THE ADNEWS NGEN BLOG: What's to come on TV in 2013

With the summer ratings period firmly in the past (thankfully, no more cricket!), what do we have to look forward to in 2013?

Channel Ten jumped the gun this year and launched MasterChef: The Professionals early, giving it a head start on My Kitchen Rules (even though it couldn’t hold onto the lead after MKR started the following week). Despite the ratings favouring MKR, I just can’t watch! It’s a dated format and will soon suffer the same fate as MasterChef unless the producers can truly reinvigorate the format (introducing “gatecrashers” and adding another elimination round is hardly invigorating).

Although they have a history of underperforming, Ten’s line-up looks to be a winner this year. Perhaps I’m just showing my age, but I am really excited. The question however still remains will people tune in (besides myself)?

The problem with Ten is they don’t have any big properties during summer to promote their new line-ups in and thus suffer when ratings kick back in. Securing the Rugby this year could prove to be a game changer – so don’t count them out just yet.

Elementary premiered for Ten with 1.23 million viewers and was a fresh take on the popular crime saga. They also have Ripper Street which is coming up later in the year. It premiered to a strong audience of 7.89 million people in the UK. New series of Modern Family, The Good Wife, Glee and Puberty Blues will also be back. One series I haven't decided on yet is Mr & Mrs Murder. So far, I don't think the chemistry between Shaun Micallef and Kat Stewart is there.

Channel Nine recently launched The Block: All Stars. Back are our 'favourites', which failed to pull audiences over 1 million when it launched. I'm not quite sure why are that 1 million are even tuning. It’s a tired format and the contestants aren’t really new or interesting. What else is there to expect from Nine? Australian drama and lots of cupcakes. Now I do love a good cooking show and Nigella, but I’m not so sure the Great Australian Bake Off or The Taste will be must-see viewing. For me there is already too many cooking shows on TV, they’re something people will watch if there’s nothing better on. However, with the success of MKR in mind, there still seems to be an appetite for these kind of shows.

Nine have labelled 2013 as their year (to win it all- they won all major demos last year), the year that they will knock the ratings crown off Seven. From what we’ve seen so far this is going to be quite a task. Plus, with MKR pulling in the audiences it has, this goal looks unlikely but it is early days. Ratings juggernaut of 2012 The Voice will be back with Ricky Martin replacing Keith Urban, not quite the same but still should get the audiences. Also on Channel Nine in 2013 will be The Block, Underbelly and a Howzat-esque Kerry Packer story, The Power Games.

Channel Seven has gotten off to a good start and will lead the ratings battle with proven favourites back again this year in MKR, Downton Abbey, Revenge and Packed to the Rafters. Red Widow looks to be a winner as well. There has been a lot of promotion around Last Resort, considering it has already been cancelled in the US. We should be skeptical of its success here.

Some might say that TV is a dying medium but with some good programs coming up, 2013 is definitely not the year.

Ally Cowin
Executive, Implementation Planning & Investment
MediaCom