Network Ten

Network Ten
Launched	1 August 1964
Owned by	Ten Network Holdings
Picture format	576i (16:9 SDTV)
Audience share	22.2% Nationally (2009 Ratings Year, [1])
Slogan	Seriously Ten
Country	Australia
Language	English
Broadcast area	Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth
Sister channel(s)	One One HD Eleven
Website	ten.com.au
Availability
Terrestrial
Analogue	Normally tuned to 10
SD Digital	Channel 10
Satellite
Foxtel Digital	Channel 110
Austar Digital	Channel 110
Cable
Foxtel Digital	Channel 110
Optus TV	Channel 110

Network Ten (commonly known as Channel Ten or simply Ten) , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country. Ten consistently rates third amongst all channels in Australia's five largest cities, behind the Seven Network and Nine Network.

History

Origins

From the introduction of TV in 1956 up until 1965 there were only two commercial television networks in Australia, the Nine Network and the Seven Network, and the public broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. However, in the early 1960s, the federal government began canvassing the idea of licensing a third commercial television station in each city. This decision was seen by some as a way for the government to defuse growing public dissatisfaction with the dominance of imported overseas programming and the paucity of local content.

Structurally, the Australian television industry was closely modelled on the two-tiered system that had been in place in Australian radio since the late 1930s. One tier consisted of a network of publicly funded television stations run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which was funded by government budget allocation and (until 1972) by fees from television viewer licences. The second tier consisted of the commercial networks and independent stations owned by private operators, whose income came from selling advertising time.

Founded in 1965, the new television network was initially dubbed the "Independent Television System" or ITS, but in 1970 adopted the title The 0–10 Network which reflected the names of the first two stations in the group. In the early 1990s, Ten also referred to itself by the backronym "The Entertainment Network" in network promotions.

ATV-0 in Melbourne opened on 1 August 1964, and was owned by the Ansett transport and media group, which at the time owned one of Australia's two domestic airlines. TEN-10 in Sydney, which opened on 5 April 1965, was originally owned by United Telecasters Sydney Ltd (UTSL), who also in July that year opened TVQ-0 in Brisbane. Also opened that month was SAS-10, serving the city of Adelaide in South Australia state.

1970s

Over the next few years more stations opened in other capitals and regional centres, and gradually these new stations affiliated with the 0–10 Network. But the Seven Network and the Nine Network were already well entrenched, and for its first five years the 0–10 Network led a hand-to-mouth existence. By the beginning of the 1970s the network was in a precarious financial position and there were predictions that it would fail.

The network's salvation came thanks to the adult soap opera serial Number 96, which premiered in March, 1972 on the very night "Australian TV lost its virginity". The series broke new ground for Australian television and captured the imagination of viewers like few programs before or since. For the next three years it was consistently Australia's top-rating television program and, not surprisingly, its huge popularity attracted advertisers to Ten en masse, with the result that its revenue exploded from just $1 million in 1971 to more than $10 million in 1972.

Number 96 title screen

However, the pattern of ratings dominance was already set, and since the mid-1960s there has been little deviation from the prevalent rankings, with the Nine Network typically in first place, the Seven Network second, Network Ten third and ABC TV fourth.

The gradual evolution of Network Ten into its current form has its origins in the ongoing attempts by media mogul Rupert Murdoch to acquire a prized commercial television licence in Australia's largest capital city market, Sydney. This began when Murdoch's News Ltd purchased the Wollongong station WIN Television in the early 1960s, around the same time he bought Festival Records. In 1977, frustrated by regulatory blocks that prevented him from expanding into the Sydney market, Murdoch sold WIN Television and purchased a 46% share in Ten Sydney.

In 1979, Murdoch made an unsuccessful takeover bid for the Melbourne-based Herald and Weekly Times media group. Although the bid failed, he gained a 50% stake in Ansett, which thus gave him control of Channel 0 in Melbourne. When Murdoch became an American citizen in 1985 so that he could expand his media empire in the United States, Australia's media ownership laws obliged him to dispose of the flagship television stations, which were sold to Northern Star, an offshoot of the Westfield Group conglomerate controlled by property tycoon Frank Lowy.

1980s

On 20 January 1980, the 0–10 Network became known as Network Ten to reflect ATV-0's transition to ATV-10 – although the Brisbane station continued to broadcast as TVQ-0 until 10 September 1988. On 27 December 1987, Adelaide's SAS-10 gave ADS-7 the affiliation rights of Network Ten, and became known as ADS-10.

Northern Star was badly hit by the stock market crash of 1987, having overcapitalised on the Network Ten acquisition, and in 1989 Westfield sold Network Ten to a consortium led by Charles Curran and former television journalist Steve Cosser.

