The Nation (TV series)
{{for|the Sky News program|The Nation with David Speers}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2011}}
{{Infobox television
| image = The Nation (TV series) logo.png
| caption =
| runtime = 60 minutes per episode
including commercials
| creator =
| starring = Mick Molloy (host)
Paul Calleja
Tiffany Cherry
Gary Eck
Jackie O
Nikki Osborne
Akmal Saleh
Pete Smith
| country = Australia
| network = Nine Network
| first_aired = {{start date|2007|6|5|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2007|8|29|df=y}}
| num_episodes = 13 (List of episodes)
| related = The Mick Molloy Show (1999)
}}
The Nation was an Australian satirical sketch comedy and discussion series covering the week's events across political and social spectrums, premiering on Tuesday 5 June 2007 at {{nowrap|9:30 pm}} on the Nine Network.{{cite news | author = Australian Associated Press | title = Mick Molloy takes on The Nation | work = Brisbane Times| date = 2007-05-25 | url = http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2007/05/25/1179601617296.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}
It was hosted by Mick Molloy with a supportive cast of Akmal Saleh, Jackie O, Tiffany Cherry, Gary Eck, Paul Calleja, Nikki Osborne and Pete Smith as the announcer for the show. The show was taped at the GTV-9 Melbourne studios in front of a studio audience.{{cite news | last = Ellis | first = Scott | title = Taking the Mick | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2007-06-04 | url = http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/06/03/1180809323838.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }} The first guests on the show were Peter Garrett, Stephen Curry and Lisa McCune. The final episode was broadcast on Wednesday 29 August 2007.
Ratings
The Nation's initial episode was the Nine Network's top rating program within the 16- to 39-year-old demographic in Melbourne, Sydney and the east coast. However, the program was third nationally, beaten by Channel Seven's Crossing Jordan (974,000) and Channel Ten's Numb3rs (910,000).{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: Week 23 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2007-06-06 | url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/06/the_ratings_race_by_any_other.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }} After the first episode, ratings began to decline with the ratings for the second episode dropping just over one fifth of the audience.
Over the course of the series, changes to the format were made. Veteran announcer Pete Smith and WSFM 101.7 compere Amanda Keller were additions to the cast. On 4 July 2007, the Nine Network confirmed that The Nation would move from its primetime Tuesday timeslot to a new time of 10:30pm on Wednesday nights, in direct competition with Ten Late News and Channel Seven's The Unit.{{cite news | title = Funnyman Molloy on skit row | department = Sydney Confidential | work = The Daily Telegraph| date = 2007-07-05 | url = http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22017998-5006002,00.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}
The ratings for episodes were as follows:
- Episode 1: 772,000{{cite news | author = Nine Network | title = Nine – Ratings results for Tuesday, 5 June | publisher = ebroadcast.com.au | date = 2007-06-06 | url = http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/nine-tv-ratings-060607.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}
- Episode 2: 610,000{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: Week 24 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2007-06-13 | url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/06/the_ratings_race_1.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}
- Episode 3: 626,000{{cite news | author = Seven Network | title = Seven - Daily Ratings Report | publisher = ebroadcast.com.au | date = 2007-06-20 | url = http://www.ebroadcast.com.au/enews/tv-ratings-daily-200607.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}
- Episode 4: 575,000{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: Week 26 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2007-06-27 | url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/06/the_ratings_raceweek_25.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}
- Episode 5: 548,000,{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: Week 27 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2007-07-04 | url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/07/thr_ratings_race_new_week.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}
- Episode 6: 418,000{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: week 28 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2007-07-12 | url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/07/the_ratings_race_new_week_3.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 }}
- Episode 7: 363,000.{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: week 29 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2007-07-19 | url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/07/next_ratings_race.html | accessdate = 2007-07-19 }}
- Episode 8: 398,000{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: week 30 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/07/ratings_race_new_week_2.html | accessdate = 2007-07-26 | date=27 July 2007}}
- Episode 9: 387,000{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: week 31 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/08/the_ratings_race_consolations.html | accessdate = 2007-08-02 | date=2 August 2007}}
- Episode 10: 406,000.{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: week 32 | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2007-08-09 | url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/08/ratings_race_next.html | accessdate = 2007-08-09 }}
- Episode 11: 413,000.{{cite news | last = Dale | first = David | title = The ratings race: week 33 | work = The Sunday Morning Herald| date = 2007-08-16 | url = http://blogs.smh.com.au/sit/archives/2007/08/the_ratings_race_seven_ate_nin.html | accessdate = 2007-08-16 }}
Criticism
The Herald Sun reported that The Nation had received a mixed reaction on the initial episode, with dozens of viewers complaining to the Nine Network about bad-taste jokes made on-air.
{{cite news | department = Confidential | title = Complaints over Molloy jokes | work = Herald Sun| date = 2007-06-07 | url = http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21861587-5012974,00.html | accessdate = 2007-07-12 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110615095258/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/complaints-over-molloy-jokes/story-e6frf96x-1111113694104 | archivedate = 15 June 2011}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://channelnine.ninemsn.com.au/section.aspx?sectionid=5747§ionname=thenation Official website]
- {{IMDb title|id=1031827|title=The Nation}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nation, The}}
Category:Australian political comedy television series
Category:Nine Network original programming
Category:2007 Australian television series debuts