Throng

Channel 9 have today sent out a press release boasting of their success over key demographics and how many programs have increased their share in 2009 so far. While the report is no doubt aimed at their advertisers to show how well the channel is doing, the overall ratings results do not seem to commensurate with the details in the press release, with shows like Two And a Half Men now regularly coming forth in their time slot.

Nine boasts that they have enjoyed record breaking performances with shows like Underbelly, and the State of Origin series so far.

Shows like Underbelly, Sea Patrol, Hot Seat and Today they claim have built audience shares for most of their key demographics. Aussie Ladette to Lady is reported to have improved over the results of the UK version aired on 9 in 2008.

Then there is Two and a Half Men. Quote: “Two and a Half Men has continued to deliver laughs, increasing year on year against advertiser preferred demographics”. Perhaps the proliferation of episodes is really for the benefit of advertisers with little concern of the overall viewers, or assuming there is a settling effect where viewers chose Two and a Half Men due to a lack of options. It is interesting though that Masterchef on Ten seems to have drawn its audience from elsewhere, really having little effect on Two and a Half Men.

And finally, they say that Today on Saturday has had very large increases in audience share since it began. Well, obviously! It was on air one Saturday morning with absolutely no warning at all. It was not until the 3rd week that it was even promoted in printed guides.