1988 finally saw the launch of NEW-10 in Perth after the introduction of satellite facilities made it economical for the network to broadcast to Western Australia.

In 1989, Ten's ratings were in decline, so on 23 July 1989, recently recruited network boss Bob Shanks relaunched Network Ten as 10 TV Australia and introduced several new programs, including four new prime time game shows. However, by the end of 1989 the ratings had failed to improve and most of the new programs were canceled, except for its Eyewitness News newscasts, Neighbours and E Street.

1990s

In 1990, both Network Ten and the Seven Network filed for receivership. In 1992, the network's flagship stations were sold to the Canadian-based CanWest media group, which held a controlling stake in the network until 2009. Ten also has an affiliate broadcasting agreement with Southern Cross Broadcasting, which owns numerous regional stations in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania.

Network Ten was nearly folded into the Seven Network in the early 1990s, but due to the lobbying power of billionaire Kerry Packer, former owner of the Nine Network, this was successfully resisted.

2000s

Network Ten enjoyed its best year since the 1970s in 2004, at one stage threatening to overtake Channel Seven as the second-runner to the long-leading Channel Nine. However ratings for Network Ten have been average, always finishing 3rd in every ratings year since 2000.

In 2005, it was revealed that Canwest was in discussions with newspaper publisher John Fairfax Holdings about a possible sale of the network, after the federal government had indicated it may consider relaxing Australia's media cross-ownership laws. Previously, newspaper owners could not own television stations in the same city. Fairfax owned the Seven Network until the mid 1980s, and has been looking for a way back into television for a long time.

On 21 August 2005, the network celebrated its 40th birthday with a two-hour highlights package called Ten: Seriously 40 hosted by Bert Newton and Rove McManus.

From 2006 to 2008, Ten was the official broadcaster of the Sydney New Year's Eve Fireworks. The rights have since returned to the Nine Network from 2009.

Along with the Seven Network, Network Ten paid A$780 million for the rights to the Australian Football League.^[1] Some media commentators, however, believe the figure may have been overpriced given the fact that both Seven and Ten struggled to onsell games to Pay TV provider Foxtel. Ten eventually brokered a deal that saw Foxtel gain the rights to 4 live games each round, as well as replay rights for all games, shown on their Fox Sports One channel. Foxtel will pay an estimated $50 million a year for these rights.

On 7 August 2007, Network Ten and Foxtel officially signed a new agreement allowing Ten's digital signal to be transmitted via Foxtel’s cable and satellite services.^[2] Prior to this, Network Ten was only transmitted via cable on Foxtel in an analogue format and Austar in Std Digital via Mystar. Similarly in October 2007, Network Ten and Optus announced that Ten's digital signal would be available on its cable network from 1 December 2007.^[3]

On 14 September 2007, Network Ten officially announced Ten HD, the first new commercial television channel in metropolitan areas of Australia since 1988. On 16 December 2007, Ten HD was officially launched with the high-definition movie, Black Hawk Down. Ten HD ceased broadcasting on 25 March 2009 to be replaced by a sports-only High Definition channel, One HD.^[4]

On 8 October 2008, Network Ten was infracted for using subliminal advertising (its use by broadcasters being illegal in Australia) during the 2007 Aria Awards, but the media authority did not penalise the broadcaster.^[5] The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found Network Ten guilty of breaching the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice during the broadcast of the 2007 ARIA Music Awards on 28 October.^[6]

On 24 September 2009, Canwest announced that it was selling its 50.1% stake in Ten Network Holdings for A$680 million dollars^[7], in order to pay down its significant debt. As a result, Canwest most recently filed for bankruptcy.

2010s

On 26 August 2010, Ten confirmed that it would be launching its third digital channel, entitled Eleven, early in 2011.^[8] The network indicated that Eleven would be aimed toward a "distinctly youthful" audience between the ages of 13 and 29, with programs such as Neighbours and The Simpsons migrating to the new channel.^[9] As part of its plans, Ten said that it was planning a joint venture with the international distributor CBS Studios International to provide content for the new channel.

Southern Cross Ten, a regional affiliate of the network, is upgrading its broadcast operations in preparation for the arrival of the new channel.

Programming

Ten's current Australian programming lineup consists of television shows including: The Circle, The 7PM Project, Ready Steady Cook, The Biggest Loser, Neighbours, Bondi Rescue, Before the Game, Rush, Talkin' 'Bout Your Generation, Recruits, MasterChef Australia, Bondi Vet, Totally Wild, Toasted TV, Video Hits, Good News Week and Outback 8. Ten have also announced a thirteen part one hour family drama, Offspring, for late 2010.

