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Channel Ten's bold primetime gamble backfires four months after The Project

TV & Movies

Channel Ten's bold primetime gamble backfires four months after The Project

Screenshot 2025-10-31 at 10.36.30 am.png Channel Ten's bold primetime gamble backfires four months after The Project
10 News+ premiered on air last June. Image Credit: IMDb

Four months-that's all it took for Channel Ten's ambitious replacement for The Project to go from primetime hope to half-time desperation.



In a move that speaks volumes about Australian viewing habits, 10 News+ made its debut with a reach of 769,000 and drew a total TV national average audience of 291,000, before being unceremoniously slashed from hour-long episodes to thirty-minute slots.



The writing was on the wall from day one, when the program landed at #20 in the overnight rankings, just behind Media Watch - hardly the triumphant launch Channel Ten had hoped for after axing their 16-year stalwart.




The Project's massive shoes to fill

For many Australians, The Project represented something unique in the television landscape. Unlike the traditional current affairs programs that dominated the 6 pm slot, it offered a blend of news, entertainment, and genuine conversation that felt more like chatting with friends than being lectured by newsreaders.



The Project struggled with ratings in recent years, regularly ranking between the 15th and 23rd top-rated shows, with average audiences of between 245,000 and 390,000.



However, here's the thing—those numbers, although modest, represented a loyal audience that genuinely connected with the show's format.




'We have enough current affairs shows, that's what made The Project different and entertaining.'

- Anonymous TV viewer



When good intentions meet harsh reality

Hosts Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace promised viewers, 'We're not here to tell you what to think, we're not here to scare or depress you' and would 'give you facts, information you can trust, the truth.'



The concept was solid—serious journalism with integrity, investigations that mattered, and exclusive interviews, including one with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.



However, good intentions don't always translate to good television, especially at 6 pm when Australian families are winding down from their day.



The viewer backlash was swift and brutal. Comparisons to A Current Affair dominated social media, with viewers writing, 'What a joke! Similar to A Current Affair, but for Channel 10. And this version is even worse.'




Screenshot 2025-10-31 at 10.36.50 am.png
The Project first premiered in 2009 and lasted for about 14 seasons. Image Credit: IMDb


The numbers don't lie

The ratings tell a stark story of Australian viewing preferences. While Nine's A Current Affair garnered a total national TV audience of 1,200,000, 10 News+ struggled to attract even a quarter of that audience.




Current affairs ratings comparison (June 2025)


A Current Affair (Nine): 1,200,000 viewers


10 News+: 291,000 viewers


The Project (final weeks): 245,000-390,000 viewers




The comparison becomes even more telling when you consider Seven's The Chase Australia drew 716,000 viewers in the same time period—proving that lighter entertainment was exactly what audiences wanted at 6 pm.




Why format matters more than quality

Industry observers weren't surprised by the lukewarm reception. Television experts noted that 'people want light entertainment and information—not more news or current affairs' and that 'in-depth or investigative journalism will not work at 6 pm'.



The comparison to previous failed experiments is telling. Network Ten tried similar approaches 'unsuccessfully with George Negus and some years ago, Alan Jones as well', suggesting the network should have learned from its own history.



Australian viewing habits at 6 pm are well-established. After a day of work, news bulletins, and life's stresses, most people want to unwind, not dive deeper into serious investigations.



The Project understood this perfectly, mixing current events with celebrity interviews, panel banter, and moments of genuine levity.



The cultural significance of what was lost

When The Project's social media accounts posted after the show's end, fans flooded the comments saying 'Keep the accounts open and keep posting! Going by what I saw on Channel 10 tonight, you're all going to have your jobs back in a heartbeat!'



Viewers didn't just watch it; they felt part of a community.



As one viewer put it, 'We have enough current affairs shows, that's what made The Project different and entertaining... I miss it so much and won't watch the news regurgitated show.'


What cutting the runtime really means

The decision to halve 10 News+ from 60 to 30 minutes after just four months isn't for efficiency—it's an admission that the original concept didn't work. Industry observers predicted this outcome, with one noting, 'I can see this new show being axed within one month—very embarrassing scenario for 10.'



