Rating woes for MasterChef

Some Unkind Figures

The ratings have not been friendly for MasterChef, with comparably poor showings for both their season opener and their weekly slots.

MasterChef ratings woes

Ratings can be a good friend, or a nasty enemy. When they are high, they are great. Shows get new seasons. When they are low, however, things are far from pleasant.

Such is the case for MasterChef. The cooking competition show began its life with a flurry. Its premiere season in 2009 was an unbridled success, with its finale attracting an average of 3,745,000 viewers. The second season achieved similar success. By the third season, however, things were starting to turn sour.

This decline seems to be continuing, with the recently begun fourth season not attracting the success it might have hoped for.

On Monday night the show acquired 996,000 of the viewing audience, around 40 per cent lower than a comparable point last season.

The show’s debut on Sunday was also lacklustre.

It received an audience of 1.36 million, down from 1.511 million for last year’s debut. It is the worst season opener in the show’s four seasons. The show had been billed as Channel Ten's chance to attain a greater share of the Sunday evening slot.

Channel Seven and Channel Nine’s flagship reality TV shows are suffering no such hardship. Channel Seven’s Home renovation show, The Block, has averaged 1.44 million between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The Voice, Channel Nine’s domineering singing competition show, has received an average 2.329 million viewers nationally.

Of course, a million or so viewers is no terrible failure, with some industry critics calling it a solid start.

Media analyst, Steve Allen, told the Herald Sun that: "The Block has had three weeks to establish itself with audiences."

Image courtesy of Robert Wallace/WENN.com