Westacott lands top news job

As rumoured, executive producer of 60 Minutes John Westacott has been appointed as Nine's new Director of News and Current Affairs.

His appointment follows the departure of former Bulletin Editor, Garry Linnell.

"John is highly experienced in television and we are delighted he is taking up this key management role," Jeffrey Browne said in a statement.

Nine has had a checkered history of late with upheavals in the role, notably the now-infamous affadavit debacle with Mark Llewellyn.

Westacott's appointment is expected to address previous criticism that Linnell was first and foremost a print journalist.

Source and pic: NineMSN,
The Age
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Police raid Seven Melbourne

Seven News is making news for the wrong reason today after Victoria Police raided the newsroom at its broadcast centre at Docklands.

On Friday Seven News Melbourne aired a story involving the private medical records of AFL players.

Victorian Health Services Commissioner Beth Wilson is said to be"personally astonished" that Seven used medical records for an AFL story.

According to the Herald-Sun the records were sold by a woman to Seven after she found them in a gutter.

Victoria Police have now raided Seven regarding the theft of personal medical records.

Seven is said to have co-operated fully with the investigation.

Meanwhile, AFL Players are considering boycotting Seven's broadcast of the Brownlow Medal and refusing to participate in post-game interviews with the network. Read more...

Ratings Week 35

Saturday:
1 Seven News - Sat Seven 1,249,000
2 Nine News Sat Nine 1,132,000
3 My Daddy - The Crocodile Hunter Nine 1,088,000
4 Australia's Funniest Home Video Show Nine 1,069,000
5 Doctor Who ABC 873,000
6 Ten News At Five Sat Ten 856,000
7 Saturday Night AFL Ten 837,000
8 ABC News-Sat ABC 809,000
9 The Great Outdoors Seven 796,000
10 The Bill ABC 719,000

Friday:
1 Seven News Seven 1,354,000
2 Better Homes And Gardens Seven 1,241,000
3 A Current Affair Nine 1,227,000
4 Today Tonight Seven 1,226,000
5 Nine News Nine 1,204,000
6 Home And Away Seven 1,105,000
7 Temptation Nine 1,037,000
8 ABC News ABC 977,000
9 Seven's AFL: Rnd 22: 903,000
10 Love Actually Ten 860,000
>

Thursday:
1. Seven News Seven 1.396
2. Sea Patrol Nine 1.336
3. Today Tonight Seven 1.313
4. Home and Away Seven 1.275
5. So You Think You Can Dance Ten 1.214
6. The Footy Show Nine 1.205
7. ABC News ABC 1.157
8. Australian Idol Ten 1.123
9. National Nine News Nine 1.107
10. A Current Affair Nine 1.087
11. Ghost Whisperer Seven 1.071
12. Getaway Nine 1.067
13. Temptation Nine 1.049
14. Law and Order Ten 1.049
15. The Human Mind ABC 0.938

Nine 30.0%
Seven 23.3%
Ten 22.7%
ABC 15.4%
SBS: 8.6%

Wednesday:
1. House Ten 1.671
2. Australian Idol Ten 1.457
3. Seven News Seven 1.354
4. House: Behind The Scenes Ten 1.354
5. A Current Affair Nine 1.286
6. Spicks and Specks ABC 1.264
7. National Nine News Nine 1.248
8. Today Tonight Seven 1.248
9. Home and Away Seven 1.239
10. Temptation Nine 1.162
11. Most Shocking Seven 1.156
12. RPA Nine 1.087
13. ABC News ABC 1.037
14. McLeod’s Daughters Nine 0.989
15. Without A Trace Nine 0.978

Ten: 28.0
Nine: 24.8
Seven: 24.4
ABC: 16.3
SBS: 6.5

Tuesday:
1. RSPCA Animal Rescue Seven 1.647
2. Medical Emergency Seven 1.631
3. Seven News Seven 1.585
4. Today Tonight Seven 1.456
5. Home and Away Seven 1.455
6. All Saints Seven 1.364
7. Australian Idol Ten 1.300
8. NCIS Ten 1.207
9. A Current Affair Nine 1.186
10. National Nine News Nine 1.183
11. ABC News ABC 1.150
12. Temptation Nine 1.109
13. CSI: Miami Nine 1.044
14. Crime Investigation Australia Nine 1.005
15. Things To Try Before You Die Nine 0.975

Seven: 30.3
Nine: 25.3
Ten: 24.0
ABC: 13.8
SBS: 6.5

Monday:
1. Border Security Seven 1.923
2. The Force Seven 1.816
3. City Homicide Seven 1.648
4. A Current Affair Nine 1.530
5. Australian Idol Ten 1.515
6. Home and Away Seven 1.479
7. Seven News Seven 1.461
8. National Nine News Nine 1.362
9. Temptation Nine 1.255
10. Today Tonight Seven 1.221
11. ABC News ABC 1.103
12. Law and Order: SVU Ten 1.000
13. Californication Ten 0.981
14. Australian Story ABC 0.953
15. Ten News Ten 0.931

