Throng

Channel Seven today unveiled its AFL commentary line-up for the 2012 premiership season. 

As the sole free-to-air TV broadcaster, Seven will show the four best games every weekend during the home-and-away season – on Friday nights, Saturday afternoons, Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons. 

On Friday Nights, which begin at 7.30pm in Melbourne, the iconic commentary team of BRUCE MCAVANEY, DENNIS COMETTI, LEIGH MATTHEWS, TIM WATSON, TOM HARLEY and MATTHEW RICHARDSON will return once again.  

Kicking off at 6.30pm, the new Saturday Night coverage will feature the irrepressible BRIAN ‘BT’ TAYLOR, Bulldogs champion LUKE DARCY, Geelong premiership skipper CAMERON LING and RICHO.

On Saturday afternoons, beginning at 3pm, AFL Game Day host HAMISH MCLACHLAN and 7 Perth sports presenter BASIL ZEMPILAS will call the action, with the coaching legend MICK MALTHOUSE and TOM HARLEY providing expert comments and former Swans captain BRETT KIRK the field commentary. 

Then on Sundays from 3pm BRUCE, DENNIS and TIM return, joined by either CAMERON LING or BRETT KIRK who will share field commentary duties for the season.  

Collectively they represent the most decorated, revered and popular figures in AFL football today. Seven’s team has won 21 premierships, 17 best-and-fairest awards and played or coached in 3315 games.

The Managing Director of Seven Melbourne, Lewis Martin, said: “Like every footy fan we couldn’t be more excited about the season ahead. It was in May last year that we first drew up a list of our dream commentary team. Well, we’ve drafted exactly that dream team, and now they’ve lined up in their positions. We can’t wait for the opening bounce.”

Friday Night Football

Bruce McAvaney

Dennis Cometti

Leigh Matthews

Tim Watson

Tom Harley

Matthew Richardson

Saturday Arvo Football

 Hamish McLachlan

Basil Zempilas

Mick Malthouse

Tom Harley 

Brett Kirk

Saturday Night Football

 Brian Taylor

Luke Darcy

Matthew Richardson

Cameron Ling

Sunday Football

 Bruce McAvaney

Dennis Cometti

Tim Watson

Cameron Ling

Brett Kirk

When music legend Molly Meldrum fell at his home a week before Christmas, friends and colleagues could only wait and hope for good news.

As the weeks progressed, it was clear 2012 for Molly would be a very different year. Battles for guests and ratings were gone, replaced with a battle to stay alive.

This weekend on Sunday Night, host Chris Bath speaks in-depth for the first time with the only visitors Molly is allowed – his brother Brian, and long-time assistant and dear friend Yael Cohen.

Hear the emergency call that saved his life on the day everything changed.

For the first time, Sunday Night will reveal the untold story – what really happened that day – and ask the people who know, what does the future for Molly hold?

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin, The History Channel will premiere the exclusive one-hour documentary THE BOMBING OF DARWIN: An Awkward Truth on Sunday, February 19 at 7.30pm AEDT.
 
On February 19, 1942, the same Japanese forces that attacked Pearl Harbor struck Darwin, dropping more bombs, killing more civilians and sinking more ships.
 
The attack was one of Australia’s most shocking disasters and its first physical contact with WWII and yet the magnitude of the attack and the death and devastation that followed has, for decades, remained virtually unknown – an awkward truth.
 
This explosive documentary examines why the Australian military was totally unprepared for the sudden attack and why the government chose to keep the bombing a dark secret.
 
Following the fall of Singapore, many feared a Japanese invasion was imminent, but with the bulk of its troops overseas, Australia was unprepared and ill-equipped for war on its own doorstep. Tragically, the nation’s deepest fears would soon be realised.
 
At 9.58am on February 19, 1942, Japanese bombers and fighter planes appeared in the sky over Darwin and began a day of carnage. By its end, the surprise attack would leave over 250 people dead, a town burning in ruins, eight ships sunk and an air force base bombed into oblivion.
 
Drawing on long-hidden documents, incorporating rarely-seen archival footage and using dramatisations, eyewitness accounts from survivors and expert commentary, this gripping documentary finally reveals the true story surrounding the attack, as well as the disturbing events that occurred in the aftermath.
 
THE BOMBING OF DARWIN: An Awkward Truth was commissioned by The History Channel and produced by Artemis International.

The executive producers of House, David Shore, Katie Jacobs and Hugh Laurie, have released this statement on Facebook regarding the future of the series:

After much deliberation, the producers of House M.D. have decided that this season of the show, the 8th, should be the last. By April this year they will have completed 177 episodes, which is about 175 more than anyone expected back in 2004.

