One of the more interesting things to come from last nights Ten Upfronts event was the network confirming it is developing a new “Family Friendly” show for the 6pm timeslot in 2014.
While the network refused to supply details it is the understanding of this publication that Rove McManus and his production company Roving Enterprises have piloted a number of classic game show formats including Blankety Blanks for the 6pm timeslot with the hope of providing a stronger lead in for underperforming news program The Project, also produced by Roving Enterprises.
While The Project has recently been gaining some rating momentum after struggling for the last three years due to a series of programming decisions from Ten, its first half hour in the 6:30pm timeslot is still dire and is not assisted by having such a week lead in program with repeats of The Simpsons averaging a mere 350k in the 6pm timeslot against the might of News bulletins on the other commercial networks
In a recent interview with TV Tonight, host of The Project and Roving employee Charlie Pickering said:
“I don’t think shows should be overly-dependent on their lead-ins. Shows should stand as shows themselves. But that said, when 6:30 on Seven and Nine are getting handed 1.2m consistently a night as their starting point, we talk around the office about what would be something good in that office,” he says.
Tactfully he adds,“I cannot be clearer about this: I don’t know what Hamish McLennan or Beverley’s McGarvey plan is.”
“But we’ve been saying for a long time that something like an edgy game show, or something that is ‘on brand’ with Channel TEN. It can’t be something lame or whatever. Deal or No Deal and Hot Seat actually pull pretty consistent numbers. People like game shows and that play-at-home aspect. It’s something that’s missing at the moment in the broader line-up at TEN.”
US based performer Rove McManus has been spending a lot more time within Australia in 2013. While better known as a Talk Show host he has previously hosted the game show Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader for Ten in 2007.
At the time of publication, Rove McManus was unavailable for comment.
