How The Project ‘ruined’ Channel 10: Radio host Kyle Sandilands blames talk show’s ‘woke political agenda’ for the network’s floundering ratings
Kyle Sandilands accused The Project of being ‘too woke’ in an on-air rant last week.
The radio host, 50, said the current affairs talk show was guilty of pushing ‘political agendas down our throats’ – and even blamed it for Channel 10’s spiralling ratings.
‘That Project’s ruined everything,’ said Kyle, who has appeared on several 10 shows in the past and is typically known for his friendly relationship with the network.
Frank assessment: Radio host Kyle Sandilands (pictured) accused Channel 10’s flagship current affairs show The Project of being ‘too woke’ in an on-air rant last week
‘When you’re running a TV network, and your lead-in is The Project, and [the ratings have] eroded away to nothing, that’s a worry,’ he added.
‘I thought Channel Nine was the wokest media organisation in the country. Or maybe not, [Channel 10 is]. That’s right, because everyone’s stopped watching it for some reason because they’re too woke.’
Kyle went on to claim The Project’s failure had affected The Bachelor, which has recorded its lowest-ever audience this year.
‘[They’re] the worst they’ve ever been in the history since The Project started. And that’s what damaged The Bachelor, and that’s why they’re worried,’ he said.
To blame? The KIIS FM presenter, 50, said The Project was guilty of pushing ‘political agendas down our throats’ – and even blamed it for Channel 10’s spiralling ratings. Pictured: Waleed Aly
Cause and effect: Kyle said The Project’s failure had affected The Bachelor Australia, which has recorded its lowest-ever audience this year. Pictured: The Bachelor’s Jimmy Nicholson
Kyle has featured on multiple Channel 10 shows over the years, starting when he replaced Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson as a judge on Australian Idol in 2005.
He has also appeared on Celebrity Big Brother, and in 2018 was given his own show on the network: Trial by Kyle.
The Kyle and Jackie O Show also has commercial arrangements with 10, with several segments sponsored by The Bachelor.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel 10 for comment.
History: Kyle (right) has featured on multiple Channel 10 shows over the years, starting when he replaced Ian ‘Dicko’ Dickson as a judge on Australian Idol in 2005. Pictured with Mark Holden (left) and Marcia Hines (centre) in an undated promotional photo
Kyle’s views echo those of leading TV commentator Rob McKnight, who said earlier this month Channel 10 was losing viewers because of The Project’s left-wing bias.
McKnight, a former 10 executive who now runs industry website TV Blackbox, said the views expressed on the show don’t resonate with everyday Aussies.
He told Daily Mail Australia that despite its slick production and top-tier talent, The Project is ‘very woke and that doesn’t connect with mainstream Australia’.
Political: Kyle’s views echo those of TV pundit Rob McKnight, who said earlier this month 10 was losing viewers because of The Project’s left-wing bias. Pictured (L-R): Tommy Little, Peter Helliar, Hamish Macdonald, Carrie Bickmore, Waleed Aly, Lisa Wilkinson and Gorgi Coghlan
McKnight explained: ‘My take is that most Australians are centre-right in their politics which is why talkback radio does so well.
‘But The Project skews too far to the left and doesn’t reflect Betty from Bankstown or Irene from Ipswich. It really feels inner Melbourne and not relatable.’
He said the presenters are all ‘great talent’, but at some point the show just ‘stopped connecting’ with the mainstream – ‘and that kills any brand’.
Opinion: McKnight, a former 10 executive who now runs industry website TV Blackbox, told Daily Mail Australia that despite its slick production and top-tier talent, The Project is ‘very woke and that doesn’t connect with mainstream Australia’. Pictured: Tommy Little, Lisa Wilkinson and Waleed Aly at Channel 10’s Upfronts presentation on October 11, 2019
McKnight, who has worked for all three commercial TV networks, went on to say The Project used to punch above its weight by setting the news agenda every week.
But these days ‘nobody pays attention anymore’.
He added: ‘For all the free press The Project has received over the years it should be one of the biggest shows on TV – but it’s not.’
The Project, which is produced by Rove McManus’ production company Roving Enterprises, is considered a sacred cow at 10 even though its ratings are poor.
Alignment: ‘But The Project skews too far to the left and doesn’t reflect Betty from Bankstown or Irene from Ipswich. It really feels inner Melbourne and not relatable,’ said McKnight
Its ratings are typically strongest from 6:30pm to 7pm, but the audience tends to drop off unless there is a strong entertainment show at 7:30pm, McKnight said.
This is why it’s particularly worrying for 10 that The Bachelor and MasterChef Australia underperformed this year, because their ratings affect The Project.
It comes after 10 sunk to a worrying new ratings low earlier this month, recording its worst commercial audience share since the OzTAM ratings system began in 2001.
The channel had an audience share of 8.9 per cent across the five capital cities during prime time (6pm to midnight) for the week commencing August 1.
Commercial shares exclude the ABC and SBS.
Bad news: Channel 10 sunk to a worrying new ratings low earlier this month, recording its worst commercial audience share since the OzTAM ratings system began in 2001
Before this dismal result, 10’s lowest commercial audience share was 9.8 per cent, in the weeks commencing December 23, 2018, and July 25, 2021.
However, it’s important to remember the commercial audience share figure only accounts for main channels, not multichannels.
If the multichannel 10 Bold, 10 Peach and 10 Shake are taken into consideration, the network’s prime-time commercial audience share for the week commencing August 1 rises to 16 per cent.
Dismal: The channel had an audience share of 8.9 per cent across the five capital cities during prime time (6pm to midnight) for the week commencing August 1. Pictured: Jonathan LaPaglia, the host of 10’s Australian Survivor
Meanwhile, the failure that is Jimmy Nicholson’s Bachelor season continued last week, with 10 slipping to fourth in the primary network shares, trailing even the ABC.
The once-popular dating show fell behind Home and Away last Thursday, taking second place with just 487,000 metro viewers.
The Thursday staple used to routinely drew more than one million sets of eyeballs.
Kissed off: Meanwhile, the failure that is Jimmy Nicholson’s Bachelor season continued last week, with Channel 10 slipping to fourth in the primary network shares
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