The King 0.835m

Seven: 34.3
Nine: 23.0
Ten: 22.6
ABC: 14.8
SBS: 5.3

Sunday:
1. Kath & Kim Seven 2.016
2. National Nine News Nine 1.508
3. Midsomer Murders ABC 1.487
4. Seven News Seven 1.461
5. My Name Is Earl Seven 1.426
6. 60 Minutes Nine 1.368
7. Australian Idol Ten 1.282
8. Backyard Blitz Nine 1.262
9. Australia’s Best Backyards Seven 1.185
10. Hot Property Seven 1.181
11. ABC News ABC 1.131
12. Rove Ten 1.109
13. The Worst Jobs In History ABC 1.057
14. Movie: Something’s Gotta Give Nine 1.037
15. The Einstein Factor ABC 0.852

Nine: 28.0
Seven: 24.0
ABC: 21.9
Ten: 20.8
SBS: 5.4


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Bert speaks on Gra-Gra

A curious move by Bert Newton will see him discuss his friendship with Graham Kennedy tonight on A Current Affair, hours before Nine screens the telemovie which Newton ignored, The King.

In the interview, according to the Herald-Sun, Newton will address "the pair's friendship, Kennedy's homosexuality and his retreat from public life."

"I think the reason I didn't say a hell of a lot was it became a cesspool at one stage which I thought was disgraceful given the manner in which he died," he tells Tracey Grimshaw.

The interview is bound to raise interest in the telemovie starring Stephen Curry, which Newton has apparently yet to watch. What makes he interview interesting is its timing.

Given Newton was so silent on the telemovie it is curious that he has chosen to discuss the matter prior to its airing on Nine -a move that elevates the screening.

Bert is a pro and he would be well aware that discussing his friendship with Kennedy would assist in the promotion of the biopic.

Press Release:

Australian television legend Bert Newton talks exclusively to Tracy Grimshaw about the brilliance and tragedy of his close friend Graham Kennedy on A Current Affair this Monday night.

Newton, who has not spoken about Kennedy since his death in 2005, speaks for the first time about their friendship, Kennedy’s sexuality, and the rumours that surrounded the man he calls “the most brilliant performer” he’s ever worked with.

Having met and worked together since the late 1950s, Newton strongly refutes claims Kennedy was a reclusive, tortured soul. He gives a rare insight into the private life of Kennedy and reveals the pact the two made just months before Kennedy’s death.

With The King, a dramatised tele-movie based on the Graham Kennedy’s career, airing on the Nine Network Monday at 8.30pm, Newton says he’s undecided as to whether he’ll watch it.

He tells Tracy Grimshaw, “My thoughts are very straight and that is I know that Graham would not have wanted a movie made about his life.”

Bert Newton’s honest and open interview will air in full on A Current Affair 6.30pm Monday on Channel Nine. Read more...

Foxy 2.5M tops for Seven

There were two shows topping the two million mark last week, one for Seven and one for TEN.

Kath and Kim's extraordinary 2.5m premiere on Seven helped the network take out a convincing 28.8% share to Nine's 26.5% and TEN's 23.2%. ABC had 16. 3% and SBS 5.3%.

The Fountain Gate ladies had the single-largest viewing audience this year, well up on season averages when the show was on ABC. As the network prepares to unleash City Homicide, local programming continues to be Seven's strength, with top results from RSPCA Animal Rescue, Medical Emergency, Border Security, Seven News, Today Tonight, All Saints, Home and Away and Australia's Best Backyards. With a strong lead in from the foxy ladies, My Name is Earl also did well. But Seven is well down on Wednesday figures, with poor figures post 7:30pm, and Thursday's return of Ghost Whisperer has some ground to make up against Getaway.

Nine has had a tough week following publicised media stories about discontent. But Sea Patrol continues to hold a strong following despite sinking modestly. Other strong performers were Getaway, Nine News, CSI, ACA, Temptation and RPA. Against Kath and Kim, 60 Minutes took a battering.and Monday nights remain an ongoing issue for Nine. If Nine is to gain any ground on Seven's stunning year it needs to move n o w.

TEN's Thank God You're Here had one of its best figures ever, topping the magic 2M figure. It helped House again take second place for the network. Australian Idol put in respectable figures against the might of Kath and Kim but otherwise it was only a Simpsons repeat and NCIS that gave any reason to smile. Disappointing returns for The Wedge have seen it pulled from schedule, while Sunday and Thursday viewing are underperforming.

The ABC continues to boom on Sundays thanks to Midsomer Murders, while Spicks and Specks, ABC News, Enough Rope and Worst Jobs in History all did well.

SBS has had a damaging week with the loss of Mary Kostakidis. Before the news broke it enjoyed another good Monday.

Ratings Week 34. Read more...