The decision to end the show now, or ever, is a painful one, as it risks putting asunder hundreds of close friendships that have developed over the last eight years – but also because the show itself has been a source of great pride to everyone involved.

Since it began, House has aspired to offer a coherent and satisfying world in which everlasting human questions of ethics and emotion, logic and truth, could be examined, played out, and occasionally answered.  This sounds like fancy talk, but it really isn’t.  House has, in its time, intrigued audiences around the world in vast numbers, and has shown that there is a strong appetite for television drama that relies on more than prettiness or gun play.

But now that time is drawing to a close.  The producers have always imagined House as an enigmatic creature;  he should never be the last one to leave the party.  How much better to disappear before the music stops, while there is still some promise and mystique in the air.

The producers can never sufficiently express their gratitude to the hundreds of dedicated artists and technicians who have given so generously of their energy and talent to make House the show it has been – and perhaps will continue to be for some time, on one cable network or another.

The makers of House would also like to thank Fox Broadcasting and Universal Television for supporting the show with patience, imagination and large quantities of good taste.  The Studio-As-Evil-Adversary is one of the many clichés that House has managed to avoid, and for that the cast and crew are deeply grateful.

Lastly, the audience: some have come and some have gone, obviously. This is to be expected in the life of any show. But over the course of the last eight years, the producers of House have felt immensely honored to be the subject of such close attention by an intelligent, discriminating, humane and thoughtful – not to mention numerous – audience. Even the show’s detractors have been flattering in their way. Making the show has felt like a lively and passionate discussion about as many different subjects as could possibly be raised in 177 hours. The devotion and generosity of our viewers has been marvelous to behold.

So, finally, everyone at House will bid farewell to the audience and to each other with more than a few tears, but also with a deep feeling of gratitude for the grand adventure they have been privileged to enjoy for the last eight years.  If the show lives on somewhere, with somebody, as a fond memory, then that is a precious feat, of which we will always be proud.

Everybody Lies.

STATEMENT FROM KEVIN REILLY, PRESIDENT, ENTERTAINMENT, FOX BROADCASTING COMPANY:

While it’s with much regret, and a lump in our throats, we respect the decision Hugh, David and Katie have made.  A true original, on the page and amazingly brought to life by Hugh Laurie, there is only one Dr. House.  For eight seasons, the entire HOUSE team has given us – and fans around the world – some of the most compelling characters and affecting stories ever seen on television.  They have been creatively tenacious and collaborative throughout this incredible run, and they are amongst the most superior talents in the business.  For all the above, we wholeheartedly thank them, and the fans who have supported the show. 

Primetime Broadcast Total Viewership for the week:

1 Super Bowl XLVI(S) – NBC = 111,346,000    
2 Super Bowl POST(S) – NBC = 76,803,000    
3 VOICE – NBC = 37,611,000    
4 American Idol-WEDNESDAY – FOX = 18,478,000
5 American Idol-THURSDAY – FOX = 17,411,000
6 Big Bang Theory, THE – CBS = 16,536,000    
7 Person Of Interest     – CBS = 15,098,000
8 Mentalist, THE – CBS = 13,777,000    
9 NCIS (R) – CBS = 13,038,000    
10 Blue Bloods – CBS = 11,437,000    
11 NCIS: LOS ANGELES (R) – CBS – 11,130,000
12 ROB – CBS = 11,060,000    
13 CSI: NY – CBS = 10,246,000    
14 Two and a Half Men(R) – CBS = 10,135,000    
15 GREY’S ANATOMY – ABC = 9,710,000    
16 Glee – FOX = 9,067,000    
17 HOUSE – FOX = 8,731,000    
18 Super Bowl GREAT COMMRCLS(S) – CBS = 8,577,000    
19 MIKE & Molly(R) – CBS = 8,448,000    
20 Alcatraz – FOX = 8,437,000
21 GIFTED MAN, A – CBS = 8,413,000    
22 Criminal Minds(R) – CBS = 8,176,000    
23 BACHELOR, THE – ABC = 8,172,000    
24 MOBBED – FOX = 7,869,000    
25 Unforgettable(R) – CBS = 7,853,000

Shares:

Network ABC1 11.0%
Network ABC2 3.2%
Network ABC3 0.5%
Network ABC News 24 0.8%
Network ABC TOTAL 15.5%
Network 7 22.5%
Network 7TWO 4.8%
Network 7mate 3.8%
Network 7 TOTAL 31.1%
Network 9 14.6%
Network GO! 3.8%
Network Gem 6.3%
Network 9 TOTAL 24.7%
Network TEN 16.0%
Network ONE 3.3%
Network ELEVEN 3.7%
Network TEN TOTAL 23.1%
Network SBS ONE 4.5%
Network SBS TWO 1.1%
Network SBS TOTAL 5.7%

