Nine looks to crime shows to win viewers

The Nine Network is relying on a raft of crime shows, including Underbelly and a reality series about the Australian Federal Police, to rake in viewers in 2010.

The Network released its program line-up for next year in Sydney on Thursday, with police and crime shows dominating the schedule.

Among them is the anticipated third series of Underbelly, which follows the Kings Cross underworld from the late 1980s until the mid-90s.

It stars Dieter Brummer as crooked cop Trevor Haken, Natalie Bassingthwaighte as his wife Jayne, Sigrid Thornton as tough cop Gerry Lloyd and Firass Dirani as nightclub baron John Ibrahim.

Australian drama called Cops LAC, the factual reality show AFP, and real-life programs Australian Families of Crime and Send In The Sniffer Dogs are also in the mix.

A telemovie called Wicked Love - The Maria Korp Story, based on the real-life love triangle story and death of Korp in 2005, starring Rebecca Gibney and Vince Colosimo, will also air.

Drama Rescue Special Ops, starring Les Hill, will return, meaning Nine will show four Australian dramas in 2010.

Motoring show Top Gear, poached from SBS, is expected to bring in large audiences, as is coverage of the Vancouver Winter Olympics from February and specials of variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday.

Despite finishing second to Seven for the third year running in 2009, Nine chief executive David Gyngell said the network had made significant gains in the key demographics of 25-54, 18-49, and 16-39.

But, he said, Nine had more work to do to bring back viewers and the network back to a position it was in years ago.

"Television is changing, changing radically," Gyngell said.

"But ideals and the community hasn't changed as much.

"So what we're trying to achieve is making Channel Nine feel like a place that you feel comfortable with, you all grew up with."

The network's primary station has a new slogan - Welcome Home - while its hit digital station GO! will concentrate on winning younger audiences with shows like Vampire Diaries.

Explaining Nine's strategy, Gyngell said: "GO! is the new Channel 10, and Channel Nine is the old channel nine".

Gyngell said Nine would add a third multi-channel early next year, alongside rivals the Seven Network and Network Ten.

Also returning are Farmer Wants A Wife, Two And A Half Men, 20 to 1, game show Millionaire Hot Seat and travel show Getaway. Hit US sci-fi show V, which premiered in America with 14 million viewers, is being flagged as a big drawcard.

Nine's sales boss Peter Wilshire said the network was thrilled with the gains made in daytime television thanks to the Today show and Mornings with Kerri-Anne, and hoped to continue that in 2010.

"We have got the Seven Network firmly in our sights and may the sun set on Sunrise," he said.

Kerri-Anne Kennerley's morning TV show will have a revamp in 2010, while Nine is relying on a long list of longstanding journalists such as Peter Harvey to build news.

The network will target internet users with an online catch-up service allowing programs such as The Mentalist to be watched online thanks to a deal with Warner Bros.