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The surprising show that was going to replace The Project before executives panicked and pushed out 10 News+ – and why the ‘rushed’ current affairs show is tipped to not last long

BBG News

Initiated last Monday, the new Project, named as 10 News+, began with a quiet start, attracting only around 291,000 viewers to its highly anticipated news broadcast.

10 Network made an unexpected decision this past month, canceling The Project after 16 years and replacing it with a conventional news broadcast instead of the lively infotainment series.

In 2009, the project was initiated with an experimental approach aimed at re-engaging a large portion of the national population who were increasingly preferring social media over traditional serious news.

It raised some questions among many as to why Network Ten thought a serious news broadcast would draw or increase viewers for The Project.

The Daily Mail Australia has shared an exclusive piece of information, stating that high-ranking officials were secretly worried about the same issue.

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The leading ten managers are said to be divided on how to use the evening 6-7 PM slot, with certain individuals advocating for a daily, five-day-a-week format of “The Cheap Seats” as an alternative.

Supporters of increasing the number of participants on the well-known comedy talk show believe it will add more humor and lightness to the channel’s programming.

Ultimately, they chose a more serious, newsy approach with 10 News+, but this move has not been received favorably by viewers and staff alike.

On Tuesday, 10 News+ lost an additional 10,000 viewers, even though there was a large potential viewer base, as a severe winter storm, known as a ‘bomb cyclone’, hit the Eastern seaboard.

On Thursday, The Network quickly brought back Georgie Tunny from The Project to work alongside the newly hired anchors Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace.

As a devoted follower of unique news formats, I’m overjoyed to continue my journey with the 10 family. I can barely contain my excitement as I eagerly anticipate where this fresh beginning will take us! (Georgie’s statement)

According to an insider at Network Ten, they made a mistake in a subtle manner, and it seems unlikely that this approach laid a strong groundwork for success during that time period, as reported by Daily Mail Australia.

‘Everyone felt rushed,’ the insider spills.

It seemed evident that the format wasn’t fully prepared yet, but there was a pressing need for a quick replacement solution to validate recent budget reductions.

In June, The Project attracted between 238,000 and 357,000 viewers nationally.

Despite experiencing a significant drop in ratings ever since Carrie Bickmore stepped down as host at the end of 2022, the news program managed to attract more viewers during its debut week compared to 10 News+’s launch.

Instead, The Project significantly trails its rivals, Seven and Nine News, who consistently draw over 2 million viewers during their 6pm news broadcasts.

It’s anticipated that 10 News+ will struggle to survive until the end of 2025, and there’s a strong suspicion that it won’t reopen its doors in 2026.

‘There’s already talk that they’ll pull the plug once the ratings come in,’ our insider adds.

One certainty is The Project isn’t coming back. 

Network Ten appears to be actively seeking out fresh, youthful talent as they’ve let go of expensive contracts for hosts like Waleed Aly, Sarah Harris, and Hamish Macdonald, without any apparent plans to reintroduce familiar faces.

It became apparent that the format wasn’t fully prepared yet, however, there was a pressing need for a quick replacement to cover up for the budget reductions.

According to our source, they ought to have focused on their area of expertise and toned things down a bit. That’s the approach that Ten excels at, and it’s also what viewers seem to prefer.

A second Ten insider didn’t mince words when Inside Mail asked about the performance so far.

‘Unfortunate situation: A debuting Executive Producer (EP) who has yet to create any work, paired with novice hosts who have not previously taken on hosting duties,’ they remarked.

I saw it last night, and I must say it was incredibly poor. On the first day, it failed to make an impact; by the second day, it had been laid to rest. Martin’s work, supposedly a masterpiece, unfortunately did not live up to expectations.

At the end, the individual referred to as ‘Martin’ is none other than Martin White, who holds the position of Vice President of Broadcast News at Paramount. It was Daniel Sutton, an experienced journalist, albeit a novice Executive Producer in this specific role, who received some criticism.

Upon being reached out for a statement, a representative from Network 10 defended Daniel Sutton, saying: “Daniel Sutton is an experienced journalist and producer who has worked for 25 years. Network 10 takes pride in nurturing its employees and advancing skilled professionals like him.

They are adopting a comprehensive, long-term strategy for growing their audience across multiple platforms, which includes 10 News+.

Cultivating a faithful news audience is a process that requires patience, and we’re ready to embrace steady progress as more people become acquainted with and resonate with our distinctive method of delivering news through various channels.

Ten has wholeheartedly dedicated itself to 10 News+. It’s a long-term endeavor, not a quick race. We’re pouring resources into creating a durable, high-quality news service that will adapt and advance according to our viewers’ requirements as time goes on.

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2025-07-07 03:34

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