‘The Voice’ returns lowest launch ratings, ‘Eurovision’ displays loyal following

Nine’s reality music show The Voice returned last night (May 19) for its eighth season with an overnight metro audience of 1.012 million.

It was the lowest launch night for the show to date.

Season 7 had seen 1.029 million tune in for its return and Season 6 drew 1.180 million.

The 2019 return was the third highest for the night, and highest placed in all non-news and current affairs shows.

It ranked #1 in all the demographics, as the 25—54, 18—49 and 16—39 groups.

However it remains to be seen if this season sees The Voice fix a glaring flaw – it is yet to produce a major star.

Some like Harrison Craig, Darren Percival and Alfie Arcuri have sustained without going on to become game changers.

The US version has the same problem, and coach Adam Levine has grumbled, “We give these guys this incredible platform and this really rare thing, a lot of exposure and air time. Once we pass the torch, it is the record label that completely destroys that.”

US host Carson Daly, however, has argued that The Voice is not a star-making machine and put together for light entertainment.

He said many contestants “have quit their sandwich-making jobs and are doing well in music.

“And at the end of the day that’s winning, to us.”

In any case, The Voice Australia is trying a new strategy, as a first in the world for the franchise as a way to overcome the challenge.

It’s introduced The Allstars, where stand-outs from previous seasons who didn’t make it through, get the chance to come back.

Prinnie Stevens missed out in Season 1 but went on to tour incessantly, and further honed her chops in the London production of The Bodyguard.

Word is that another Allstar also makes a major splash tonight (Monday, May 20).

The Sunday night episode already unearthed some singers with strong potential.

By the second act, all four coaches judges had turned in their chairs.

SBS’ broadcast of the grand final of Eurovision Song also showed it had a loyal following.

166,000 overnight metros woke at 5am to watch it live from Tel Aviv, with 240,000 for Winner Announced, and 246,000 for the prime time evening repeat.

In the past, SBS has claimed that an aggregated 3 million Australians tune in for the two semi-finals earlier in the week and the grand final.

Incidentally, if Kate Heidke-Miller had won, Australia would not have hosted the 2020 version.

The rules are it has to be held in the northern hemisphere, and Australia would have had to partner with a European city.