pale."

Network TEN defends that the show complies with appropriate broadcasting classification rulings for its timeslot, and attracts an audience of around 900,000 each week.

However freedom of speech is a wonderful thing. While the show is racy and lascivious, it is likely ACMA will be particularly interested in whether the programme is discriminatory towards sectors of the community, including the Christian religion. Read more...

Airdate: Viva Laughlin

Hugh Jackman's anticipated new series Viva Laughlin will premiere on Nine on Monday October 22nd at 8:30pm.

It promises to be a big night for the network, following its first trial of the live 90 minute Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

The series is a musical drama, adapted from the BBC's Viva Blackpool which aired here on the ABC.

Nine screens it just days after its US premiere on October 18.

Jackman and Melanie Griffith play recurring characters in the series which stars Lloyd Owen as a casino owner whose financing collapses just as he lands in the middle of a murder investigation. Jackman plays his arch rival.

As with the BBC original, musical numbers are performed through the episodes.

Nine is gambling on a night itself, as it seeks to turnaround the misfortunes of its Monday programming. Following the premiere of Viva Laughlin it will screen the movie Monster-In-Law.

Weeds and Girls of the Playboys Mansion will not air that night.

Australia’s own Hugh Jackman stars alongside Melanie Griffith as rivals in the casino town of Laughlin in a tale of sex, power and greed. All set to a hot Las Vegas style soundtrack. Also stars Lloyd Owen and DB Woodside.

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Airdate: Farmer Wants a Wife

Nine's new reality show Farmer Wants a Wife will air later this month, replacing McLeod's Daughters.

It will premiere at 7:30pm on Wednesday October 24.

In the series 6 farmers will feature, each looking for a prospective partner. The host is Natalie Gruzlewski.

'Farmer Brad' (pictured) is 30 years old and lives at Swan Hill. "I work with machinery, my hands and in the office also. At the end of the day my creativity is expressed through the crops we grow," he says. But Brad is still single despite having "studied alternate therapies, been to ashrams, enjoy bush festivals, read extensively on spirituality and personal development."

"I'm looking for a fun, down to earth and open minded woman. Someone who is comfortable with who she is and with a natural radiance. A woman with an open heart and a beautiful radiant soul!" he says.

SBS has also played matchmaker with a similar concept, Desperately Seeking Sheila, introducing Aussie men to British women.

The Australian bush is unforgiving territory and the men who live here are the soul of the country, but even they need someone to help them love the land.

It has been almost impossible for farmers to meet the woman of their dreams – until now. The Farmer Wants A Wife, which premieres at 7.30pm Wednesday, October 24 on Nine, offers six of Australia’s most eligible farmers a solution to their love problem. This is not a competition, there is no prize money, and the only winner in the end is … love.

The farmers are all prime husband material. Following hundreds of applications from women across Australia, we will follow the farmers’ road to romance over six weeks and it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

To begin the search our farmers posted their profiles online and women applied to meet them. From the applications each farmer selected 10 women, and that’s where we join them on their quest for love.

Series host Natalie Gruzlewski said: “I’ve had an absolute blast getting to know this great group of guys – I can’t believe they’re single!

“I’ve loved being a part of this journey with them and watching the changes in each of them as they pursue the chance to discover the girl of their dreams.”

In episode one, six farmers and 60 excited city girls all head to a country estate where the farmers snatch five minutes with each of their 10 women. After the speed dating there’s a chance for the ladies to mingle while the farmers have a potentially life-changing decision to make: which five girls do they want to see again?

The farmers cull their list to five women and over the coming weeks they take their top five on a group date – ranging from ice skating to a harbour cruise and a Spanish dancing class. For some the chemistry is obvious.

At the end of the group date each farmer faces another enormous decision: he has to invite two women to spend 10 days on his farm – together – to see if love will blossom, and make a final choice between the two.

Can the women eventually chosen give up city life? Will tension flare in the household? Rural work will be hard and dirty and for some women just too much. And the prize of a lifetime up for grabs? The chance that love will finally bloom in the outback … and the farmer will indeed find a wife.

The Farmer Wants A Wife is a FremantleMedia Australia production for the Nine Network. To meet the farmers visit ninemsn.com.au/farmerwantsawife. Read more...

Kiefer heading to jail

Even Jack Bauer won't be able to get him out of this one.

Kiefer Sutherland is heading for time behind bars following his drink-driving charge in LA. The 24 star gave no contest to a plea agreement of 30 days served by July 1 next year.

Sutherland is already due for 18 days in the custody of the L.A. County Sheriff starting December 21st.

20th Century Fox is pleased the terms can be served without interrupting production on the latest series.

"Kiefer made clear to us at the time of his arrest that his first concern was the welfare of those he worked with and that he intended to do whatever was necessary to prevent shutting down the show because of his situation," a statement from the studio said.

Source: Variety.

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Naked Manly prank causes red faces

Interviewing spots players after a match is always tricky business and after the Manly Sea Eagles lost to Melbourne Storm, FOX Sports cameras caught little more than it intended.

Player Michael Robertson was seen in the background of an interview exposed in a shower, or rather, swinging his genitalia around, presumably as a prank to lift his teammates' losing mood.

The footage, pre-recorded, was clumsily aired by FOX Sports. Even more foolishly, it was emailed by a FOX employee to a friend, who posted it on You Tube.

You can see the offending clip here. Warning contains nudity!


Meanwhile there are now calls to the Rugby Leage Professionals Association to ban cameras from changerooms until 45 minutes after a game.

Last year TEN got into trouble when AFL players were heard to drop the 'F' word after the AFL Grand Final. This year NRL players also let fly with the F word, but after 9:30pm.

Source: Daily Telegraph.
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Mortified up for International Emmy

Channel Nine's kids' comedy-drama Mortified has been nominated in the 2007 International Emmy Awards.

It is the only Australian TV entry to have made the nominee list.

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is the largest organisation of global broadcasters, with members from nearly 70 countries. Mortified will compete with entries from Brazil, Singapore and Poland.

The series stars Marny Kennedy as Taylor Fry, an 11yo girl with 'an overheated imagination,' dreaming of becoming a child astronaut or living with Nicole Kidman. Kennedy won an AFI award in 2006 as Best Young Actor and the series won Best Children's Drama.

Mortified was written by author and broadcaster Angela Webber who died of lung cancer at the age of 52 in March this year, despite never smoking. One of her ambitions was to live long enough to see the show air, which she achieved.

Mortified has been sold to 15 countries and been awarded by the Chicago International Children's Film Festival and two awards at the New York Festival, including the grand award for best youth program.

It is yet to win a Logie.

Sources: IEmmys, AusTV
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