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Weekend Today culls Emma Freedman

Weekend weather presenter will exit Today after 4 years, due to cost-cutting.

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2014-12-14_1312Emma Freedman will be out of the picture as Weekend Today‘s weather presenter.

Freedman (pictured, centre) joined Nine in 2010 and has also been featured on Today filling in for Steve Jacobs, plus the network’s racing coverage.

On the weekend, her father horse trainer Lee Freedman reacted on Twitter, “Congratulations to CH 9 for firing Emma Freedman in a cost-cutting measure. Wonder what they’ll do to the ones with no talent?”

A Channel Nine spokesperson told News Corp, “It was all about budget.

“Emma’s contract is up at the end of the month and we are not renewing it”.

Other Nine faces are expected to be considered for the position.

Recently Karl Stefanovic told TV Tonight, Nine’s spending since floating as a public company a year ago does impact on production.

“It’s certainly been a year that has been a little bit unsettled in terms of costs and it’s understandable. They’re in the game of making money for shareholders. I think it will always be an ongoing battle, particularly in breakfast TV: us fighting for everything we can get, and them fighting for everything they can get for shareholders.”

17 Responses

  1. She has filled in as co-host on Wide World of Sports over the last year or so, but sadly, I found her slightly annoying this show.

    It just seemed that she was a little too excited to be on the show than other co-hosts.

    But she did seem to fit in ok on the Weekend Today show as weather reporter. She was suited in that role.

  3. What about the cricket? There be some good culling candidates in the “I can’t stop talking” nein cricket commentary rabble. Get rid of some of them, put Emma Freedman back on air with a pay rise. Channel nein: waste of an excellent TV frequencies

  4. As you know I am a Today fan but the weeken version has been on the slide for a while now. I believe it is the reason Today is losing the weekday ratings because it tarnishes the brand, however Emma Freedman has been the standout of the team. It is criminal that she has been the one to go when I would have got rid of Cam or Deb first.
    I have to say though that David Campbell has been a breath of fresh air.
    I will miss Emma, her replacements are appalling & she is the only decent replacement for Stevie Jacobs.

  7. Why can’t the newsreader just do the weather. It’s not like she is Alan Wilkie or Dick Whitiker and actually knows something about weather. Sounds like the right move.

    Good luck to her, she can probably use her surname and family connections to get another job fairly easily.

  9. She is clearly a bright spark, and one of the few reasons I may have watched any of Nine’s morning shows. I have no doubt she will land on her feet elsewhere.

    Drew, i agree with your comments; there are lots of talking head hosts and presenters.

  13. Best wishes for the future Emma.
    Whilst watching Today this morning I wondered why do we need so many presenters: hosts, news, sport, weather, entertainment. If CH9 are looking to cut costs, perhaps reduce the number of presenters.
    In my opinion 2 or 3 presenters is enough.
    Also great to see Lisa back this morning and DC is terrific as Weekend Today presenter too.

  14. I don’t watch much Nine at all – but when I’ve seen Freedman she is a real plus – I think the phrase “bubbly personality” was made with Emma in mind. There’s talent for the taking if someone wants it, and she would be a shoe-in for Seven’s horse racing coverage.

  15. If she had talent she would of got promoted beyond Weekend Today a long time ago. Freedman’s obviously a very bubbly young woman but her problem was she kept talking with that screeching voice in the morning when people have just woken up.

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