The Spearman Experiment

The Spearman Experiment
Genre Nostalgia
Presented by Magda Szubanski
Country of origin Australia
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 8
Production
Running time 60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel Network Ten
Picture format 576i (SDTV)
Audio format Stereo
Original run 8 September 2009 – 30 October 2009

The Spearman Experiment was an Australian television series, hosted by Magda Szubanski that counts down Australian pop culture's most defining people and topics based on a public poll commented on by various Australian 'celebrities'. The series began development in May 2009,[1] and was officially announced in early August 2009.[2]

The show is named for Charles Spearman, who developed Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, the statistical technique used to survey the public to produce the show's rankings.[3]

Format

The host and guest celebrities analyse, critique and celebrate Australia’s most popular topics interspersed with film clips. It has been compared to clip show 20 to 1 which currently airs on Channel 9. However, the Spearman Experiment only counts down the top 15, rather than the top 20.[4] Channel Ten also advertises the fact that The Spearman Experiment's results are chosen by the public rather than television executives, as is the case with 20 to 1.

Episodes

Contributors

Ratings

The Spearman Experiment drew 1.039 million viewers nationally for its premiere episode making it the 11th most viewed program of the day.[5] The show's second week showed a massive decline in audience, with national ratings dropping to 699,000 viewers, coming fourth in its timeslot. In its third week ratings grew to 808,000, coming third in its timeslot. The fourth week, it dropped to 668,000 which made it the 17th most watched program that evening. On 16 October 2009, the show was moved to a Friday night timeslot of 7:30pm, to make way for new episodes of The Simpsons on Tuesday night.[6]

Cancellation

The show has now been bumped from Friday nights to make way for The Simpsons Hour after drawing only 540,000 viewers. The show was cancelled, due to a record low ratings.[7]

See also

References

  1. Knox, David (22 May 2009). "Magda tipped for TEN project". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
  2. Knox, David (1 August 2009). "Magda fronts Spearman Experiment". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  3. "TV Show Homepage". Retrieved 22 September 2009.
  4. http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/08/airdate-the-spearman-experiment.html
  5. TV RATINGS - B&T Today, 9 September 2009
  6. Knox, David (8 October 2009). "Bumped: The Spearman Experiment. Returning: The Simpsons.". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 11 October 2009.
  7. Knox, David (2 November 2009). "Axed: The Spearman Experiment.". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2 November 2009.

External links