smh.com.au
Nine's Premier League Broadcast Draws Record Australian Viewership
Nine's free-to-air broadcast of a Tottenham vs. Manchester City Premier League match on Saturday night attracted 1.14 million viewers in Australia, exceeding last week's viewership and becoming the top-rated program for viewers aged 25-54; this is part of Nine's $100 million deal with Optus for Premier League rights, and the broadcaster plans to use free-to-air exposure to boost its Stan Sport subscription service.
- What was the impact of Nine's free-to-air broadcast of the Premier League match on overall viewership and engagement in Australia?
- Nine's broadcast of a Tottenham vs. Manchester City Premier League match drew 1.14 million Australian viewers on free-to-air television, making it the top-rated program for the 25-54 age demographic. This surpasses last week's Premier League game viewership of 855,000 and represents a significant win for Nine's new broadcasting deal. The match was also the most-viewed football match ever on Stan Sport.
- How does Nine's strategy of combining free-to-air broadcasts with its Stan Sport streaming service affect its business model and profitability?
- This success builds upon Nine's $100 million annual Premier League deal with Optus, leveraging free-to-air exposure to drive subscriptions to Stan Sport. The high viewership demonstrates the potential of using free-to-air broadcasts to boost streaming services. The strategy involves a multi-platform approach encompassing free-to-air, Stan Sport, and 9Now.
- What are the long-term implications of Nine's approach to sports broadcasting in Australia, considering its impact on other sports and streaming services?
- Nine's strategic use of its free-to-air channel to promote its Stan Sport subscription service, leveraging the popularity of the English Premier League, signifies a significant shift in sports broadcasting in Australia. The success of this strategy could influence future sports broadcasting deals, setting a precedent for other major sporting events.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The narrative heavily emphasizes the positive aspects of Nine's Premier League broadcast deal, highlighting high viewership numbers and the strategic success of using the NRL as a lead-in. The headline focuses on the success of the deal, framing it as a win for Nine. The inclusion of positive quotes from Nine executives further reinforces this positive framing. While acknowledging the cost of the deal, the emphasis is clearly on the potential for growth and return on investment.
Language Bias
The language used is largely positive and celebratory, describing the broadcast as a 'full-scale offensive play' and highlighting its success in terms of 'interest, engagement and viewership'. While not overtly biased, the celebratory tone might subtly influence the reader's perception of the deal's impact. Neutral alternatives could include more balanced language that acknowledges both successes and potential challenges. Phrases like "high viewership" are neutral reporting of data, however phrases like "resurgent Wallabies" present a pre-determined positive assessment of the state of the Wallabies rather than neutral reporting on the team's recent performance.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the viewership numbers and Nine's business strategy surrounding the Premier League broadcast deal. It omits analysis of the quality of the broadcast itself, viewer feedback beyond the raw numbers, and a comparative analysis of other sports broadcasts on Nine's channels. While acknowledging space constraints is reasonable, omitting critical details about viewer engagement beyond quantitative data limits a full understanding of the impact.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat simplistic view of the success of the broadcast, focusing primarily on the high viewership numbers. It doesn't explore potential downsides or challenges, such as the cost of the deal or potential negative impacts on other programming. The framing of the deal as a 'full-scale offensive play' suggests a lack of nuance regarding potential risks.
Sustainable Development Goals
The broadcast deal and resulting high viewership of Premier League matches on free-to-air television increase accessibility to a sport that might otherwise be financially out of reach for some Australians, potentially reducing inequalities in access to entertainment and sporting events.