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Top Gear Franchise Changes Channel

Tony O'Kane | Oct 23, 2009

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ALTHOUGH RECENT RUMOURS of Shane Warne's involvement in a new season of Top Gear Australia have been quashed, Channel Nine today confirmed that it has bought the Australian rights to the Top Gear TV shows.

The move from SBS to Channel Nine also brings control of the entire Top Gear brand in Australia to PBL Media, which owns both Channel Nine and - through PBL subsidiary ACP Magazines - Top Gear magazine.

"Top Gear is quite simply an outstanding television product, and linking the experience and expertise of BBC Worldwide with the proven capacity of the Nine Network is a great outcome," said Nine Chief Executive David Gyngell.

"We are genuinely excited to have Top Gear under the Nine banner and look forward to bringing it to an even wider audience."

Nine's purchase of Top Gear includes the rights to both the original UK show and the locally-produced Top Gear Australia program. However, it is unclear whether Nine will persist with a local spin-off given the lukewarm viewer response to the past two seasons of TGA.

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SBS's reaction to Channel Nine's acquisition of the Top Gear TV shows was bitter.

"It is disappointing that a brand SBS has spent many years building is moving to a commercial network," SBS Managing Director Shaun Brown said today.

"SBS was the only Australian network brave enough to take on the irreverent series in 2005 and we have built it into successful event television with a dedicated audience.

"We are proud of what we have achieved with Top Gear.

"SBS, with its limited resources, lives with the knowledge that while it can discover and develop great programs and events, it cannot always defend them from the aggressive bids of well-heeled competitors."

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Filed under: Special Interest, top gear, Top Gear Oz, top gear uk, top gear australia, sbs, Channel Nine, PBL Media

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  • reply ” like !
    Grumps says,
    3 years ago
    Screw you Channel Nein!

    Let's see how they will stuff the UK version up:

    * Put it on in an early time slot and then 2 weeks later move it to a different day at 11.30pm and not tell anybody

    * Show the episodes out of sequence

    * Remove half the content so they can fit more ads in

    * Start showing it in February for 4 episodes and then take it off and put it back on 5 months later with no warning

    * Plaster it with those annoying in-show promos that take up half the screen for Ladette to Lady or Farmer Wants A Wife every five minutes

    Sigh. I feel sorry for SBS sad
  • reply ” like !
    Dino says,
    3 years ago
    I agree with Grumps.

    The best thing about TGA was that it was actually produced by SBS.

    I won't be watching TGA on Nine.
  • reply ” like !
    Mick says,
    3 years ago
    I guess we'll all be checking our VCRs DVD recorders, ready to record each episode even if it's broadcast in prime time.
    Just so we can watch it sans ads.
  • reply ” like !
    rajman says,
    3 years ago
    Ergh, don't care anyway. TGA was no loss to be missed and I download TG UK as soon as it's aired anyways (no ads). Poor SBS though, something they had good ratings for gone to a crap TV station.
  • reply ” like !
    daviepops says,
    3 years ago
    What a shame ... I expect this will be yet another example of Nine stealing a great show from a non commercial channel and ruining it by reducing content and packing with advertisements ... I for one will be recording from now on so I can fast forward to cut out those annoying interruptions and the even more irritating cross promotions.
  • reply ” like !
    Dale says,
    3 years ago
    Hopefully channel Nine pumps more funds into the program. Could see a vast improvement, despite having to wear the burden that comes from a major television station.
  • reply ” like !
    Ian says,
    3 years ago
    Well thats the kiss of death for TG UK in Australia. I also agree with grumps. Except for the News I don't bother trying to watch TV shows on the FTA stations. I self program using torrents. I get full seasons of shows often months before the guess work of what the FTA stations will do to a show.
  • reply ” like !
    Moo says,
    3 years ago
    Here, here! to Grumps' comments. It is very disappointing. But I have to agree that no more TGA would be a friggin blessing!!
  • reply ” like !
    danny says,
    3 years ago
    Aye, tis a travesty.

    I can't think of one good thing that has come out of channel 9.

    Poor SBS..
  • reply ” like !
    David says,
    3 years ago
    As for when the tennis/cricket/football seasons start - 9 will flick it off into the wee hours or just pull the plug.

    Thank goodness for Youtube
  • reply ” like !
    F 9 says,
    3 years ago
    Time to download the episodes.
    Nine is causing piracy
  • reply ” like !
    Morris says,
    3 years ago
    Normally don't watch TGUK on tv anyway so not a huge problem for me. I don't think its going to be a good thing for the series though to be going to Nine.
  • reply ” like !
    Stu says,
    3 years ago
    Yep, I'd be concerned if I actually watched it on TV but I gave up on TV a long time ago, web download is the way to go, no adverts and no split seasons and a time slot that suits me
  • reply ” like !
    ken says,
    3 years ago
    Please . . . .please . . . .please don't interfere with something that already works. Especially don't try to "fix" it with Shane Warne.
  • reply ” like !
    Matt says,
    3 years ago
    I agree with Grumps.

    Yeh looks like I'll be sticking with downloading now....
  • reply ” like !
    Jamie says,
    3 years ago
    I'm definately turning to the net to watch TGUK now.

    TGA however, isn't worth the bandwidth I'd waste to download it.
  • reply ” like !
    Tony D says,
    3 years ago
    I enjoyed TGA, so it's a real shame it's going from SBS. If I bother watching it at all, it'll be downloaded...
  • reply ” like !
    Godspeed says,
    3 years ago
    Also agree with Grumps there.

    TGA - wonder if the same hosts will return? Or will they just get Glenn Ridge, Deborah Hutton and Daryl Somers to host it?
  • reply ” like !
    Scarjack says,
    3 years ago
    Sad,sad,sad, TG as we know it will be killed off and replaced with an 'advertisement' for whomever stumps up enough cash to 'sponsor' the show, just like 'Chrome', 'Drive', 'The Car Show' etc......Shame on you Nine, now you've spoiled the best show on TV!
  • reply ” like !
    Lindsay says,
    3 years ago
    With any luck this will make it watchable.

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