Aussie TV’s biggest headaches and what to do about them

KARL Stefanovic and The Footy Show were once darlings of Australian TV. Now they’re two of the biggest problems. From ratings disasters to dodgy dating shows, here are TV’s biggest headaches and how to fix them.

EXPERTS say that Channel 9 has the two biggest headaches in Aussie television right now — how to fix the Today show and The Footy Show.

Today is on the ropes with figures dipping below 200,000 viewers across the five capital cities in recent times and that has led to a rash of rumours that Karl Stefanovic is set to be replaced.

Nine axed the NRL Footy Show earlier this week and the AFL version could be next — but what do they replace it with?

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Seven and Ten have their own set of worries. Seven can’t find a show to tackle The Block, it doesn’t know whether The Blake Mysteries will work without Craig McLachlan and it has yet to create a hit dating show.

Today is on the ropes with viewership figures dipping below 200,000.

The Front Bar with Andy Maher, Mick Molloy and Sam Pang has been a surprise success for Seven this year.

Ten has to confront a summer schedule without sport after losing the Big Bash cricket and needs to find a way to get I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! back on track.

Nine’s costliest headache by far is Today. Breakfast television reaps a reported $300 million per year in advertising revenue so every lost ratings point hurts.

Nine CEO Hugh Marks has acknowledged that Stefanovic’s personal travails — including a messy divorce from Cassandra Thorburn — have hurt Today but that he is sticking by the embattled host.

Media analyst Steve Allen says that is wishful thinking and that Stefanovic will never regain the trust and loyalty of viewers.

“Nine needs to axe Karl and get a new co-host alongside Georgie Gardner,” Allen said. “Today’s ratings have been trending downward for months on end and hitting decade-lows. There has to be a circuit-breaker.”

This week David Koch said he was keen to return to ratings-leader Sunrise in 2019 alongside Samantha Armytage.

AUSSIE TV’s BIGGEST HEADACHES AND HOW TO FIX THEM:

Karl Stefanovic is on the nose with viewers and Georgie Gardner has proved as popular as Lisa Wilkinson.

HEADACHE: HOW TO FIX THE TODAY SHOW (Channel 9)

SYMPTOMS: Today is on the ropes with figures dipping below 200,000 viewers across the five capital cities — the lowest in a decade. Getting smashed by rival Sunrise.

CURE: The only way to fix this problem is with a change of hosts. Karl Stefanovic is on the nose and Georgie Gardner hasn’t proved as popular as Lisa Wilkinson. Change them both.

Eddie McGuire hasn’t been able to stop The Footy Show’s downward spiral. Picture: Channel 9

HEADACHE: WHETHER OR NOT TO KEEP THE AFL FOOTY SHOW (Channel 9)

SYMPTOMS: Eddie McGuire hasn’t been able to halt the downward spiral of The Footy Show which has been comprehensively beaten by The Front Bar this year. The NRL Footy Show was axed this week.

CURE: This one’s tricky. Dump The Footy Show and you are faced with the issue of what to replace it with. The McGuire-Sam Newman-Brendan Fevola combo shows promise. Demand pay cuts and give it one more year.

The Doctor Blake Mysteries change in tact to follow housekeeper Jean Beazley has divided fans. Picture: ABC

HEADACHE: CAN THE BLAKE MYSTERIES SURVIVE WITHOUT CRAIG McLACHLAN? (Channel 7)

SYMPTOMS: Fans of The Doctor Blake Mysteries are divided about the Seven revamp which focuses on Nadine Garner’s housekeeper Jean Beazley after Craig McLachlan’s sudden exit.

CURE: There is no way McLachlan will be back so if the Garner-based telemovie, which will screen in November doesn’t rate big it will be time to find a new male star to play Blake.

Seven's Take Me Out failed to have much of an impact. Picture: Seven

HEADACHE: HOW TO COMBAT THE BLOCK (Channel 7)

SYMPTOMS: Seven has thrown everything at The Block and nothing has worked. Little Big Shots the best of a bad lot. Dance Boss and Take Me Out stiffed and the upcoming All Together Now looks no better.

CURE: The Bachelor has beaten The Block on occasion so it can be done. Seven needs to find a major new reality show to do the job or consider two seasons of My Kitchen Rules.

Trumped up controversy cruelled this latest series of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here. Picture: Channel 10

HEADACHE: HOW TO REVIVE I’M A CELEBRITY … GET ME OUT OF HERE! (Channel 10)

SYMPTOMS: This year’s season of the jungle-based reality show was cruelled by trumped up controversy and unappealing contestants such as Anthony Mundine. Ratings fell off a cliff. Ten took months to decide whether it would return in 2019.

CURE: This one is pretty simple. Forget trying to manufacture stoushes and simply pick a bunch of celebrities that will intrigue viewers. It isn’t rocket science.

Ten will have a large gap to fill after losing the rights to the Big Bash Cricket. Picture: Getty

HEADACHE: HOW TO COPE WITHOUT SUMMER SPORT (Channel 10)

SYMPTOMS: Ten faces the prospect of a very grim January now that it has lost the rights to the Big Bash cricket. It promises to roll out a bunch of new entertainment programs to compensate — but will anyone watch?

CURE: Ten needs to roll out the big guns to have any chance against cricket on Seven and tennis on Nine. I’m talking Dancing with the Stars, Sunday Night Takeaway and more. B-grade shows won’t cut it.

Channel 7 has failed to find a winning dating show like Ten’s The Bachelor and Bachelorette franchises and Nine’s Married At First Sight. Picture: Ten

HEADACHE: FIND A WINNING DATING SHOW (Channel 7)

SYMPTOMS: Seven desperately wants to find a dating show hit after Nine struck gold with Married At First Sight and Ten with The Bachelor franchise. But Seven Year Switch, Kiss Bang Love, Single Wives, First Dates, Bride and Prejudice, Take Me Out, and Back with the Ex haven’t put a ring on it.

CURE: Rumour is that Seven is planning a super-sized version of Seven Year Switch called Super Switch for 2019. Will that do the trick?

All networks need to go back to basics to search for a quality Aussie drama.

HEADACHE: HOW TO HAVE A HIT AUSSIE DRAMA (All networks )

SYMPTOMS: America’s The Good Doctor is a ratings hit. So why don’t the commercial networks seem to get it right with Aussie drama. Doctor Doctor rates respectably but Offspring, 800 Words, Love Child and The Wrong Girl are gone and Bite Club, Sisters and Playing for Keeps haven’t set the world on fire.

CURE: Go back to basics. Good medical, police, legal or family dramas have worked time and time again. Revival of All Saints anyone?