All networks are looking for cost reductions as the pressure to compete against streaming platforms intensifies.
As I examine the content output of the 10 multi channels, does the reduction in costs help the bottom line or does it only drive people further to other streaming options?
10 Bold and 10 Peach have strong multi channels in terms of share and rate well in total people and in the demographics they target. In fact, 10 Peach was the #1 multi channel last week in the ratings for both 16-39 and 25-54.
For 10 Peach, just seven programs fill the 7:30pm to midnight slots across the entire week – The Big Bang Theory, Friends, Two and a Half Men, Frasier, Mom and Seinfeld. All these shows are cancelled series and are obviously repeats. The only single hour of new programming comes on Friday nights at 10:30pm with Nancy Drew.
10 Peach does have new content for the channel in their library, including Undercover Girlfriends (season 2), The Conners (seasons 4 and 5), A Million Little Things (season 4 and 5), The Neighborhood (seasons 4 and 5) and Charmed (season 4). 10 is falling further and further behind America in terms of season output. None of these shows are high raters and currently are available on Paramount+ for paid subscribers only, however, 10 have not even slotted these programs into afternoon slots.
Similarly, 10 Bold is programmed off the back of repeats of NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, Bull, MacGyver and Hawaii Five-O. Just a single hour of new content airs (outside of Football coverage) with the US series, In the Dark, in which 10 Bold are playing season 3, with season 4 also available and complete in America.
10 Bold has new content available with Star Trek: Discovery (season 3 and 4), Evil (season 3), Seal Team (season 6) and 48 Hours (season 35). In some cases, 10 Bold has repeated then repeated again previous seasons without moving into fresh available seasons.
10 Shake’s schedule is now mostly full of repeats of The Office, South Park, Workaholics, Bojack Horseman, Catfish: The TV Show and movies. With Gogglebox UK finished last Sunday, this leaves 10 Shake with just 30 minutes of new content (outside of some comedy specials) with the new season of South Park.
10 Shake has True Life Crime (season 2), The Twilight Zone (season 2), Inside Amy Schumer (season 4), Star Trek: Prodigy (season 1B), Drunk History US (season 6), Tosh.0 (season 6), Teen Mom OG (season 8), Catfish: The TV Show (season 8B) and potentially more Gogglebox UK to air. This is despite some of these shows previous seasons being aired over and over again.
The only logical explanation for holding back so many seasons of shows for use is cost. The cost per hour to run repeats instead of new seasons is substantially lower and the current shares for the channels are more than reasonable – perhaps justifying that repeats will keep the share / revenue high with new episodes not likely to increase share.
From a cost perspective that may make sense. However, as viewers increasingly have more choice across various platforms, why stick with linear viewing when new content is just not available? Why would viewers be interested in 18 month+ old episodes of The Conners once they air? Why do viewers that have been enjoying A Million Little Things have to wait months after America to see the final ever episode here?
One other explanation may have been that Disney was taking back a few of their shows and perhaps The Conners was one of them? Not so according to a spokesperson for Disney+.
10 were contacted for comment but have yet to reply.