New Seven boss checks out Sunrise

New Seven West Media CEO Don Voelte recently spent a morning at Sunrise.

The former Woodside Petroleum CEO, who replaces David Leckie, has been in the role less than a month, but wasted little time in going behind the scenes of his new television assets.

“We had Don Voelte come and sit in on the entire show during the week,” David Koch recently told TV Tonight.

“He and his wife have watched it for years and years. That’s the thing with Breakfast TV you become part of people’s lives. Everyone’s house is a mad house at breakfast and you’re there consistently.”

Sunrise is also part of the morning ritual for Seven Network CEO Tim Worner, who recently told The Australian he watches or listens to the show on the way to work.

Ten years ago when the show began, it was a much different story. Kochie’s words may be some comfort to TEN’s Breakfast team.

“At the time no-one watched us. No-one within the network watched us. It was the four of us in a demountable shed in the car park out at Epping. But that was the good part, no-one watched us within the network because they had way bigger issues, so they just allowed us to experiment. So we went under the radar,” says Koch.

“But Tim’s always been a great supporter.”

Former CEO David Leckie would also avidly watch the show.

“That was the nerve-wracking part of the show because you knew he got into work at 5:30,  quarter to six and would watch the entire three hours.”

And all the way to the top, Chairman Kerry Stokes was pivotal in the show having a permanent home.

“The reason we have Martin Place for News and Current Affairs is because of Kerry Stokes. He wanted Sunrise to be in that position. That was his decision,” says Koch.”

Now in their tenth year, and in an increased breakfast landscape, the Seven show remains in front. But Today is enjoying regular wins in Melbourne and Sydney markets, with a handful of recent national wins.

Looking back on a decade, Melissa Doyle says management have always given the show freedom to try new innovation.

“Everything from outdoor concerts to different ways of approaching segments. We’ve had nothing but support the whole way through. They’ve let us try new things. Big news has broken and they’ve let us go for 5 or 7 hours, commercial free, uninterrupted. They’ve let us establish our credibility and our brand and let us do what it is that we can do,” she says.

“To say that we focus on everybody around us is wrong. I know it sounds cliché, but it would take us away from what we’re doing. Three hours of Live TV every morning is a massive commitment. We’ve got a huge team who work 24 hours so for us it’s trying to focus on what we do better and evolving for our sake and for our viewers.

“Of course there are people in our office who watch the opposition. We’d be stupid if we didn’t, but that’s not what drives us.”

Koch, who admits that being a “middle-aged, balding, big-nosed guy is not your traditional television type” notes that some of the show’s proudest achievements have been concerts, such as those featuring Katy Perry, P!nk and INXS.

“More importantly we were the first TV performance by Eskimo Joe, Sneaky Sound System, Delta –so many great Aussie acts, and that’s what I think we’re proud of.  Supporting all those great, young Aussie acts and giving them a break.”

Later this month Sunrise welcomes back Justin Bieber, whose previous appearance created national headlines. But there was also a follow-up scandal when Koch learned Bieber had been rude to a Floor Manager. Have both sides now made up?

“Scooter, his manager, says it was him that said it, and he was standing next to Justin and swore at the Floor Manager. I’m happy to believe him and take that on board,” he explains.

“Scooter is the brains of that organisation. When you look at how young Justin Bieber is I think he’s pretty lucky to have had Scooter as a manager holding his hand the whole way. That bloke is pretty amazing.”

Adds Melissa Doyle, “He’s coming on Sunrise in a couple of weeks so things must be ok.”