Struggle Street Scores 828,000 Viewers In Final Episode

Struggle Street Scores 828,000 Viewers In Final Episode
John Bastick
By John Bastick



Despite weeks of acrimony and finger-pointing it would appear the bosses at SBS have been vindicated with its Struggle Street documentary After last night’s finale scored 828,000 metro viewers according to the Oztam figures.

The much publicised documentary was the eighth most watched program last night, however was beaten by Ten’s MasterChef  which scored 1,037,000 metro viewers according to the Oztam figures and placed it fifth as the most-watched program for the evening.

Although initially a three-part documentary, last night SBS aired the final two parts of Struggle Street back-to-back. Its debut last week attracted 935,000 metro viewers according to Oztam.

Struggle Street, a confronting look at life in a western Sydney housing commission, has come under fire for stereotyping people on welfare and ignoring the burgeoning middle-class in the area it was filmed, the suburb of Mount Druitt.

Last week, SBS management was crowing with its 935,000 viewers, reported to be the network’s highest rating program outside a football World Cup match. There’ll be no doubt clinking of champagne flutes in the Artarmon offices this morning as the decision to air the program appears to have been vindicated.

Twitter has reported #struggle street was ranked as number on the Nielsen Twitter TV ratings last night receiving a unique audience of 59,700 with an impression reach of 979,800.

Last night’s episodes continued along a similar vein to the first, covering domestic violence, underage sex, drug abuse and homelessness. Last night’s episode certain to be condemned after it showed one of the program’s protagonists smoking and using drugs while pregnant.

Over the past seven days there has also been claims that people who had agreed to appear in the program had been misled and misrepresented and planned to sue for defamation. The show’s producers subsequently debunked any notion they’d embellished scenes and threatened to counter-sue.

It’s unclear if any actual legal proceedings have commenced.




Please login with linkedin to comment

Advertising Standards Bureau Casting agency Sport

Latest News

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
  • Media

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm

Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
  • Advertising

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA  Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]