Network Ten relies heavily on its CBS and Fox output deals. The Simpsons has been a staple of the network for over two decades, with repeat episodes screening everyday at 6:00 pm. Other overseas programming on Ten includes; Futurama, House, Late Show with David Letterman, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: UK, Medium, Malcolm in the Middle, The X-Files, NCIS, NUMB3RS, Supernatural, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Office, Rules of Engagement, Californication, Dexter, One Tree Hill, The Good Wife, Cops, The Cleveland Show. Lie to Me, Accidentally on Purpose, The Bold and the Beautiful, Burn Notice, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dr. Phil, Judge Judy, Glee, White Collar, Merlin, Undercover Boss and Modern Family. Ten have also announced The Deep End for 2010.

Network Ten currently broadcasts feature films from 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures as a result of their studio output deals.

The network also broadcasts catalogue titles from Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures produced prior to 2007 and Universal Pictures produced prior to 2008. The broadcast rights to more recent titles from Columbia/Sony and Universal now belong to the Nine Network and the Seven Network, respectively.

News and current affairs

Network Ten's news service is called Ten News. It produces the following bulletins/programs; Ten's Early News, Ten's Morning News, Ten News, Ten's Late News, Sports Tonight, and Meet The Press. In November 2006, Network Ten struck a deal with CBS, reportably worth $6 Million a year. This allows Network Ten the rights to air all CBS News footage, as well as access to its 60 Minutes, Dr. Phil, Late Show with David Letterman and 48 Hours programs. This deal occurred after CBS's talks with the Nine Network broke down, with Nine refusing to pay $8 million a year to continue its 40-year deal with CBS. Ten in turn struck a cheaper deal, and has onsold CBS's 60 Minutes stories to Nine.

Sport

In 2002, Ten acquired partial broadcast rights for Saturday afternoon and Saturday night games in the Australian Football League, the elite Australian rules football competition, displacing the Seven Network which had held the rights for more than 40 years. The deal also assigned the exclusive rights for finals broadcasting to Network Ten. Ten subsequently placed a successful bid to jointly broadcast the game from 2007 to 2011, jointly with Seven.

Ten has continued to broadcast the Saturday component of the competition. However, unlike the previous deal Ten will not hold the exclusive rights to the finals series. Instead, the networks will share the broadcasting of the finals series and will alternate the broadcast of the grand final. In years when Ten does not televise the Grand Final (2008 and 2010), it will show the Brownlow Medal presentation.

Network Ten broadcast the AFL and the Rugby World Cup 2007 in the 1080i High Definition format.^[10] As of 2008, AFL matches have been shown in prime time in all capital cities except Sydney, which receives the telecast usually after 10:30pm unless the Sydney Swans are playing. Previously, all AFL matches were replayed into the Brisbane and Sydney markets, usually after 10:30pm unless the Brisbane Lions or Sydney Swans were playing. In 2007, all of the finals Network Ten were assigned to were shown live into both markets although neither the Lions or Swans were participating, thus putting it head to head with the NRL finals which were aired on the Nine Network. Before 2005, all finals were delayed into both markets unless their teams were playing.

Ten used to air the National Rugby League (NRL) (then New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) in the 1980s and early 1990s, but the Nine Network took over the rights.

Network Ten also used to air the National Basketball League (NBL) during the mid-90s, but after delegating games to extremely late night time slots the network eventually ended its broadcasting. In March, 2010 however, it was announced that Ten and One HD would show NBL games for the next 5 years. Starting with 2 games per week, and raising to 5 per week in the 2014/15 season. It was also revealed that they would show Boomers and Opals games.

Network Ten used to air WWF RAW, WWF Superstars and WWF Pay Per Views on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights between 1995 and 1999, but this ended when Foxtel bought the rights to air the shows. Originally WWF programming was aired on a week delay when broadcasting of the programming started in 1995. Until 1998, WWF Superstars was changed to a 6 month delay due to live coverage of other sports with the exception of WWF RAW and WWF Pay per views.

In 2003, Network Ten started broadcasting the Formula One World Championship. In 2007 they also started showing coverage of the qualification on tape delay early on Sunday mornings in most states. In 2008, Ten introduced live coverage of race day on its HD channel, Ten HD (Now ONE HD). All races from the French Grand Prix onwards have been shown live on Ten HD (Now ONE HD). As a result, standard definition coverage has enjoyed less focus and now airs at a later time. Network Ten holds the rights to Formula One until the end of 2010.

Network Ten broadcasts major sporting events including; the Formula 1, AFL Premiership Season and Finals (In conjunction with the Seven Network and Foxtel), Moto GP World Championship, NASCAR (TEN HD from 2008), and the Red Bull Air Race World Series. Ten also holds the rights to the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the US Masters golf tournament.

