Channel 5 Transmission Discussion/Updates

[James Martin]

Yeah, not sure when Oz are coming back but we won't be that far behind.  I assumed the contract was now that the UK and Ireland show a fixed 230 episodes a year (like Australia) and Seven write in a cliffhanger at the appropriate time, but obviously not.

[Red Ranger 1]

I should probably do the calculations but if we're carrying on for an extra two weeks, I think that would mean we have seven weeks worth of the 2025 season to go at the start of next year.That means we could get the 2026 premiere five weeks after Australia does. I think this year the gap shrunk a lot in the first half of the year when Oz were mainly doing four episode weeks and has stretched out again now they're having six episodes a week. I'd guess that for the reasons I mentioned earlier they're not anticipating that next year?

Edited November 4 by Red Ranger 1

[James Martin]

If there's 230 episodes in the season, Australia should be coming off on Episode 8635.  We now know we're finishing on 8600, not 8590 as originally planned.

So we should have seven weeks of 2025 episodes to air when we come back.

[James Martin]

On 03/11/2025 at 19:09, Red Ranger 1 said:

they're having six episodes a week

Do the Thursday night triple bills rate well?  It feels like a big commitment.  Or do most watch at their own pace on 7+?

I remember Coral Drouyn saying 20 or so years ago that their data showed late night shopping on Thursdays and people going out on Fridays meant those episodes rated worse than other nights, with many taping them and playing them back on Saturday morning.

[hapitoby]

1 hour ago, James Martin said:

Do the Thursday night triple bills rate well?  It feels like a big commitment.  Or do most watch at their own pace on 7+?

I remember Coral Drouyn saying 20 or so years ago that their data showed late night shopping on Thursdays and people going out on Fridays meant those episodes rated worse than other nights, with many taping them and playing them back on Saturday morning.

Good question. I imagine it must not rate as well- or at least it didn't up until the got rid of Fridays showings like 12-13 years ago. They could always trial it again. I guess with streaming, they might feel it's less likely it'll rate well.

[Bri1231]

7 hours ago, hapitoby said:

Good question. I imagine it must not rate as well- or at least it didn't up until the got rid of Fridays showings like 12-13 years ago. They could always trial it again. I guess with streaming, they might feel it's less likely it'll rate well.

Streaming is the king of TV now really. I'm not sure how anyone else watches but I haven't watched Home and Away on linear TV now for three/four years. I used to record the 6pm Channel 5 airing and did so for 20+ years watching one episode per day, due to my work schedule I don't be home until 9pm a lot of the time. I have followed Australian airing times since 2010 watching at 7pm as it fits in with life better and completely ditched recording after Channel 5 dropped the 6pm airing. These days I might watch four episodes one week and then six the next week. Sometimes only three per week. What I do without fail though is if Australia airs a 90 minute finale, common these days and for a while,  I watch it exactly like that, I don't watch single episodes during the finale as it works WAY better as a long finale. When they air a commonwealth cliffhanger, I take a two week break and come back to it. I would never watch an episode on a Friday now, I'm either at work or doing something else with my life. I like Monday to Thursday and I don't mind erratic airings. 

 

[James Martin]

You mean you watch 7+ via a VPN or stream via 5 but watch as if it was Australia pace (ie double episode on Thursday night)

...

Australia is ending on 8635, unusually early on Wednesday 19th November, the week the UK & Ireland were originally scheduled to come off air on.  So depending on how late Australia comes back, we may get to catch up a wee bit; it's confirmed we're back January 2nd/5th and Australia won't start back until the 12th at the very earliest.  If the Commonwealth Games also means it's a 220 episode season, we could get quite close.

EDIT: done the math.

UK hits the season finale on Thursday 19th/Friday 20th February, Ireland will see it on Monday 23rd February.

Edited November 10 by James Martin

[actorandlyricist]

Would there ever come a time again where the UK would be near enough neck and neck with Aus again? I assume due to the lifetime deal there will never be such plans. Just there was points in time where the UK was only like 4/5 episodes behind. 

Still be a dream of mine if the UK ever came that close again. 

[630si]

5 hours ago, actorandlyricist said:

Would there ever come a time again where the UK would be near enough neck and neck with Aus again? I assume due to the lifetime deal there will never be such plans. Just there was points in time where the UK was only like 4/5 episodes behind. 

Still be a dream of mine if the UK ever came that close again. 

We can all hope! We would probably have to hang back a couple of weeks though because of how crazy 7 scheduling can get. 

[James Martin]

22 hours ago, actorandlyricist said:

Would there ever come a time again where the UK would be near enough neck and neck with Aus again? I assume due to the lifetime deal there will never be such plans. Just there was points in time where the UK was only like 4/5 episodes behind. 

Still be a dream of mine if the UK ever came that close again. 

I mean it's possible.  If Seven scheduled the show so there were 5 episodes a week, every week, with a Thursday night double bill, then the time difference would allow the UK to screen the episode at lunchtime. 

It would mess up the 6am streaming drops (unless 7+ went that way) and we'd have to lose 5 Star first look, which is a misnomer now anyway because the episode has been available to watch for 12½ hours by the time it airs!

But it's doable.