News Archive:
Final week (almost) a Seven sweep
It was the last week of ratings for 2008, and the week all the free to air broadcasters bonded (temporarily) for Freeview with 4 of 5 metro CEOs there for the party, Nine scrambled to refinance its loans, an Australian actress was trapped in international terror, Seven sacked a reporter, former Sunday journos won the Gold Walkley, Nine let go another network celebrity, ACMA slapped Nine three times for A Current Affair, Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares and Spiderman, TEN dumped 90210 and rearranged its summer schedule again, a gangster’s wife was at …
You better smile. It’s Nine.
It was the week that the industry took action on piracy against an ISP, news crews were assaulted by angry locals, a regional broadcaster axed its entire news department, a court ruled regional licenses must be sold, a reality host pleaded guilty to welfare fraud, another reality show mucked up correct voting information, Screen Australia’s new CEO signalled a smoother ride for film over television, a daytime soap would be destined for primetime, the axe fell on more US shows and an old sitcom face left for the bus depot in …
Are we there yet?
It was the week that everybody said they had new toys to unwrap, TEN declared the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Aussie producers gathered on the Gold Coast for their annual gab-fest just as Nine decided not to revisit the only drama set there, TiVo dumped one of its key partners, the last original member of Hi-5 chose to retire, the axe fell on several shows in the US, network programmers tried to defend late amendments, Seven apologised for comments made by one of its stars, Nine was revealed as wanting “no …
Dr Harry in remission
Channel Seven personality Dr Harry Cooper was told a fortnight ago he was in remission after battling prostate cancer this year.
On top of radiation treatment, his year of torment has also included a painful hernia and a degenerative hip.
“I haven’t had a good year,” the Channel 7 star said. “In fact, it’s been an annus horribilis.
“When people say to me, ‘Are you cured?’ I say to them, ‘Do an autopsy when I’m dead. That’s how you’ll know if I’ve been cured or not’,” he muses.
Dr Harry has cut back on his …
Eli Stone to sing on Seven’s summer
Seven will finally premiere Eli Stone in Australia as part of its summer line-up.
The US drama by Greg Berlanti (Brothers and Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money, Everwood) features Jonny Lee Miller as an attorney with an inoperable brain aneurysm -and a bit of a fixation with the catalogue of George Michael. Each episode is named after a Michael song, and the pop star even makes an appearance during one of the fantasy sequences, incorporated as one of Stone’s hallucinations.
Seven will also premiere British crime drama Holby Blue and (gasp) American Gladiators.
Scrubs will …
The race that tops the nation
It was the week a Pay TV spokesperson called broadcaster feuding “juvenile” while another exec wanted better inclusion at the digital switch table, a TEN programmer conceded it had massive timeslot problems, Nine axed production staff, Sonia Kruger was criticised for an on air joke, a former soap star said he didn’t really enjoy soaps, belated guide amendments left viewers confused, an ABC journo pleads guilty to charges in Singapore, drug charges against a Seven personality were dropped, Seven revisits its C7 case against Pay television, the ABC launches its new …
Packered by the Rafters
It was the week the Packer family parted ways with Nine causing David Gyngell to vow to prove James Packer wrong, TEN announced a new channel, Pay TV launched another three, Minister Stephen Conroy signalled support for increased ABC & SBS funding, commercial networks (briefly) found a conscience but upset David Leckie, WIN sat down at the gambling table, Kath & Kim (US) got a greenlight for a full season, Andrew Denton announced the end of Enough Rope, David Tennant set his exit from his iconic role, Rove visited …
Rice says no dice to Dancing
Well this is gonna make life interesting. Following Grant Hackett’s lead, now Stephanie Rice reckons she isn’t going to appear on Dancing with the Stars.
Or warbling on It Takes Two either.
“Definitely not,” she told news.com.au.
“I am just not into that kind of scene. A lot of people have said I am apparently doing Dancing With The Stars but I am like ‘no way’.
But, I like the fact I am not just a swimmer and not just known for my swimming.
“I love what I am doing in (TV). I love swimming …
Current affairs surge at Seven
It was the week that current affairs and finance dominated. Ray Martin lamented the state of commercial news and current affairs at the same time as a former sports presenter won his first week behind a public affairs desk, a CEO lashed out at his rival networks but shot off about the starting date of his new current affairs project, while the network signed a former Sunday journo, TEN reported a 25% slump in earnings, a Telstra boss said Foxtel subscriptions were slowing, another Murdoch stitched up a production deal with …
Better Homes and Stephanie Rice
Having already appeared for less than two minutes on Make Me a Supermodel, Olympic champ Stephanie Rice has now filmed a segment for Seven’s Better Homes and Gardens.
Rice, who reportedly has a $700,000 deal with the network, gave Johanna Griggs a tour of her Brisbane home.
“I come home and watch TV and sleep and do everything that every other normal person does,” she said.
“I like to keep my bedroom fun and not too full-on. I don’t like to put quotes and goals up (on the walls) - that’s not me.
“I don’t …
NRL wins it but Seven takes glory
It was the week that TEN was in breach of subliminal ads (a ruling first leaked by TV Tonight), ACMA instructed Nine to sell part of its Darwin operation, two former premiers will now defend Pay TV v Free to Air battles, while two television gardeners faced off over the environment, a Footy Show comedian defended a school principal under fire, a musical about the media in Beaconsfield was branded as tasteless, a former Idol died in tragic circumstances, Perth’s Telethon broke its own record, SBS lost a top Drama …
ABC beats TEN as Seven wins
It was the week that American critics began to knife Kath & Kim (officially), ABC told staff it would cut up to 35 production jobs, Nine denied having a contract with the wife of a convicted crim, an actor lambasted his former soap, Today Tonight announced its next host would be a sports presenter and said its film crew helped -not hounded- an interviewee, Seven ’streamlined’ its Lotto results, buyers eyed a key production company, the Imparja / Nine Darwin deal fell apart, a TV critic died, and suddenly so did …