Is Hey Hey Cursed?

What else can go wrong for Hey Hey? Maybe Hey Hey it is Saturday is being cursed for being on a Wednesday?

First there was the failure of their new web site heyhey.tv in their first week back. Then Powderfinger pull out of the second episode last Wednesday. That was followed by the news of Susan Boyle cancelling her Australian visit thereby meaning she will not appear on both the Logies and Hey Hey. And now – after heavy promotion – Jackie MacDonald will not appear on Hey Hey (tonight, April 28) due to sickness.

In the first week, Hey Hey was watched by 1.5 million viewers. By the second week, it was down around 1.2 million – the biggest drop percentage wise of all the big shows that have premiered after Easter so far. Based on that trend, and the fact that people or acts advertised are not appearing, the ratings could fall further – perhaps down to a million this week.

Even time shifted figures for Hey Hey suggest that people who miss it on Wednesday are not watching the show later either. For its first week, only 32,000 recorded Hey Hey to watch later – amid speculation that many would record Hey Hey and watch it on Saturday night.

Why is this happening with guests cancelling? Is it simply a run of bad luck, or poor management? Are the people at Hey Hey not getting firm commitments from guests or do they simply lack the interest in the show? Jackie in particular has not interest in restarting a career but is happy to appear from time to time for her old mate “Dags” (Daryl for those unaware!).

Hey Hey is a live entertainment and variety show – so there is a certain expectation that things may not go to plan from time to time. But in this current television environment – and especially on a Wednesday night – where there are soooo many choices for the viewer, losing key acts or personalities that have been promoted could spell the end of the show prematurely as any person who has tuned in just to see the person advertised will quickly tune out.

Whereas – if the show was on Saturday night – it may well more easily survive these sorts of set backs as there are not as many options on TV on Saturday nights. The reason why I believe Hey Hey will NEVER return to Saturday nights is because the show’s huge Melbourne following would have to chose between Hey Hey or AFL. Then again, if Hey Hey went back to 6.30 Saturdays, with the Video show at 5pm say before the news, you could watch the AFL after 8.30.