As well as this, Network Ten, in joint partnership with subscription television provider Foxtel, has broadcast rights for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.^[11]

First time realising the need to broadcast cricket in Australia to increase viewership, Network Ten bought the broadcast rights to the Indian Premier League (IPL) Cricket, which started on 18 April 2008. The network will broadcast the event annually for the next 5 years although there is some doubt that the Australian contracted national players will be available for the tournament.^[12]

Ten's current Sports channel ONE HD, mainly AFL, netball & other sports.

Broadcast Centre in Sydney

Availability

Network Ten is simulcast in analogue, standard definition and formerly in 1080i high definition. Ten is broadcast in metropolitan areas via Network Ten owned-and-operated stations, these include TEN Sydney, ATV Melbourne, TVQ Brisbane, ADS Adelaide, and NEW Perth. Channel Ten programming is also carried into other areas of regional Australia by various affiliate networks and stations including Southern Cross Ten, Southern Cross Television, Tasmanian Digital Television, Mildura Digital Television, Darwin Digital Television, Ten West and WIN Television. In addition to this, Network Ten is retransmitted via Foxtel, Optus and Austar Digital cable and satellite pay television services.^[2][3]

Controversy

For the 2006 series of Big Brother Ten appointed two censors to review the show instead of one. Federal Minister for Communications Senator Helen Coonan is reported to say she would be keeping a "close watch on the show's 2006 series". This controversy resulted in Big Brother Uncut being renamed Big Brother: Adults Only for the 2006 season of Big Brother Australia. In two separate findings, the Australian Communications and Media Authority determined Network Ten breached clause 2.4 of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice. These two breaches were in relation to the broadcast of Big Brother Uncut on 30 May, 13 June and 4 July 2005. The Broadcasting material was not classified according to the Television Classification Guidelines.

Despite toning down Big Brother: Adults Only significantly in comparison to 2005, the series continued to attract controversy. After Big Brother: Adults Only was abruptly cancelled several weeks early, a subsequent incident of alleged sexual assault in the house saw the removal of two housemates and a huge public outcry calling for the series to be cancelled entirely. This incident generated significant publicity for the show, even prompted the Prime Minister of Australia to call Network Ten to "do a bit of self-regulation and get this stupid program off the air.".^[13]

Just prior to the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Network Ten broadcast 911: In Plane Site, a documentary that examined conspiracy theories about the terrorist attacks. Federal Labor politician Michael Danby demanded that the programming director of the station be sacked.^[14]

Network Ten were highly criticised for their broadcast of the 2006 New Year's Eve celebrations, mostly for the sexual innuendo witnessed between high-profile musician John Foreman and Matthew Newton, who is TV legend Bert's son. Many other complaints were received, particularly in regards to the use of explicit language and crude humour (including a "pashing contest"). This was the first year Ten broadcast the celebrations and fireworks, with Nine Network previously broadcasting the event since 1995.

Network Ten has been exposed by the ABC's Media Watch programme as having used subliminal advertising during the 2007 Aria Music Awards broadcast.^[15] This practice is outlawed in Australia.

Network 10 again attracted controversy after displaying an anti-cyclist tirade from Magda Szubanski on Good News Week. In the video published, Szubanski ridicules and mocks cyclists, with one of her cohosts ending the segment by encouraging drivers to aims for cyclists, in an attempt to maim or kill them. Szubanski then agreed with this comment, a violation of Australia's broadcasting laws.

Logos

From 1964 to 1983-84, Network Ten's four stations had different logos to identify themselves, plus two official network-wide logos from 1965 to 1981. By 1984, ATV-10, SAS-10 and TEN-10 had the circle with the word TEN in capital letters, inspired by TVQ-0 Brisbane's 1983 TV0 logo, with the word TV inside a circle. By January 1988, these all changed to the X TEN logo, except in Perth's NEW-10, which was launched in May, and Brisbane, which adopted the logo in September when TVQ changed channels from 0 to 10, all in the same year. The following year, it was changed into the 10 TV Australia logo, and by 1991 into the TEN logo of today.

TEN-10, 1969–83	ATV-0, 1974-80, TVQ-0, 1974–83	ATV-10, 20 January 1980 – 3 June 1984, SAS-10, 1983-1984	TEN-10, 1983–88, ATV-10, 1984-88, SAS-10, 1984-87, ADS-10, 1987-88
ATV-10, ADS-10, TEN-10, Jan. 24, 1988 – July 23, 1989, NEW-10, May 20, 1988 - July 23, 1989, TVQ-10, Sept. 10, 1988 - July 23, 1989	23 July 1989 – January 20 1991 (first version)	20 January 1991 – present

References

External links

• Official website
• Corporate Site
• Official YouTube channel