Channel Ten's news chief Martin White tried to put a positive spin on the change, claiming it would 'take some of the pressure off and allow them to break more stories' because 'it's a lot easier to break stories if you're not having to file every single night'.



Yet, seasoned television watchers know that when a show's runtime gets cut in half this quickly, it's rarely good news.




The broader implications for Australian television

This rapid failure highlights a broader challenge facing Australian television. While Seven and Nine have maintained 'fairly stable' news brands for the last decade and a half, Channel Ten has struggled with consistency in news and current affairs.



The network has a history of giving shows time to find their audience, like MasterChef, The Bachelor, or Survivor.



Yet, the viewer reaction to 10 News+ was so overwhelmingly adverse that even Ten's famous patience appears to have limits.



What's next for Channel Ten?

With 10 News+ drawing 'odd viewers', some industry watchers have questioned why Ten didn't try alternatives like bringing back Neighbours, suggesting it 'would have rated well in excess to what the dreadful 10 news plus is rating'.



Many had developed interest for The Project's presenters and approach. The show's axing represented more than just a programming change—it felt like the loss of a familiar voice in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.



What's your take on the 10 News+ experiment—did Channel Ten make the right call replacing The Project, or should they have stuck with what was working? Share your thoughts about what you'd like to see in that crucial 6 pm slot.





  • Primary source






  • TV Ratings Monday 30 June 2025: The debut of 10 News+ - Mediaweek

    Cited text: '... 10’s new current affairs show 10 News+ made its debut on Monday night, with a reach of 769,000, and drawing a total TV national average audience...'


    Excerpt: In a move that speaks volumes about Australian viewing habits, 10 News+ made its debut with a reach of 769,000 and drew a total TV national average audience of 291,000, before being unceremoniously slashed from hour-long episodes to thirty-minute slots.







  • Viewers unimpressed with 10 News+, The Project's replacement

    Cited text: '“Firstly, we’re not here to tell you what to think. We’re not here to scare or depress you,” Denham said at the start of the program. “We will give yo...'


    Excerpt: Hosts Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace promised viewers, 'We're not here to tell you what to think, we're not here to scare or depress you' and would 'give you facts, information you can trust, the truth.'







  • Channel 10 viewers fuming over The Project's replacement: 'Won't last the year'

    Cited text: 'The criticism and comparisons to A Current Affair kept coming, with another person writing, ‘What a joke! Just like A Current Affair but for Chan...'


    Excerpt: The viewer backlash was swift and brutal. Comparisons to A Current Affair dominated social media, with viewers writing, 'What a joke! Similar to A Current Affair, but for Channel 10. And this version is even worse.'







  • OPINION | Fist bumps and format shifts: 10 NEWS+ makes its official debut—TV Blackbox

    Cited text: 'As an alternative to Seven and Nine, people want light entertainment and information – Not more news or current affairs and certainly not political op...'


    Excerpt: Industry observers weren't surprised by the lukewarm reception. Television experts noted that 'people want light entertainment and information—not more news or current affairs' and that 'in-depth or investigative journalism will not work at 6 pm'.



    https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2025...rmat-shifts-10-news-makes-its-official-debut/



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Don't understand the comparison to The Chase as it is different timeslot, 5pm NOT 6pm! What hope have we got when they can't even get that right! Need something light-hearted, not more depression with presenters with equally depressing personalities. The Project should never have been axed. BIG mistake.
 
I cannot take to the male who was hosting the show..Denman or Denhman or something. Only saw it once.
 
Neighbour’s was mentioned OMG it was on par with Home and Away, please bring back Mr Squiggle and Rin Tin Tin or maybe even The Three Stooges.
 
This is the first time I have even heard that the Project got axed. That speaks volumes. I agree with a few of the other commenters about Waleed Aly. He was the only reason I stopped watching The Project when the comments from this 'serious' journalist became weighted towards a certain ideology that was very unAustralian. I agree with his right to have an opinion, but when it colored his delivery on facts, it pushed me away. It was that simple. I have not seen an episode in about 13.5 of its 14 seasons. Bargain Hunt for me became a staple watch on my TV.
 