Top Rating Shows Of The Day

1 MY KITCHEN RULES-WED Network 7 1,453,000 398,000 423,000 268,000 208,000 156,000
2 SEVEN NEWS Network 7 1,113,000 250,000 281,000 263,000 125,000 194,000
3 NINE NEWS Network 9 1,063,000 324,000 351,000 241,000 62,000 86,000
4 HOME AND AWAY Network 7 1,021,000 297,000 266,000 230,000 119,000 108,000
5 TODAY TONIGHT Network 7 1,010,000 254,000 260,000 207,000 119,000 169,000
6 A CURRENT AFFAIR Network 9 993,000 309,000 317,000 231,000 57,000 80,000
7 ABC NEWS-EV Network ABC1 891,000 258,000 295,000 146,000 90,000 101,000
8 TALKIN’ ‘BOUT YOUR GENERATION Network TEN 758,000 225,000 241,000 129,000 51,000 112,000
9 THE BIGGEST LOSER (AUS) – TEMPTATION Network TEN 718,000 188,000 200,000 157,000 62,000 111,000
10 THE GOOD WIFE Network TEN 704,000 231,000 197,000 126,000 69,000 81,000
11 TEN NEWS AT FIVE Network TEN 701,000 199,000 210,000 100,000 72,000 120,000
12 THE BIG BANG THEORY -WED EP2 Network 9 670,000 211,000 192,000 124,000 65,000 78,000
13 ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIALS-EV Network ABC1 654,000 192,000 198,000 128,000 67,000 69,000
14 7.30-EV Network ABC1 631,000 217,000 193,000 104,000 56,000 61,000
15 M-LEGALLY BLONDE Network 7 593,000 160,000 208,000 81,000 67,000 77,000
16 ADAM HILLS IN GORDON ST TONIGHT-EV Network ABC1 587,000 140,000 200,000 114,000 61,000 73,000
17 HOT SEAT Network 9 555,000 174,000 151,000 152,000 33,000 44,000
18 THE BIG BANG THEORY -WED EP1 Network 9 544,000 171,000 162,000 125,000 39,000 47,000
19 THE PROJECT Network TEN 506,000 138,000 169,000 102,000 56,000 41,000
20 EXCESS BAGGAGE -WED Network 9 503,000 140,000 188,000 104,000 31,000 39,000

Top Rating Digital Shows Of The Day

1 HEARTBEAT-WED (R) Network 7TWO 321,000 75,000 79,000 72,000 40,000 55,000
2 NEIGHBOURS Network ELEVEN 302,000 83,000 65,000 78,000 44,000 31,000
3 ONE DAY CRICKET -INDIA V SRI LANKA GAME 2 SESSION 2 Network Gem 280,000 63,000 91,000 44,000 50,000 32,000
4 WIBBLY PIG-PM Network ABC2 242,000 39,000 102,000 50,000 25,000 25,000
5 HUMF-PM Network ABC2 235,000 39,000 94,000 55,000 22,000 25,000
6 OCTONAUTS-PM Network ABC2 224,000 46,000 88,000 45,000 19,000 26,000
7 THE BIG BANG THEORY -EV Network GO! 224,000 57,000 82,000 42,000 15,000 27,000
8 DOCTOR WHO: THE RUNAWAY BRIDE-EV Network ABC2 220,000 48,000 64,000 46,000 25,000 37,000
9 LIFE BEGINS Network 7TWO 218,000 32,000 81,000 50,000 26,000 28,000
10 THE ALL NEW SIMPSONS Network ELEVEN 215,000 45,000 50,000 59,000 26,000 36,000
11 AMERICAN PICKERS (R) Network 7mate 203,000 48,000 66,000 39,000 30,000 20,000
12 SPICKS AND SPECKS-EV Network ABC2 197,000 53,000 41,000 39,000 33,000 31,000
13 FIVE MINUTES MORE-EV Network ABC2 184,000 47,000 71,000 20,000 25,000 22,000
14 FUTURAMA WED RPT Network ELEVEN 183,000 32,000 59,000 47,000 17,000 28,000
15 BURN NOTICE WED Network ONE 180,000 61,000 41,000 52,000 10,000 17,000
16 DIRTGIRLWORLD-PM Network ABC2 179,000 48,000 56,000 38,000 22,000 14,000
17 GRANDPA IN MY POCKET-PM Network ABC2 177,000 37,000 67,000 35,000 16,000 22,000
18 MIFFY AND FRIENDS-EV Network ABC2 174,000 46,000 67,000 18,000 22,000 21,000
19 HARDCORE PAWN-WED (R) Network 7mate 173,000 37,000 51,000 34,000 23,000 27,000
20 EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND RPT Network ELEVEN 170,000 40,000 41,000 43,000 17,000 30,000

