Network Ten has cancelled struggling news and current affairs program 6:30 with George Negus for "commercial" reasons, replacing it with an extended edition of The 7pm Project.
6:30 has been struggling to compete in a time slot dominated by tabloid current affairs programs Today Tonight and A Current Affair, both of which are consistently in the top 10 each night.
Last night, the program rated 340,000 metro viewers, according to OzTam figures. In contrast, Today Tonight and A Current Affair rated 1.14 million and 875,000 respectively. Long-running Australian soap Neighbours, which was shifted to digital multi-channel Eleven, rated 295,000 yesterday in the same slot.
Ten had previously shifted the program, which is hosted by respected veteran journalist Negus. The show originally premiered at the beginning of the year to over 600,000 viewers during the 6pm time slot. The network then shifted it to the later 6:30pm timeslot, and renamed the show, after declining viewership.
Negus said: "Working on 6:30 has been incredibly fulfilling. From reporters to production crew, we have worked together to bring viewers a high quality, soil-breaking program and some of the year's biggest stories and interviews. We are immensely proud of all we have achieved. The truth is that unfortunately a program like 6:30 was ahead of its time, but who knows about the future?"
Earlier this month, Ten appointed a new head of news and current affairs Anthony Flannery with media buyers speculating on the future of 6:30. Commentators pointed to Ten's heartland audience as skewed younger and should develop a strategy to talk to that demographic.
In place of 6:30, Ten is extending the more light-hearted news program The 7pm Project to an hour-long format and renaming it The Project. Negus will return to The Project as a regular panellist.
Ten chief programming officer, David Mott, said: "We're incredibly proud of George and our 6:30 team, both in front of the cameras and behind the scenes. 6:30 has been a high quality, credible and thought provoking news program for the network. The decision to discontinue 6:30 was a commercial one and in no way reflects the quality of George, the program or the team."
Two weeks ago at the IQ2 debate at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, 6:30 journalist Hamish McDonald implored viewers to switch off elements of the media which had been accused of having dubious morals, including Today Tonight and A Current Affair.
McDonald said at the time: "You need to vote with your feet. Don't watch those programs and don't buy those dreadful papers. The audience have the power to decide who wins."
The new format The Project will premiere 31 October.
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