Top: New CEO of Channel Ten James Warburton enters the Network Ten offices at Pyrmont on the first day as CEO. Picture: Stephen Cooper.
The Sunday Telegraph reports
THE new-look Channel Ten is hoping to steal the march on its competition, launching its revamped Sunday night schedule three weeks before the start of ratings season.
Having been sidelined on "gardening leave" for six months, Ten's new boss James Warburton has fired the first shot in the battle against rival network chiefs, David Leckie at Channel Seven and David Gyngell at Channel Nine.
Mr Warburton is banking on prime-time music and comedy to blitz Nine and Seven's current affairs programs, with the revamped Young Talent Time the jewel in the crown.
He declared the all-new line-up would "reset a connection point with our viewers and set the agenda for Ten, day one, every week".
In an aggressive start to the week and to the ratings year, Mr Warburton told The Sunday Telegraph that Ten's ratings season starts on Sunday, January 22, three weeks ahead of the official start of ratings on February 12.
In a pre-emptive strike to own the night, Ten will air the first episodes of Young Talent Time, featuring one-time contestant Tina Arena as a judge.
Also debuting is hit US comedy New Girl and the acclaimed US drama Homeland. While Ten has aired its new offerings ahead of the ratings season before, chief programming officer David Mott said Ten had never showed its hand this early.
"It's a reflection of Ten's determination to lead, not follow, in 2012," Mr Mott said.
"We've regained our focus, and this shows our confidence in our slate, as well as its depth. It's the first of a few announcements we will be making."
Ten's Sunday night schedule will open with Young Talent Time featuring Arena, as judge and mentor for the reboot, from 6.30pm.
New episodes of comedy hit Modern Family will follow at 7.30pm, ahead of the Australian debut season of cheeky US comedy New Girl, starring Zooey Deschanel at 8pm.
The pace changes at 8.30pm with US psychological drama Homeland, starring Claire Danes and Damian Lewis.
Mr Warburton took up his CEO role at Ten last Monday, after being forced to sit out six months following a court battle with his former employer, Channel Seven, in May 2011.
He was originally to start as Ten CEO last July, but a NSW Supreme Court embargo on his working meant the former Seven Network executive was forced to cool his heals until New Year's Day.
In his first week in the job he said Ten was overly reliant on reality shows such as MasterChef Australia, with the poorly performed Junior MasterChef and the failed The Renovators expected to be axed.
Announcements on a female host to join controversial Kiwi broadcaster Paul Henry and Dr Andrew Rochford at the helm of Ten's new morning television experiment, Breakfast, and a new member of The Circle following the departure of Chrissie Swan, are also expected.
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