Top Rating Subscription TV Shows Of The Day

1 SELLING HOUSES AUSTRALIA LifeStyle Channel 157,000
2 THE SIMPSONS FOX8 78,000
3 CRICKET SUPERSTAR FOX8 77,000
4 COUNTRY HOUSE REVISITED LifeStyle Channel 71,000
5 GRIMM FOX8 69,000
6 CORONATION STREET UKTV 68,000
7 FOYLE’S WAR UKTV 67,000
8 ICARLY Nickelodeon 61,000
9 FAMILY GUY FOX8 60,000
10 EASTENDERS UKTV 60,000
11 EASTENDERS UKTV 59,000
12 SCOOBY-DOO! MYSTERY INCORPORATED Cartoon Network 57,000
13 LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION LifeStyle Channel 56,000
14 ICARLY Nickelodeon 53,000
15 PRISONER 111 HITS 52,000
16 SCOOBY-DOO! MYSTERY INCORPORATED Cartoon Network 51,000
17 DORA THE EXPLORER Nick Jr. 49,000
18 ICARLY Nickelodeon 48,000
19 THE SIMPSONS FOX8 47,000
20 WWE RAW FOX8 47,000

Data © OzTAM Pty Limited 2012. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM. Program performance and ranking information subject to change when not based on final program logs.

Bad news for Psych fans.

This is one of those shows that just never gets given a chance on free to air TV here.

As of next Wednesday, Feb 15, Psych is out of the schedule for ONE, replaced with more of Who’s Line Is It Anyway? – which now airs 5 times next week (3 on Monday, 2 on Wednesday), excluding late night and day time repeats of the same episode.

This comes after the show previously aired on Mondays, then taken off, then returned to Wednesdays just a few weeks ago.

ONE have also changed Saturday nights, replacing the WWE Experience and Fear Factor with M*A*S*H at 6.30, Hogan’s Heroes at 7.00 and encores / repeats of Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation at 7.30pm.

So far, no new time for Psych.

Now that Nine have made their decision about Excess Baggage, they could finally complete their TV guides for next week, for all three channels. The moving of Excess Baggage from Nine to GO! means that Big Bang repeats move back to 7pm weeknights on Nine, and the daily 1pm encores disappear from Nine, meaning The View now goes back to Nine at 1pm weekdays. Meanwhile on GEM, the 4pm encores of Excess Baggage now continue – making Excess Baggage perhaps the first show ever to premiere on one digital channel, then be encored on another. That is, of course, if they don’t change anything.

The week, which is the first week of ratings for 2012, features premiers of Alcatraz, season two of Sherlock and Earth Flight. It includes the debut of new sitcom 2 Broke Girls, not one, not two, but three new episodes of The Big Bang Theory (personally, while it gets us closer to when they air in the US, I believe it is a mistake to show three in the one week, especially with such last minute programming), and two new episodes of Two and a Half Men. Perhaps pushing the limits of fatigue now with new shows and multiple episodes in the one week – Thursday night features double new CSI.

One Day Cricket continues on Sundays and Fridays, as well as Tuesdays on GEM. The irony of the games on GEM which sees Sri Lanka play India is that they air in HD – while the Sunday and Friday games when Australia plays are not in HD due to airing on the main channel Nine.

All that aside, this is what the week looks like now.

Sunday Feb 12
6.30 Cricket Australia Vs India
10.00 Movie: Lethal Weapone III (real start time is when the cricket finishes, an hour earlier in QLD)
12.30 The Apprenitice – Celebrity Apprentice (US) season 7

Monday Feb 13
7.00 The Big Bang Theory – rpt.
7.30 The Big Bang Theory – new
8.00 The Big Bang Theory – new
8.30 Alcatraz – premiere
9.30 Alcatraz – new
10.30 Person Of Interest – new
11.30 Damages – new

Tuesday Feb 14
7.00 The Big Bang Theory – rpt.
7.30 The Big Bang Theory – new
8.00 2 Broke Girls – premiere
8.30 Two and a Half Men – new
9.00 Two and a Half Men – new
9.30 Movie: The Hangover
11.30 Men of a Certain Age

