Channel Ten Axed Neighbours

Neighbours has been cut from Channel Ten's schedule.

The long-running Australian soap, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, will move to Ten's new digital channel Eleven when the network launches next year. The new station will target the youth market of 13 to 29-year-olds.


moe here: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/australian-tv/s14/neighbours/news/a267800/neighbours-axed-from-channel-ten.html

This is the second time Neighbours has changed network in Australia isn't it? Didn't it move from 7 to 10 in the early days?

yes and the petty sods at channel seven scrapped all the sets so channel ten had to build new ones which really cacked up the continuity

lets hope this time they will be more adult about it

Its a perfectly adult decision not to gift expensive properties to your competitor. To do anything other than that would be foolish. The sets they rebuilt (and redesigned) were much better - the original were drab and dark, and restricted in the shots they could use.

Besides, 11 is owned by 10 - it's a digital sister channel; so I'd expect nothing to change.

Yes, it's the Australian equivalent of moving from ITV1 to ITV2.

Although it could be a way of axing it by stealth - moving it to a new digital channel where it'll be less popular, then ditching it for low ratings

Wasn't it subsidised for years by the BBC paying well over the odds for it?

I don't know about "well over the odds", but their payment entitled them to have a say about storylines (content and scheduling) which they felt worked well for the UK audience.

Not sure if Five ever had any such input.

An advantage to the network is that the digital only channels have different rules regarding classifications, so the show could be given a PG rating rather than a G rating, and allow them a bit more freedom when it comes to 'realism'. Although I'm sure they are wise enough to know that however they dress up the advantages, viewing figures will be a fraction of what they are on Ten. I agree that once Eleven is up and running and has found its feet, Neighbours is unlikely to continue.

Shouldn't this be in the existing Neighbours thread instead of a new one?

Possibly. Although I for one feel a new thread was justified, as I would never have gone near the existing Neighbours thread. This is of interest to those who have grown up with Neighbours, but don't follow current storylines. But no doubt we could argue this point until the cows come home.

I believe if it was not for the Worldwide sale of the show to around 60 countries it would have been axed years ago. the show pays for its self, but ti not been getting the viewers.

so why not move it to somewhere else, put something bettering in its time slot in oz and still make plenty of money

( I believe Batman the 60's was also going to move channel but when there found out set had been dismantle, the idea was pulled. )

One of the other reasons why its still in production is simply because it counts towards the quota of homegrown Australian productions that Ten have to make in order to keep its licence. But with the likes of Channel Five signing long term deals, it wont be going anytime soon, no matter where it ends up in the schedules down under.