Nine’s program director, Hamish Turner, says he is confident the broadcaster can maintain and build on its 2017 ratings success post-Easter on the success of such shows as the reality hit, Married at First Sight.

Speaking after the final episode of Married at First Sight series four, which drew an average national audience of 1.906 million, Turner said he believed Nine would be able to carry the audience into the second quarter.

 
”I don’t think you can overestimate what Married at First Sight has done for our schedule, particularly against I’m a Celebrity and My Kitchen Rules,” said Turner.
 
“Married at First Sight has delivered across all the key demographics: 25-54s, 16-39s and grocery buyers with kids. And it has delivered across all of our platforms.
 
“In fact on every single metric it has over-delivered.”

Turner cited the success of Married at First Sight across both television and digital as the reason for his confidence in Nine’s schedule after Easter.
 
“Married has been a really strong demo play,” he said. “But the biggest thing for us has been the cross-platform play that the show has delivered. It has delivered on linear TV, it has delivered on our digital platforms, such as 9Honey, and on catch-up services such as 9Now, with the VPM numbers being around 150,000. So the net is an audience around 1.5 million for each episode.”

The Nine program director said the broadcaster was confident Australian audiences would tune in for the new season ratings blockbuster The Voice and would also be lured by the launch of new relationship show Last Resort, the debut of the two-part bio-pic House of Bond, and the return of drama series Love Child.
 
“TV is a game of momentum and the main thing is for us to come out really strong after the Easter break,” said Turner. “We will capitalise on the success of Married at First Sight by bringing out Last Resort, a new format in the relationship space.
 
“We think this program will deliver the same demographic profile as Married at First Sight and be strong with women, strong with 16-39s and 25-54s, and also grocery buyers with kids.

“Then there is the big pillar for us, which will be The Voice. We have Delta Goodrem returning, a much loved coach, Seal is returning – and he has won it twice – and then we have Boy George, a big, effervescent personality who brings a lot of joy to the screen, plus Kellie Rowland, who will bring the sass.
 
“There is a lot of joy in this new series.”

Turner also noted that drama would play a key part in Nine’s second quarter plans.
  
“In the drama space we also have House of Bond coming into the schedule. It will be a two-night play in the bio-pic space. This is a great nostalgic program with some really big characters who deliver on the drama.

“We also have Love Child returning for its fourth season. We have really invigorated this show with a new set of cast members and a number of returning favourites.”

Turner said the strong performance of Married at First Sight in recent weeks had given increased his confidence going into the second quarter of 2017.

“I think we will have a really strong second quarter. We talk about momentum and we have just seen series highs for Married at First Sight, House Husbands and Travel Guides,” he said.

“It is really important for a show in its fourth or fifth episode to be reaching those season highs and we think we can drive that momentum into Q2 with a big-platform show in The Voice, a brand new show in Last Resort, a huge bio-pic in House of Bond, and a very popular drama in Love Child.”

And so much more to come in 2017
The Block | Family Food Fight | Australian Ninja Warrior | Love Child | TV Week Logie Awards | True Story with Hamish and Andy | Here Come the Habibs | Chopper | Doctor Doctor | State Of Origin | NRL Final Series | The Ashes | This Time Next Year | Accidental Heroes | 20 to One | Britain’s Got Talent