A leading media expert has shared his dire prediction about the future of Australian free-to-air television.
Following the recent cancellation of Network 10’s Gladiators, The Masked Singer and The Bachelor, founder of The Ideas Business Wade Kingsley believes Channel 10 will never be the same.
‘My prediction is sad, we have to take into account the possibility that there will be fewer publishers by the end of the year. There may not be Channel 10 in its current form, there may not be regional television and there may not be as many radio stations,” he told the Game Changers Radio podcast.
‘We are in a very strange time in which there is a structural decline in free-to-air media. We always hear about suffering on television, and it really is,” he added.
Kingsley explained that the downturn is due to a “record drop” in advertising revenue and that radio stations will soon be hit.
A leading media expert has shared his dire prediction about the future of Australian free-to-air television
He claimed that Paramount, the owners of Channel 10, are “trying to break up (the network) in the US,” which he said could lead to it being “sold off.”
Kingsley also claimed that Channel Nine is discussing job cuts.
It comes after Channel 10 decided to ax yet another hit show amid ongoing concerns over the future of the network.
Following the cancellation of The Bachelors and The Masked Singer, Daily Mail Australia can reveal that Gladiators will not be returning.
Following the recent cancellation of Channel 10’s Gladiators, The Masked Singer and The Bachelor, Wade Kingsley, founder of The Ideas Business, shared his assessment of the future of the media landscape.
Despite their success in Britain, both Gladiators and the recently canned The Traitors struggled to gain a foothold.
Produced by Warner Bros., the Australian reboot of Gladiators launched with high expectations but failed to maintain its initial viewership.
The show, hosted by Beau Ryan and Liz Ellis, attracted a sizable summer audience of 395,000 metro viewers during its premiere.
Unfortunately, the numbers for the second episode plummeted to just 196,000.
‘My prediction is sad, we have to take into account the possibility that there will be fewer publishers by the end of the year. There may not be Channel 10 in its current form, there may not be regional television and there may not be as many radio stations,” he said on the Game Changers podcast.
Critics on social media were quick to point out the lack of audience presence, comparing it to shows filmed during lockdown, despite being filmed under normal conditions.
When reached for comment by Daily Mail Australia, a Paramount spokesperson emphasized that the company continued to show strength.
‘We are a strong media and entertainment company with a diverse content ecosystem that includes free-to-air TV with Network 10, broadcast video on demand with 10 Play, free ad-supported streaming TV channels with Pluto TV, streaming video on demand with Paramount+, as well as live events and consumer products,” they said.
‘Our performance proves our success: 10 Play is having its biggest month ever in April, building on its success as Australia’s fastest growing BVOD in 2023, the biggest ever A-Leagues season with 5.72 million Aussies and Paramount+ is the fastest growing streaming service in Australia over the past two years, to name just a few of our many achievements.
“As a member of a global media company, we are accustomed to speculation about our business, but our multi-platform and diversified approach allows us to continue to navigate the changing media landscape with confidence.”
10 is celebrating their 60th anniversary this year.
Kingsley explained that the downturn is due to a ‘record drop’ in advertising revenue and that radio stations will soon be hit
