The key to a successful TV ratings week is a strong performance on a Sunday night.
It is the first night of the ratings week and a win or at least a competitive performance sets the primary channel and the network up for a good week.
This week the TV battle enters a new phase with the return of a familiar format. MasterChef has been 10’s best performing TV franchise since it was first introduced way back in 2009. (Somehow it seems like it’s been on TV here even longer than that.)
Back in the first year of MasterChef Australia, the makers FremantleMedia Australia, then run by Mark and Carl Fennessy and with Paul Franklin modifying the format, 10 also commissioned a season of Celebrity MasterChef to close out the year for them.
By 2021 standards the 2009 series did well, but back then it wasn’t considered competitive enough to return to the schedule, until now.
The second season of the Celebrity format launches up against two series that have again been kicking goals for their networks.
Season 17 of Nine’s The Block has been performing very well, especially with some help from Blockheads Tanya and Vito and their involvement in the ‘cheating scandal’.
Meanwhile Seven’s SAS Australia is continuing to keep the channel competitive in the early evening timeslot and it continues to deliver good demos and big Total TV numbers.
One way that Celebrity MasterChef will make inroads is to make sure people know it is on. Obvious, but not easy to achieve. For a format launching on a Sunday a major presence in the Sunday newspapers continues to be vital, in addition to all the other avenues available for publicity these days.
When it comes to the PR war, 10 has taken the points with plenty of print and online coverage in the Sunday news brands, particular the important and big-selling and most-read News Corp Australia newspapers and their digital editions.
10’s print ad in News Corp newspapers
How Celebrity MasterChef won the Sunday PR battle
In the Sydney and Melbourne Sunday press, Seven’s Hey Hey It’s 50 Years got the first ad in The Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Herald Sun.
Further back in both newspapers Celebrity MasterChef bought a full page. However the editorial coverage for the series was huge.
Sunday Telegraph and Sunday Herald Sun
Pressure cooking: 2 pages of profiles of contestants
The Health Hacker: Feature interview with contestant Rebecca Gibney
Stellar column by Celebrity MasterChef judge Melissa Leong
Stellar two-page feature on Celebrity MasterChef contestant Ian Thorpe
Celebrity MasterChef editorial in News Corp newspapers
Hey Hey it’s not trending yet
If Hey Hey It’s 50 Years comes out a ratings champ it will be after a modest PR spend (half-page ads in Sunday papers and other supporting media). The show wasn’t getting much love in the mainstream print media Sunday. Presumably Daryl Somers did the rounds of some of the weekend radio shows.
The most love he got during the week seemed to be interviews with TV Tonight’s David Knox and 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.
See also at mediaweek.com.au:
Behind the scenes of Celebrity MasterChef Australia’s return to Network 10
- “As always, with MasterChef the mission statement is authenticity, and their commitment is incredible”
Celebrity MasterChef Australia: Everything you need to know
- All 10 competitors enter the fray to set themselves a personal challenge like no other
Why Rebecca Gibney changed her mind about competing on Celebrity MasterChef