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Anything would have been better than "The Project". So left wing it was difficult to watch with a bias so obvious it was tedious. Live to air TV is doomed, reflected in the plethora of cheap to produce reality shows and news forums plus advertisements run in the news programs disguised as news. Sheer desperation.
 
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Reactions: 7777 and Sherril54
What else would you expect from Network Ten, which is ultimately owned and ruled by the US based Paramount International Networks.

If you have ever watched US news on the NBC and CBS networks, you would immediately realise how much of a shit fight these outlets are.
 
Watched twice poor imitation. Try again. People like game shows a good time slot for one.
 
I was a huge fan of The Project from the start.
I have refused to watch this supposed replacement purely on principle.
Channel 10 has killed quite a few watchable shows. There is only a couple of reasons left to watch.
 
Who wants to watch a program that is a re-hash of the news program that had just been aired. The pictures are the same, or some even come on from days before, even weeks, the verbal re-hash is close to the previous presentation with the inserting or changing of a few lines. As for the regular news at 5pm, Ms Sully should try and read the teleprompter more closely, some of her poor diction, reading skills and losing her place are starting to increase quite a bit. I grew up with what I can only describe as the 'professional' news readers ie: Rodger Climpson, Brian Henderson, James Dibble and before that Chuck Faulkner, who read from the news paper in front of him. The standards have certainly declined. As for the overpaid boffins in charge, they haven't a clue how to provide good entertaining programs, that is the main reason that my time spent on Channel Ten is approximately 2hrs. per day and that is not every day.
Have a great day everyone, laugh and have a smile it helps.
 
I vote for the three stooges
 
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The Project gave me a chance to unwind and when it was axed. I switched off. Get a life 10 and listen to people.
 
i have never watched the project and i have forgotten we have a chanel 10.
says it all.
 
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I loved Waleed, he would have kept me there, it was the other air heads that didn`t inerest me.
you must be the only one. i never watched because of him and his missus.
 
you must be the only one. i never watched because of him and his missus.
Well I don`t know why you didn`t watch him and his missus, she was only on a few times. He was the only one who had a very good knowledge of social issues, sport etc and was very interesting in his commentary, You did miss out on a real professional.
 
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Everyone is trying to deliver the news in a totally different and unique way, but at the end of the day, information regarding every news story, is going to be no different from the previous news that was read by news presenter's. The only difference is that different presenter's, are reading the same news. Too much of back to back, news, can become quite depressing and stressful, as the news stories that are often read out first, are about crime, violence and sadly, loss of lives. Yes, news is important to view but only once a day , not over and over again. Channel Ten would be the talk of the town, if only it would bring back some of the older programs that so many enjoyed long ago.

Shows such as, The Brady Bunch. Oh please don't laugh, we all enjoyed every program. Then there was Gilligan's Island, I dream of Jeannie The Three Stooges, Bewitched, Lost In Space, Hogan's Heroes, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Adams Family, The Munsters, My There Sons, The Path Duke Show, Mash, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Here's Lucy, Petticoat Junction, Adam-12, Get Smart, Green Acres, Daniel Boone, McHale's Navy, The Flintstones, Flipper, Skippy The Bush Kangaroo, Lassie, Mr Ed, The Flying Nun, H.R. Pufnstuf, Gidget, The Bugs Bunny Show, Car 54 Where Are You, The Pink Panther Show, Me Bean and many more.

Our younger generation have forgotten what is like to have some humour in life. Everyone is so occupied with selfies and the me, me, me attitude. If any of the above shows were to go on air again, it would bring back some amazing memories of the past, and at the same time, allow the younger generation to enjoy watching the shows as much as we did. 🙏🦋
 
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Reactions: Sherril54
I loved watching the Project nightly (except Saturdays). The current male presenter is really sleezy and I can't stand watching him. He gives me the creeps. I wonder how many other women see him this way?
 
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