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WIN-TV cuts loose Adelaide presenter and 4:30 News bulletins

More changes at WIN-TV's Nine affiliates with a sports presenter to go, and dumping the 4:30 News bulletin in Adelaide and Perth.

Troy Gray is the latest casualty at Nine News Adelaide, set to finish up on January 24 after three years.

Adelaide Now reports the weekend sports presenter (pictured, right) was asked by WIN-TV management to take a 40 per cent pay cut.

“Basically, Channel 9 asked me to stay on, and I was equally as keen to continue as part of the Nine News team,” he said.

“We have a great relationship and both parties were keen to see our alliance continue in 2012.

“Subsequently, Channel 9 presented me with a formal offer that required me to cut my salary by almost 40 per cent.

“This is an offer I simply couldn’t accept. It is very disappointing.”

His exit comes two months after Nine Adelaide sacked longtime weekend news presenter Georgina McGuinness and weeknight male anchor Michael Smyth.

A spokesman told the newspaper “we don’t comment on contract matters”.

Meanwhile the fickle WIN-TV operations have also ditched the 4:30pm Nine Afternoon News in Adelaide and Perth -replaced by 60s sitcoms F-Troop and Gilligans Island.

That’s progress for you.

22 Responses

  1. Okay the 4:30 news doesn’t rate, but why replace it with something that will have even less viewers, F-Troop and Gilligan have been run over and over on the minor channels and should not resurface on the prime channel.
    How about a studio audience based program for kids like the old Channel Niners, …………… Oh, sorry! They made all the staff that had the skills for this type of production redundant, so they can’t do this any more with any quality.

    POI: Michael Smyth and Troy Gray were not sacked, their contracts were simply not renewed, slight difference.

  2. @Steve: What do you mean? WIN weren’t making their own versions of the 4:30 news, they were just taking Nine’s 4:30 news.

    On the topic of a local 4:30 bulletin, I’m honestly surprised TVW doesnt, using Natalia or someone.

  3. Nine Ent. Co.’s biggest mistake was not consolidating their Nine Network by buying STW Perth and NWS Adelaide when they had the chance a couple of years back.

    Nine will never return to number one when they have such a powerful affiliate controlling two-fifths of their metro ‘network’.

  4. Get use to this stuff. Bruce Gordon has a stake in the TEN network and one day he will either take over TEN or Nine.No one likes cost cutting but the reality is that the world is slowing down. Retail is hurting so advertising will get hit. Just do the maths.

  5. @Steve…the 4:30pm bulletin wasn’t a local production (which may have attracted viewers) but simply the Sydney version (not even updated – just 2 hour old news, 3 in summer)
    …and WIN wonders why no-one in Perth watches

  6. F-Troop and Gilligans Island! WIN are ridiculous. I understand they may need to cut costs and getting rid of a news bulletin which has little viewship is the right choice, but seriously, are F-Troop and Gilligans Island going to get more viewers – I doubt it. Fill the spot with some childrens programs or something, there doesnt seem to be any after school programming from 4:30pm anymore. I remember coming home from school and seeing shows until 5pm or even 5:30pm on Nine, before I switch to ABC then over to TEN at 6pm for The Simpsons.

  7. WIN regional (at least in Illawarra/South Coast NSW) has also dropped 4:30 News in favour of F-Troop. Oddly, “4:30” is still promoted in WIN/Nine news updates through the afternoon. Also still cut the 11am hour in half with 11:30-12 being cooking show repeats.

  8. The dollar-hungry management at WIN deserve all they get.

    They have absolutely no regard for their ever dwindling number of viewers – and even less for loyal staff.

    Tragic!

  9. if they are chopping the bulletins cause they dont rate at 430…then i hold great fears for their main bulletins….and of course their other regional bulletins would have to being looked at?? Or it could be just Bruce deciding he doesnt like channel 9 east coast this week….

  10. Win is a disgrace. Why don’t they produce their own west coast version of the 11am and 4.30 news? How can a tv station produce only half an hour of local content a day?
    That’s not the model in the US.

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