SBS adopts Earth watch

For the next six weeks, SBS will remind us all to live a greener life.

Under the banner, Future Focus, the network will screen documentaries and reality programmes that highlight environmental, scientific and social issues.

The first of these, Five Ways to Save the World airs tonight at 8:30pm. This programme presents "five radical, large-scale ideas that could save us from disaster. Some of their plans include shielding the earth from the sun with extra clouds, storing 'artificial trees' underground and using heavy artillery to fire sulphur into the stratosphere."

Other programmes to screen include:

• The Planet
• Eco House Challenge
• 2057: the World in 50 Years
• New Cyberspace Worlds.
• Five Disasters Waiting To Happen

Read more...

Falconio telemovie airs in the UK

Murder in the Outback had its UK television premiere on Easter Sunday. Here's what some of the Brits thought about the Australian-made telemovie...

The Times Online said: "I admired this dramatisation. Froggatt was excellent, as was Bryan Brown as the low-key but ultimately effective prosecutor, the splendidly named Rex Wild."

The Guardian said: "It's been done incredibly well - not something you often hear about ITV drama. At the heart of its success is an extraordinary performance by Joanne Froggatt as Joanne Lees.."

The Argus emphasises it was produced without Lees consent as does rival producer, the BBC.

The Sunday Times adding: " For Granada, which has prided itself on its journalistic integrity regarding true crime, making it without Lees’s involvement means 'breaking an unbreakable rule.'"

The Sun merely profiles the real Lees, as a barmaid in an English pub.
Read more...

Behind the effluent Kath & Kim deal

More news today from behind the scenes of the sale of Kath and Kim to Seven.

The ABC continues to defend its position amid questions about why it did not have a watertight position to retain the hit series.

But prior to walking, producer Rick McKenna tried to nut out a workable deal with the broadcaster. Ultimately, to produce the series the way the girls wanted, the ABC would have had to axe other shows. The public broadcaster was hamstrung by its financial constraints.

Amongst the other interesting revelations are:

• Suggestion that this series is likely to include storylines with the girls away from Fountain Lakes, probably a Queensland island resort.
• Jane Turner and Gina Riley were absolute in retaining all 44 production crew.
• TEN's offer was soft in the money department.
• Nine wavered on its offer thinking ABC had won.
  
• Part of Seven's appeal was that it had introduced the girls to US Producer Ben Silverman, producer of Ugly Betty, who is now developing their US pilot.
• The budget for this series is between $5-7m.
• Leaking advance info of the series in production, including guest stars Shane Warne and Matt Lucas increased the value of the series prior to a deal being secured.
• Staying at the ABC would have meant other ABC productions would face the axe to meet budget demands.
• ABC had always owned a huge chunk of merchandise sales, a sore point for Riley and Turner.

What the report doesn't mention is that Seven's introduction of Ben Silverman could have also been facilitated by TEN.

Silverman's Reveille productions has a cozy deal with TEN that has seen it air The Biggest Loser, The Office, 30 Days, The $25m Hoax and The Restaurant. TEN missed out on Ugly Betty because Reveille produces it with Buena Vista (Disney) with which Seven has an output deal.

He is currently producer of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?

Full story in The Australian. Read more...

Ratings Week 15

Non-ratings week:

Thursday:
1 Seven News Seven 1,379,000
2 Today Tonight Seven 1,326,000
3 Missing Persons Unit Nine 1,256,000
4 My Name Is Earl Seven 1,204,000
5 Nine News Nine 1,203,000
6 A Current Affair Nine 1,182,000
7 Getaway Nine 1,180,000
8 Law And Order: SVU Rpt Ten 1,149,000
9 The Footy Show Nine 1,136,000
10 Home And Away Seven 1,128,000
11 Lost Seven 1,113,000
12 How I Met Your Mother Seven 1,088,000
13 The Biggest Loser (Aus) Ten 1,075,000
14 Temptation Nine 1,012,000
15 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Rpt Ten 951,000

Wednesday:
1 Seven News: 1,387,000
2 McLeod's Daughters: 1,333,000
3 Today Tonight: 1,326,000
4 Spicks and Specks 1,310,000
5 The Chaser 1,303,000
6 Nine News 1,290,000
7 Air Crash Investigations: 1,212,000
8 A Current Affair: 1,177,000
9 Home And Away: 1,140,000
10 Heroes: 1,140,000
11 The Biggest Loser: 1,140,000
12 Temptation: 1,055,000
13 House: 1,034,000


Tuesday:
1 Dancing With The Stars 6 Seven 1,794,000
2 All Saints Seven 1,609,000
3 Seven News Seven 1,444,000
4 Today Tonight Seven 1,378,000
5 The Biggest Loser (Aus) - The Eliminated Return Ten 1,299,000
6 Nine News Nine 1,214,000
7 Home And Away Seven 1,160,000
8 A Current Affair Nine 1,148,000
9 NCIS Rpt Ten 1,057,000
10 Temptation Nine 988,000

Monday:
1 Seven News Seven 1,533,000
2 Today Tonight Seven 1,530,000
3 1 Vs 100 Nine 1,439,000
4 The Biggest Loser Elimination Ten 1,319,000
5 Nine News Nine 1,296,000
6 A Current Affair Nine 1,238,000
7 Bondi Rescue Rpt Ten 1,226,000
8 Extreme: Celebrity Surgery Seven 1,167,000
9 Home And Away Seven 1,166,000
10 CSI: NY -Rpt Nine 1,067,000
11 Temptation Nine 1,037,000
12 ABC News ABC 1,021,000
13 Ten News At Five Ten 973,000
14 What's Good For You -Rpt Nine 955,000
15 Deal Or No Deal Seven 888,000
16 Neighbours Ten 841,000
17 7.30 Report ABC 825,000
18 Australian Story ABC 807,000
19 M-Japanese Story Seven 747,000
20 Four Corners ABC 745,000
21 Cops Ten 699,000
22 Supernatural Rpt Ten 659,000
23 Monday Afternoon AFL Ten 658,000
24 Mythbusters SBS 644,000

Sunday:
1 Seven News - Sun Seven 1,368,000
2 Australia's Got Talent Seven 1,227,000
3 Nine News Sun Nine 1,183,000
4 CSI -Rpt Nine 1,140,000
5 60 Minutes Nine 1,125,000
6 The Biggest Loser Weigh-In Ten 1,088,000
7 Rove Ten 999,000
8 CSI: Miami -Rpt Nine 958,000
9 Thank God You're Here Rpt Ten 865,000
10 My Family And Other Animals ABC 860,000
11 ABC News-Sun Abc 837,000
12 Entertaining Friends With The A.W.W. Nine 760,000
13 Ten News At Five Sun Ten 704,000
14 Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search For The Next Doll Ten 678,000
15 The Garden Gurus - Saving Your Backyard Nine 663,000 Read more...