Kuttsy's Pitch VII: Unlucky7

OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA HASHTAGS: #kpitchVII, #itstimeVII

“Ladies and gentleman, well may we say God Save the Queen: because nothing will save 7 News Brisbane in 2015. #itstimeVII #kpitchVII #1in21” Posted to Twitter upon BTQ losing 2015. 21-1, 25/7/15

Kuttsy’s Pitch VII: what many have claimed is, “Unlucky7” has finally arrived. The 438 days since Kuttsy’s Pitch VI have been remarkable. Seven comprehensively losing 2015: with numbers not seen since Bruce Paige was still dominant in the mid 00’s, ratings figures for the 6-7 hour last seen when Local Edition lead into 6pm in 2000, prior to The Chase’s arrival: only for the new gameshow to face a uphill battle, and most critically: the axing of a news director (with Ross Dagan in September 2014, yes, Kiwi readers, Seven Sharp outlasted Dagan at 7, with Neil Warren installed as a replacement) in Brisbane as well as the installation of a new national head of news/public affairs (taking advantage of Neil Mooney’s retirement) over the top of Rob Raschke (who fell on his sword in late October): former Today Tonight producer Craig McPherson on July 28, before starting officially on October 28.

But, yet, we are here again for the 7^th time, in the mainline series (with the spinoff Pitch series (kicked off with the highly successful Kuttsy’s Fare Pitch): returning in early 2016, this time with one option that stood out from the rest: Kuttsy’s Radio Pitch (4BC as a 25-54 talk station). But this year we are reminded of the reason why the 11^th of November is so symbolic.

Are we there yet? GC 2018 Commonwealth Games transport.

Is SEQ headed #offtherails in four years? This piece explains how a Public Transport disaster during the Commonwealth Games in 2018 can be averted, along with some future solutions as part of a greater legacy.

In 2012, this site had a remarkably successful piece, on how difficult the task will be on awarding host broadcasting rights for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, in 2018. And it got me thinking for the best part of two years: What else is needed? Obviously, as we are officially on the road to 2018 as of today’s handover ceremony: surely, it’s time to start thinking about how we are literally going to get there…

The Price Is Right returns: the Brisbane impact.

If you are reading this now, Seven is definitely looking to change the 5-6 lineup nationwide.


Seven is seriously looking at the Price Is Right to air in the 5pm slot to aid Deal or No Deal. Due to this move, Seven QLD will likely have Today Tonight at 4:30, in lieu of 4:30 news, and most critically, a big thumb in the nose to hopes for a fresh breath of air at 5:30 in the south-east corner of QLD. But we can stand up Queensland and make our intentions known. Viewers in Queensland are sick of Deal, and viewers in Brisbane are sick of Seven lying to us like they have done for over a decade, on local content outside weekends. Hell, even your promos are lying to us. Seven, you may like to claim that "Brisbane is our city", but the viewers of this city, of this state, want to see that statement backed up with action on increasing the amount of local content produced in this state. It has been nearly three long years since the Extra axing, and twelve long years since Local Edition's demise. I hope we all can stand up and tell Seven what we really think.

The 2012 Vision: the explanation...

Happy new year, and welcome to our 4th birthday, at Kuttsywood's Couch. The gift? The return of a regular longform blogging series, for the first time in two years, starting in February, called: "The 2012 Vision". What is "The 2012 Vision", you may ask: read on, to see the upcoming highlights (our preview reel if you will) for the beginning of 2012...

Digital Switchover: What should occur on the Gold Coast

As I am writing this, it is less than 18 months until digital switchover begins in Queensland, with regional areas from Maryborough to Cairns, switching off analogue in the 2nd half of 2011. But the main issue concerns the Brisbane switchoff, in three years time, with the need for the Gold Coast to gain local stations, as a trade-off for more space to be freed up on the UHF band (to allow future commercial operators) in and around Brisbane.


There are currently on the Gold Coast, three UHF frequencies given to each network, two analogue (one for each of the legacy transmitters at Mount Tamborine and Currumbin) and one digital (shared with all GC digital transmitters).

Kuttsywood's Couch's 2nd annual guide to Daylight Saving FTA delays in QLD.

"It"'s back for 2009/10. Of course I am referring to Daylight Saving, which Queensland does not have.

This post was so popular last year, that the people at DS4SEQ (aka the Daylight Saving For South East Queensland political party, here in Queensland) used it as a effective source, and help spread the message of the "true" cost of having no Daylight Saving in Queensland in a networked TV world (losing ad share), being delays, by the bowlful.

This year there is a main difference, with the addition of schedules for commercial digital multichannels One HD, GO! and Seven's new SD "72" schedules due soon, as well as detailed analysis on cricket, SuperGP, tennis and Sydney's NYE telecast times and delays.

50 years of Brisbane TV Part 5: The Gold Coast, Queensland's TV production hub

Dedicated to... Charles "Bud" Tingwell AM, a icon of Australian film and television, who has achieved many honours in his long career, 1923-2009.

This month we have left Brisbane behind again, to this time focus on Queensland's TV production heart, the Gold Coast, and look at it's two distinct roles in the history of the Queensland industry, first being the place where our early stars got away from it all, and second, the film and television sector wanting a piece of "Australia's Hollywood".