Australia's Ten Network could become a program testing ground for its new US owner, CBS, but the "Americanisation" of Australian TV is not going to happen, an industry analyst says.
Creditors of the financially stricken Ten approved the takeover bid by CBS on Tuesday, snubbing a rival offer from local bidders Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon.
Once the sale is completed in coming weeks - assuming legal and regulatory approval and no further challenge from the Murdoch-Gordon camp - the Ten Network should retain its current identity, including flagship shows such as Masterchef, Fusion Strategy managing director Steve Allen says.
While it is "almost certain" that CBS will test new programming and formats in the local market, Mr Allen said Australian audiences need not fear the creeping Americanisation of Australian free-to-air television.
"Whatever happens, CBS can't Americanise the Ten Network, its just not possible," Mr Allen said.
The move into the Australian free-to-air market aligns with CBS's global push to roll out its "All Access" digital subscription, video-on-demand and live-streaming service.
CBS said it had spotted "considerable broadcasting opportunities" in Australian multi-platform distribution and growth when it launched its surprise bid in August.
Mr Allen said audiences won't be swamped by US shows, because while media ownership laws in Australia are changing there has been no shift in the quotas for locally produced Australian content.
"Historically, Ten used to struggle on that front but has since led the charge into reality TV and is comfortably ahead on both points and quota," Mr Allen said.
Moreover, CBS knows its US content gets "half the ratings of five years ago" and is "quite aware" it is now local programming that attracts viewers and dominates the Australian free-to-air market.
"For two to three seasons now, there has been no real breakout hit among imported programming," Mr Allen said.
Ten's second largest creditor, 21st Century Fox, is the source of top-rating programming such as Masterchef, through its part-ownership of the merged production house EndemolShine - itself owed $12.4 million by Ten - and the creator of Ten's ratings winners including Survivor, Offspring, and SharkTank.
Mr Allen said Fox is highly unlikely to renegotiate its content deals with other Australian free-to-air channels now because the Ten deals still have time to run and any approaches from rival networks would have been made already if there was any interest.
