How a $10 million gamble on The Masked Singer is paying off
It’s the “bonkers” South Korean reality show that has given Channel 10 its first blockbuster in more than a decade. Annette Sharp looks at gamble that is The Masked Singer.
NSW
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A decade after it last unearthed a blockbuster hit, Network Ten looks to have a new TV phenomenon on its hands with “bonkers” South Korean reality show The Masked Singer upsetting the TV ratings scorecard last week and knocking Nine’s previously unassailable The Block off its lofty perch.
Following a bidding war at the start of the year between local commercial television networks for the rights to the family-friendly talent show, Ten is poised to receive a return on its eight figure investment in a offbeat show that pitches mystery costume-clad celebrities — some who sing, some who don’t — against each other in a name-that-singer guessing game.
Ten’s Chief Content Officer Beverley McGarvey was at week’s end quietly celebrating the program’s stunning two-night launch which attracted more than a million viewers (all people, five capital cities) to Ten last Monday and Tuesday nights, delivering to Ten a rare ratings victory over Nine’s back-of-the-year juggernaut The Block on both nights.
“We hoped the show would do well, but you can never be sure until it launches,” said Ms McGarvey. “We are thrilled it has engaged such a large audience.”
Industry insiders said CBS-backed Ten went to the negotiation table with The Masked Singer producer Warner Bros at the start of the year “with all guns blazing” to beat traditional rivals, Seven and Nine, the nation’s top two television networks, to the prize.
To seal the deal, Ten negotiated to buy the show as part of a larger package of Warner Bros programs — which also includes a second series of the softer rating Dancing With The Stars, as well as The Bachelor and The Bachelorette franchises.
The deal means Ten is up for an estimated $1 million — $1.5 million per episode over a 10-episode run first season run of The Masked Singer, as well as upwards of $1 million-per episode of Dancing With The Stars — representing an expensive investment for third-placed network Ten.
Ms McGarvey refused to comment on Ten’s outlay for the Warner package but confirmed it was showing early signs of delivering a holy trinity of wins to embattled network Ten in terms of ratings, revenue and audience share.
“We think the early signs are that The Masked Singer is a great addition to the schedule, the ratings and share are good, especially with our key under 50 audience which is great for us and our commercial partners,” said Ms McGarvey, stating she expects ratings for the show to increase over the season.
Ten’s content boss would not speculate on whether the program’s success suggested a swing away from sexier programming trends towards more wholesome family-friendly content: “I think audiences like a range of different shows at different times of the year, and this year has shown us as well as the success of established hits such as Survivor and Bachelor, that there is an appetite for new family friendly content.”
The show, hosted by Osher Gunsberg and featuring Lindsay Lohan, Dannii Minogue, Jackie O and Dave Hughes as judges, has found favour with advertisers and, anticipates Ms McGarvey, could give Ten “it’s strongest run home in a decade” alongside programs including popular shows Gogglebox, Have You Been Paying Attention, and new seasons of The Bachelorette and The Amazing Race Australia.