Go woke, go broke? How The Project’s left-wing agenda is ‘pushing away everyday Aussies’ – as Channel 10 records its LOWEST audience share since records began
A leading TV commentator has claimed Channel 10 is losing viewers because of its left-leaning current affairs show The Project.
Rob McKnight, a former 10 executive who now runs industry website TV Blackbox, said the views expressed on The Project don’t resonate with everyday Aussies.
He told Daily Mail Australia that despite its slick production and top-tier talent, The Project is ‘very woke and that doesn’t connect with mainstream Australia’.
Political matters: A leading TV commentator has claimed Channel 10 is losing viewers because of its left-leaning current affairs show The Project. Pictured (L-R): Tommy Little, Peter Helliar, Hamish Macdonald, Carrie Bickmore, Waleed Aly, Lisa Wilkinson and Gorgi Coghlan
McKnight explained: ‘My take is that most Australians are centre-right in their politics which is why talkback radio does so well.
‘But The Project skews too far to the left and doesn’t reflect Betty from Bankstown or Irene from Ipswich. It really feels inner Melbourne and not relatable.’
He said the presenters are all ‘great talent’, but at some point the show just ‘stopped connecting’ with the mainstream – ‘and that kills any brand’.
Opinion: Rob McKnight, a former 10 executive who now runs industry website TV Blackbox, told Daily Mail Australia that despite its slick production and top-tier talent, The Project is ‘very woke and that doesn’t connect with mainstream Australia’. Pictured: Tommy Little, Lisa Wilkinson and Waleed Aly at Channel 10’s Upfronts presentation on October 11, 2019
McKnight, who has worked for all three commercial TV networks, went on to say The Project used to punch above its weight by setting the news agenda every week.
But these days ‘nobody pays attention anymore’.
He added: ‘For all the free press The Project has received over the years it should be one of the biggest shows on TV – but it’s not.’
The Project, which is produced by Rove McManus’ production company Roving Enterprises, is considered a sacred cow at 10 even though its ratings are poor.
Alignment: ‘But The Project skews too far to the left and doesn’t reflect Betty from Bankstown or Irene from Ipswich. It really feels inner Melbourne and not relatable,’ said McKnight
Its ratings are typically strongest from 6:30pm to 7pm, but the audience tends to drop off unless there is a strong entertainment show at 7:30pm, McKnight said.
This is why it’s particularly worrying for 10 that The Bachelor and MasterChef Australia underperformed this year, because their ratings affect The Project.
It comes after 10 sunk to a worrying new ratings low last week, recording its worst commercial audience share since the OzTAM ratings system began in 2001.
The channel had an audience share of 8.9 per cent across the five capital cities during prime time (6pm to midnight) for the week commencing August 1.
Commercial shares exclude the ABC and SBS.
Bad news: Channel 10 sunk to a worrying new ratings low last week, recording its worst commercial audience share since the OzTAM ratings system began in 2001. Pictured: Jimmy Nicholson on The Bachelor, one of Channel 10’s lowest-rated shows
Before this dismal result, 10’s lowest commercial audience share was 9.8 per cent, in the weeks commencing December 23, 2018, and July 25, 2021.
However, it’s important to remember the commercial audience share figure only accounts for main channels, not multichannels.
If the multichannel 10 Bold, 10 Peach and 10 Shake are taken into consideration, the network’s prime-time commercial audience share for the week commencing August 1 rises to 16 per cent.
McKnight told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday the latest numbers will have network bosses worried about the company’s future.
He said the only thing saving 10 at the moment is Australian Survivor, which has been a modest ratings success, and multichannel 10 Bold.
Dismal: The channel had an audience share of 8.9 per cent across the five capital cities during prime time (6pm to midnight) for the week commencing August 1. Pictured: Jonathan LaPaglia, the host of 10’s Australian Survivor
‘If it wasn’t for Survivor and 10 Bold propping up the network you wouldn’t be surprised if [American owners] ViacomCBS decided to shut up shop,’ he said.
‘Yes, they were up against the Olympics last week but they’ve been up against the Olympics before and never rated so low.’
He said one of 10’s ‘big issues’ is the ratings failure of MasterChef and The Bachelor, which were once drawcard shows but have seen their audience halved this year.
Last hope: McKnight said Channel 10 execs will be hoping for a successful launch of Paramount+ to reverse the company’s fortunes. Pictured: actor Michael C. Hall in TV show Dexter, one of the flagship shows on Paramount+
McKnight, the editor of industry website TV Blackbox, said 10 execs will be hoping for a successful launch of Paramount+ to reverse the company’s fortunes.
Streaming platform Paramount+ is operated by 10’s American owners ViacomCBS
The service will replace 10’s existing online streaming app 10 All Access, and the network is promoting it heavily during programming.
‘If it fails, then you can expect some big changes around the corner,’ McKnight said.
‘Although Paramount+ is a global rollout headed by the U.S. team, you can already see local execs trying to take credit for it. Let’s hope is does well in a very competitive market – otherwise the blame game will start.’
Dwindling figures: McKnight said one of 10’s ‘big issues’ is the ratings failure of MasterChef and The Bachelor, which were once drawcard shows but have seen their audience halved this year. Pictured: The Bachelor host Osher Günsberg
Meanwhile, there was another bit of bad news for 10 last month when 9pm comedy show The Cheap Seats failed to live up to expectations.
But there is still hope in the form of the season three premiere of The Masked Singer.
‘One upcoming highlight will be The Masked Singer. I’m a fan of this show but it did drop off last year. Will audiences still be interested? Wait and see,’ McKnight said.
No laughing matter: There was another bit of bad news for 10 last month when 9pm comedy show The Cheap Seats, hosted by comedians Melanie Bracewell (left) and Tim McDonald (right), failed to live up to expectations
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