It’s the challenge all commercial networks in Australia, and indeed traditional media broadcasters all around the world are facing right now. How do you take a legacy media company, once tasked with programming one channel solely for television sets connected by aerial into a digital first future?
The Network 10 of today is in a unique situation, they are only Australian television network owned by an overseas based media giant in Paramount Co (formerly CBS and Viacom, who re-merged in 2019), which offers the organisation locally a level of stability, access to global leadership & insights and a guaranteed content pipeline through various studios, networks, and company assets into the future.
Paramount in Australia comprises of it’s 4 linear free-to-air broadcast channels (10, 10 Bold, 10 Peach and the newest kid on the block Nickelodeon, formerly 10 Shake) along with their BVOD catch up service 10 play which also hosts a range of 50+ FAST integrated channels from Pluto TV, various subscription channels including Nick, MTV and Comedy Central available to view through Foxtel and Fetch, as well as streaming service Paramount+ and that is a pretty comprehensive and enviable range of channels and content available across all distribution methods.
But given the network has really cemented its position again this year as the number four broadcast network in Australia, well behind that of its commercial rivals on 7 & 9 and even the ABC, is the network doing enough to ensure its continued survival in an increasingly competitive digital first future?
Over the years 10 have dabbled in working on digital initiatives (more on that below) and have had some early relative success with their 10 play BVOD offering to complement their broadcast channels, though slower to adapt initially, and when compared to their commercial counterparts they are trailing far behind in number of active users and total minutes viewed. Of course, they’ll tell you that they’re the fastest growing service, which is easy to say when you start from a low base to begin with and are having record year-on-year growth, cue their end of year ratings wrap which tells us exactly that.
But this comes at a time when prominence of streaming apps on connected television sets is hot on the lips of all broadcasters and media companies, including both the free-to-air networks locally and subscription streaming giants. With legislation from the Australian government just introduced which ensures that the FTA network catch-up and free streaming apps such as 7+, 9Now, 10 play etc. are pre-installed on all new television sets sold in Australia – though they won’t have the same or higher level of prominence that they were looking for as those who essentially pay for that right, think Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.
10 Daily
One of the largest blunders and which would have come at quite a cost to the network was 10 daily, once described as a “passion project” for now EVP and Chief Content Officer Beverley McGarvey, it was the network’s foray into a standalone digital news publishing site, which later shuttered in May of 2020 after 2 years of publishing.
At the time, the network said in a statement that their “digital media strategy is evolving to capitalise on our momentum and match the new global operating model” – whatever that means, but it could be a reference to the fact that Paramount owned Channel 5 in the UK also doesn’t operate their own news website? Who knows.
10 Speaks
Then there was 10 speaks, initially announced back in 2018 at the same time the network overhauled their entire branding and launched a range of new digital initiatives at their Upfronts event for 2019, this was their attempt to get into the booming podcasting area in a partnership with podcasting platform Acast, but alas it wasn’t to last and was disbanded sometime in late 2021.
The network attempted to launch quite the slate of podcast series, including long running series The Professor and The Hack which featured 10’s then Political Editor Peter Van Onselen and National Affairs Editor Hugh Riminton, which ended earlier this year when PVO left the network. The only other regular series that continues is Sandra Sully’s regular interview podcast series Short Black.
10 later partnered with SCA (their regional affiliate) and their LiSTNR platform in late 2021 in a multi-year podcasting deal, which so far has produced the first and only co-production to date between the companies in 2022, an audio documentary companion series to the broadcast show of the same name titled Shockwaves: The Bali Bombings hosted by 10 News First Senior Journalist Ali Donaldson.
10 Travlr
10 also teamed up with digital content specialist TRAVLR in late 2019 to launch a co-branded online travel marketplace titled 10 Travlr which went live in early 2020, right at the start of the covid19 pandemic. The partnership included a dedicated transactional and editorial website, as well as a half hour travel show on Network 10, and also featured regular segments on morning show Studio 10 but it also wasn’t to last – with the site quietly wrapped up late last year. Similar online sites were later announced in 2021 for other Paramount owned properties Nick Travel and MTV Travel, which have since also been abandoned and now redirect to travel site Wandr.
10 Play digital originals
10 have also dabbled in some digital original short series to complement their broadcast drama and comedy offerings. The first was The Caravan in 2016 which was a web-series companion show to the popular Offspring, and in the few years after attempted several other similar digital web series to no avail. Other original online content included After Paradise, the after show to Bachelor in Paradise hosted by Osher Günsberg. As well, we also had TL;DR the Bachelor companion / social recap series hosted by then Senior Entertainment reporter for 10 daily Mat Whitehead and Talking Tribal – the popular companion series to Australian Survivor which is likely to return in 2024.
There has also been a range of 10 play original series, including Stuff Everyone Should Know About Australia, a 10 play exclusive documentary web series about First Nations history and culture which ran for 3 seasons from 2020 – 2021, and in its final outing last year the original Pilot Week initiative was renamed to Pilot Showcase and moved online to 10 play with a range of pilots which included Dinner Guest, Abbie’s Chats, Courtney’s Closest and others – none of which have yet been taken to series.
The network has also tried a range of digital first sport shows, launching Teams on 10 in 2020 which was an AFL Footy show from Melbourne hosted by 10 News First reporter Nick Butler and Dylan Buckley which garnered some traction online from sporting fans but never returned in 2022. After securing the rights to the A-Leagues series in 2021, the network launched vodcast series Round Ball Rules described as “the ultimate recap of the week that was in football” which doesn’t seem to have returned for the 2023/24 season, with various other football digital series continuing for the network such as Dub Zone.
