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 …
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 …
Daylight robbery for network shows
Now that we are well and truly into Daylight Saving some viewers will be aware that they are seeing their regular programming delayed -or in some cases- more delayed than usual.
Queensland viewers will have noticed that Sunrise and Today are now on a one hour time delay.
A year ago Today attempted to adjust for Queensland airing between 5 and 8.30am, with an extra Queensland-only half an hour. This year the show advises it is sticking with its regular 5:30 - 9am telecast with a delay for Queensland viewers. South Australian, Northern …
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 …
Money talks on TT
As a financial tidal wave sweeps the globe, it was good to see Today Tonight tackle the subject tonight, a breakaway from the usual bout of celebrity, diet, sensationalist stories that have flooded our 6:30pm timeslot.
It’s rare the commercial public affairs shows take us behind the headlines anymore, much to the lament of many in the industry.
Seven conducted a studio discussion on the crisis and how it affects the Australian market. A Current Affair tonight had a story on slum landlords (as did TT), Oprah’s make up expert, a bloke who …
New, local content wins Seven week
It was the week the “Prince of Darkness” descended upon Nine, the Imparja takeover of NTD9 inched closer, Seven lost an appeal relating to a children’s court case and lost a packet in the financial freefall, TEN signalled the return of boxing only to have its promoter caught up in a drug arrest, two networks fight over the contracts of one presenter, ACMA cancelled a community broadcasting license while a leak led to a Federal Police raid, the Government introduced a bill to firm the switch to digital, TEN turned off …
Bored rigid by lack of competition, it’s Seven.
It was the week that Seven and Nine argued over Karl Stefanovic, Grant Hackett signed with Channel Nine, ASTRA again attacked the anti-siphoning rule –prompting an hilarious “bored rigid” response from Seven, Nine denied a takeover of its Darwin affiliate by Imparja, Grant Denyer landed in hospital, a former Idol was assaulted, WIN trimmed its Queensland newsrooms, SBS said sponsors wouldn’t affect its editorial on Top Gear Australia and networks and advertisers all held their breath as the US financial market went into meltdown.
And unsurprisingly it was another win by Seven …
Leigh Sales to take Lateline’s Friday chair
ABC correspondent Leigh Sales will become the regular Friday host of the ABC’s Lateline programme this month when Virginia Trioli moves to Melbourne to co-host the new ABC2 morning show, Breakfast.
Sales has been a regular fill-in presenter of ABC TV news and current affairs programs, including the World at Noon, the ABC 7PM TV news and Stateline.
She has also worked on assignment for Foreign Correspondent and The 7.30 Report.
More recently Sales has been the ABC’s National Security Correspondent and author of Detainee 002: The Case of David Hicks. In 2005, she …
Seven wins as TEN is taken out
It was the week that Ernie Dingo and Kyle Sandilands had a spat on radio, the ABC renewed its push for a kids’ channel, Access 31 was put on the market, TEN picked up women’s netball from FOX Sports, GTV9 won a Heritage listing, Nine axed its Euro correspondent, Underbelly won the right to start screening in Victoria (sort of), TEN and Seven fought over AFL sponsors and a 17yo reality contestant took a stand on her show’s conduct.
And it was another big win for Seven with 29.9% in Week 37 …