Wednesday Feb 15
7.00 The Big Bang Theory – rpt.
7.30 RBT
8.30 Sherlock – new
10.30 CSI: Miami – rpt
11.30 Weeds – rpt

Thursday Feb 16
7.00 The Big Bang Theory – rpt.
7.30 Earth Flight – premiere
8.30 CSI – new
9.30 CSI – new
10.30 CSI: NY -new
11.30 Southland – new
12.30 Southland – final

Friday Feb 17
6.30 One Day Cricket: Australia Vs Sri Lanka
10.00 Alcatraz encore (one hour earlier in QLD)
11.00 Alcatraz encore (one hour earlier in QLD)
9.30 on GEM: Sherlock encore – in HD

Saturday Feb 18
5.30 Getaway – 2012 return
6.00 News
6.30 Australia’s Funniest Home Videos
7.30 Jamie Durie Presents G’day Cirque Du Soleil
8.30 Movie: The Ugly Truth
10.30 Movie: The Upside of Anger

Guide correct as at Thursday Feb 9. For Syd, Melb and Bris only. Regionals and other states check local guides.

To mark the anniversary of the Australian Government’s Apology to Australia’s First Nations Peoples and the Stolen Generations – FOXTEL’s Bio channel will premiere the second part of the award-winning local production WHO WE ARE, highlighting inspiring stories of Indigenous sports men and women.

The one-hour locally produced documentary special, WHO WE ARE IN SPORT, will premiere on Bio, Monday, February 13 at 8.30pm. 

Through the lens of some of the world’s greatest sporting achievers including Anthony Mundine, Mark Ella, Phil Krakouer, Nova Peris, Kyah Simon and Des Abbott,WHO WE ARE IN SPORT is a close-up look at some of the best known Indigenous Australian role models. 

Along with their struggles, sacrifices and legacies, they also reveal to us their dreams for the future of their sports, and their hopes for Indigenous Australians in all walks of life. 

The first series of WHO WE ARE, aired across 25 of FOXTEL’s mainstream channels in 2010, and went on to win a host of awards including 10 Awards at the New York Festivals 2011 World’s Best Television & Films, including a coveted Grand Award. 

The series also won the 2011 ASTRA Award for Most Outstanding Documentary. As Australia’s biggest subscription television broadcaster, invited into more than 1.66 million homes and with around 6 million viewers tuning in each week, FOXTEL has a powerful platform from which to contribute to reconciliation. 

WHO WE ARE IN SPORT marks the second production in a three-part creative strategy and complements FOXTEL’s other activities, which include: Broadcasting National Indigenous Television (NITV) nationally since 2007Providing indigenous traineeships and career opportunitiesFounding the Media Reconciliation Industry Network Group (RING) FOXTEL is also a major sponsor of The Dreaming Festival, Australia’s International Indigenous Festival.

Excess Baggage celebrity contestant, television presenter and weight loss advocate, Ajay Rochester has hit back at the Nine Network on her blog over its treatment of the ailing weight-loss reality show.

The blog post, ‘Channel 9 Have some balls!’ on her site, Finding My Mojo, contained thoughts from the outspoken ex-Biggest Loser hostess who has competed alongside ordinary Australian Matt Palmer in the show.

‘Okay, I am currently stuck on the bum’s f@ck end of Australia, Kangaroo Island, when the ratings/channel say that we should move channels…’ Rochester introduces.

‘Come on channel nine, have some faith. Excess baggage is a grower not a shower! Don’t flick US (our show) off onto another channel in the first week without standing behind the product you sell.  SHAME ON YOU!’

Rochester goes on to assure her fans that she is not in it for the money, and that she is not afraid to speak her mind.

‘I know that I risk not ever being employed by channel nine again, but I also did that with channel 10… seriously, channel nine….omg  the irony here is that in REAL life we want QUICK fixes but they don’t work …well it is the same with [Excess Baggage]. It gives real life solutions to healing your life! You want to heal your life watch our show!’ Rochester continued.

She also branded her former show as a ‘non-reality’ format and a ‘starvation routine’ in the process to convey her point that Baggage was a better show.

She ended her blog by pleading with fans to follow the show to GO!. ‘…if  you do send us to GO channel then for goodness sake Australia, follow us and prove that this incredible show is worth the effort we have all put into it.’

Nine moved Excess Baggage to GO! yesterday (effective from Monday) after disappointing ratings. The show has had mixed reviews and was one of the bigger risks in Nine’s schedule due to a much criticised promotional campaign.

From Monday, it will debut on the multichannel where it left off from tonight, at 6.30pm. Big Bang Theory repeats fill the 7PM void for now. There is no episode tomorrow.