Free TV ratings swell thanks to a key demographic
One key demographic is boosting free-to-air ratings, and it’s causing a headache for advertisers. However there is one show bucking the trend.
Entertainment
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Australian free-to-air television networks are grappling with an oldies problem.
New figures show that ratings for many popular programs are boosted by an inordinate amount of viewers aged 55 and over who are of little interest to advertisers.
A whopping 48 per cent of the audience for Seven’s House Rules: High Stakes were oldies.
Home And Away is another show with a huge older fan base. Around 53 per cent of viewers were born before 1965. Fully 65 per cent of the Seven News audience is aged over 55.
Nine isn’t immune. A sizeable 42 per cent of viewers watching The Voice are over 55. The figure for Nine News is 61 per cent.
“The problem for the commercial networks is that 70 to 80 per cent of television advertising dollars are specifically aimed at the Under 55s market,” media analyst Steve Allen said.
Ten is having better luck. The ratio of oldies for Ten News is high at 59 per cent but The Project skews considerably younger. Only 35 per cent are over 55 with 26 per cent aged 16 to 39 and 51 per cent 25 to 54.
One program defying the trend is MasterChef Australia. Ten’s cooking show has posted big ratings gains this year because of an influx of younger viewers.
The audience profile for the reboot with new judges Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong, and Andy Allen is 31 per cent 16 to 39, 51 per cent 25 to 54, and a mere 34 per cent 55-plus.
All of the commercial free-to-air TV networks face stiff competition for younger eyeballs from Foxtel and streaming services including Netflix.
Shows including Married At First Sight, Lego Masters and The Masked Singer hit the sweet spot.
Seven is hoping that its new version of Big Brother will do the same and attract a large swathe of 25 to 54s and 16 to 39s.
Some years back Seven tried to go younger with shows like Beauty and the Geek but that tactic stalled.
Recent offerings such as Miss Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries and The Blake Mysteries were aimed at the blue rinse set.
“I am sure Seven CEO James Warburton’s long term goal is to launch younger-profile programs,” Mr Allen said.
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