Ratings for Australia's Next Top Model have dropped by about 10% as a campaign calling for the ban of the use of fur and the unethical treatment of animals was ramped up by the animal rights organisation PETA.
The Fox8 TV modelling reality series pulled in 173,340 viewers last night, according to AdQuest eTam. This figure dropped from 197,000 last week, and 194,000 the week before, according to Fusion Strategy.
PETA Asia Pacific senior campaigner Ashley Fruno told AdNews: “We're disappointed that Australia's Next Top Model used fur on the show. Instead of boycotting the show we asked people to change the channel.
“We hope that people would have been appalled by the full on use of animal fur on the show and will stop watching Australia's Next Top Model. Hopefully this will send a message to the show that there is no need to wear fur in the name of fashion.”
Fusion Strategy CEO Steve Allen told AdNews: “The 10% dip in ratings show that this might be related to the campaign by PETA".
“I think the program would have chosen to be caught in the controversy for the sake of it. Why would they deliberately inflame and incite? It's more publicity for viewing.
“You have to be fairly devoted to a show to pay to watch it in the first place, so I don't think it will greatly affect viewing in the future. I don't think it will affect advertisers and what they pay.”
Fox8 had not returned calls at the time of writing.
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