10 News First
As it stands today, Network 10 are the only major news organisation in Australia to not have a complimentary website to their broadcast news service, heck even 6 News the online news service founded by Melbourne high schooler Leonardo Puglisi has a news website and it’s actually very good. Currently 10 only publish full bulletins on their BVOD service 10 play and a selection of news stories from their bulletins to social media sites like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, with a select amount of original social content produced by their small team.
In early 2022, Network 10 and The New Daily jointly announced a “landmark broadcast partnership” which would see the networks breaking news footage, news bulletins and select content from 10 News First made available to be viewed and accessed by TND readers. Heralded as an “exciting opportunity” and that 10 was “the perfect partner” to complement their online experience, the partnership was only made possible due to 10 not utilising or monetizing its own broadcast news content in any real meaningful way online – though it doesn’t appear to have garnered much traction from what we can see.
Most recently, the network confirmed the return of their 10 Late News service in 2024 (a TV Blackbox exclusive story) and announced that the late night news bulletin would premiere on their catch-up service 10 play at the earlier time of 10:00pm weeknights before being broadcast at 10:30pm on linear television – yes you read that right, a late news bulletin premiering first online and then presumably delayed on broadcast.
This is from the same television network that is still servicing loyal Queensland viewers with a hybrid bulletin read out of Sydney with a series of pre-recorded segments and ‘look live’ crosses to local journalists in Brisbane for most of the year. With local news reinstated in both Adelaide (albeit partially presented from Sydney) and in Perth this year, one can only hope they can accommodate a locally presented news bulletin again for Queensland in future.
Given the networks increased focus on News & Current Affairs next year (news revolution anyone?) and the success of the new Midday news bulletin hosted by Narelda Jacobs this year, they are also set to launch a new Afternoon bulletin at 3:30pm weekdays in 2024 also hosted by Jacobs. Combined with the return of the Late News at 10:30pm weeknights from next year and it does signal quite the change of tune for the network which seemed content with having their single flagship news service at the earlier time of 5:00pm for the last few years.
For the free-to-air networks, news bulletins are still by far the most watched local content night after night on broadcast, with the 6:00pm flagship bulletins proudly sitting there at the top of the ratings table each morning when the results come in, so it makes sense why the network sees this as an opportunity to increase local content in their schedule in the wake of the axing of Studio 10 and to better utilise their newsrooms and resources across the country.
But is it enough to reverse the poor decisions of management past to decimate and consolidate their newsrooms, and what plans are in store for addressing the issues between 6:30 – 7:30pm Sunday to Friday each week while their heralded “news delivered differently” The Project struggles to bridge the gap between news and entertainment programming, because surely something has to be done about that soon.
Needs better shows
What sort of shows would you like to see on 10?
no they dont compete with nine n 7 in any shape or form, i only watch surivor or some others
Channel 10 has the best shows. The project, Are U Paying Attention & the Cheap Seats are all great.
Yrret Navonod then why are they a basket case ?
The ABC best them in the ratings .
Pathetic
Michael Butters Streaming Services are making it hard for all channels. Channel 10 must be a small target audience but they are good local shows. Plus MasterChef, Dessert Masters, Masked Singer etc. When not watching streaming services my TV is always on channel 10
HYPBA? and Cheap Seats are both excellent, however The Project has really lost it’s way of late.
I completely disagree. We used to watch The Project but no longer tune into Free-to-Air (FTA) channels. I believe people with good taste are moving away from FTA. The 6 pm news, being the most-watched on FTA, may reflect the how bad taste preferences of FTA viewers. I don’t think Channel 10 has to change anything other than continuing to produce shows like they do now to attract streamers back to FTA.
How many more stories can this website produce to denigrate Channel 10/Paramount? Just because some viewers have their tvs stuck on 7 and 9 doesn’t make their programs better! IMO SBS 10 and ABC produce the best programs.
The article is purely my own opinion and believe it makes some interesting observations at their various attempts to diversify in the digital space over the years. As for 7 & 9, they both have a level of stability in their schedules through News & Sport, hence why viewers keep tuning in – but they are not above criticism when they make questionable decisions. 10 do air some excellent entertainment shows and are praised accordingly, however their digital strategy is not great.
Not to mention SCAPE, the ill fated online joint venture between Ten and Village Roadshow.
You would think that with Paramount’s resources in entertainment/music news, various Nick/MTV brands, they could build a really compelling pop culture/news website. Add in CBS’s international news (and local news from AAP and The New Daily) and have some Ten network personalities write articles on food and travel, it would be a decent website.
Ah yes, and what a massive failure Scape was at the time!
I hardly watch seven only a bit of nine but mostly watch ten …the project, news, cheap seats have you been paying attention stand up comedy
10 are definitely on to something with HYBPA? and The Cheap Seats, both from Working Dog. More of that please!
Needs better viewers. People are so fussy these days. Apart from streaming services. I don’t mind 10. 🤷🏻♀️
I think 10 have some of the better offerings of the commerical stations, their digital strategy however is not great.
They will thrive and win with Deal or no deal, Wheel of fortune and Ready steady cook on here
I’m not sure those new shows alone will make them win, but it’s definitely a good start to add some variety to their schedule!
Haven’t really watched Ten channels for years. Think the only thing I have watched in the past couple of years was the Melbourne Cup and that was because it was the office TV
They could barley survive before digital. Would you say since the late 80s, Channel 10 has hit rock bottom against 7 and 9. They need to find programs along with sport to boost it. Problem is all the great content makers may not go to Ch 10. Bring back Midday Show and then start from there.
The only thing I enjoy on 10 are Thank God you’re here, HYBPA and The Cheap Seats. At least there’s a HYBPa and The cheap seats podcast where you can listen to this anywhere, anytime.