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Channel 10 gives up The Bachelor: Network succumbs to pressure from Nine’s unstoppable MAFS, burying its dating show in 2023 schedule
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Channel 10 clearly has no faith in The Bachelor, opting to air the upcoming season before the start of the 2023 viewing year.
The dating show, which has been rebranded as ‘The Bachelors’ and will feature three suitors instead of one, will launch on January 2, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
This means it won’t face any competition from rival networks and will likely be ready by the time Married At First Sight airs on Channel Nine.
Channel 10 clearly has no faith in The Bachelor, opting to air the upcoming season before the start of the 2023 viewing year. (Photo from left: New Bachelors Felix Von Hofe, Jed McIntosh and Thomas Malucelli)
TV networks traditionally schedule programs in a 40-week viewing year, starting in February and ending in November, with a small break during Easter.
This is because people tend to watch less TV in the summer, making December and January less important for advertisers.
Most networks save their tentpole shows for February to get the viewing year off to a good start, and are less concerned with summer ratings.
The dating show, which has been renamed ‘The Bachelors’ and will feature three suitors instead of one, will launch on January 2, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
By scheduling The Bachelors for early January, Channel 10 indicates that it does not consider the show competitive enough to air during its official viewing year.
This is probably a wise move, considering that scheduling a dating show against a rating juggernaut like MAFS would essentially be programming suicide.
However, it should be noted that TV network programming has shifted to a 52-week year in recent years.
This means it won’t face any competition from rival networks and will likely be ready by the time Married At First Sight airs on Nine. (Pictured: MAFS star Olivia Frazer)
An example of this is Channel 10 starting the year with I’m a Celebrity… Get me out of here! early January.
This year’s season of I’m a Celebrity will likely air later in the calendar, as The Bachelors has taken its traditional spot.
The Bachelors was kicked out of the 2022 schedule to make way for The Real Love Boat, which premiered Wednesday with poor ratings.
The Bachelors premieres on Channel 10 on January 2
By scheduling The Bachelors for early January, Channel 10 indicates it doesn’t feel the show is competitive enough to air during its official viewing year.