How a controversial soap opera saved an Australian television network from total financial collapse
In short: Launched in the mid-1960s, Network 10 spent its first decade on the brink of failure. It was only the 1972 premiere of the provocative adult drama Number 96 that turned the tide, transforming the struggling station into a ratings powerhouse and attracting a flood of essential advertising revenue.
When Australia began licensing third commercial television stations in the early 1960s, the government sought to curb the dominance of imported content. Network 10, initially known as the 0-10 Network, launched in Melbourne in 1964 and Sydney in 1965. For its first five years, the network faced a precarious existence, with many industry observers predicting its imminent failure.
The turning point arrived in 1972 with the debut of Number 96, a serial that broke taboos and captured the national imagination. Its success was immediate and massive; the program became Australia's top-rated show for three years. This surge in popularity drove the network's revenue from $1 million in 1971 to over $10 million by 1972, securing its financial future. Throughout the following decades, the network navigated complex ownership shifts, including stakes held by media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the Westfield Group, before eventually becoming a subsidiary of Paramount Skydance.
Despite its recovery, the network has historically struggled to maintain a consistent position against its rivals, the Seven and Nine Networks. It has frequently experimented with programming strategies to capture younger demographics, such as the 2001 launch of Big Brother Australia and the 2003 debut of Australian Idol. While the network has faced periods of receivership and rating slumps—most notably in 2012 when it fell behind ABC TV—it remains a fixture of the Australian media landscape, continuing to evolve through digital multichannels and new ownership structures.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Network 10
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