Tuning out as free-to-air a real turn-off

Ijust realised I have hardly watched anything on channels Seven, Nine and Ten so far in 2024. There was a time about a decade ago when they were my absolute go-to, but no more.

One reason is that I don’t have much interest in the current 7.30pm offerings.

Married At First Sight, Australian Survivor, Australian Idol – it is hard to get excited about any of those. Ten started the year with a reboot of Gladiators, a format that was a bit of fun back in the mid-1990s but mighty stale nearly three decades later.

Live sport still gets me in: the Australian Open tennis or the AFL, and I’ll definitely be tuning into the Olympic Games.

But regular shows, not so much. I’m looking forward to the return of Have You Been Paying Attention? The Front Bar is always good for a laugh. So is Travel Guides.

But these days when I grab the remote I inevitably see what is new on Foxtel and the streaming services before I contemplate switching to the commercial free-to-air networks.

And there is so much new content to tempt me. This year alone I’ve been drawn to Feud: Capote vs the Swans, Criminal Record, Reacher and Boy Swallows Universe. I’m hanging out for High Country and Palm Royale.

The Aussie networks only have themselves to blame for my waning enthusiasm.

They are so fixated on reality shows. Quality drama, especially, feels like an afterthought.

And a lot of those reality shows are getting long in the tooth. MasterChef Australia is about to air its 16th season.

The Voice will hit season 13. The Block is up to season 20.

Big Brother and The Bachelors got so tired that they were shelved. Even upcoming programs touted as “new in 2024” have a whiff of the familiar. Dream Home is giving off House Rules vibes. Food Stars feels like a riff on Shark Tank.

It is no surprise that Stranded on Honeymoon Island is from the creators of Married At First Sight.

Maybe things will turn around. I certainly hope so.

Some new shows that are genuinely original would be a great starting point. Then I’ll tune in.

Right now, though, Seven, Nine and Ten feel a bit like my CD collection – something I used to play all the time but is now gathering dust.