News Archive:
Politician accuses TT of “ambush”
Who do you believe more? A politician or Today Tonight? It’s a bit of a line-ball right?
Tasmanian MP Norma Jamieson says she was hounded by a TT crew despite telling them she was ill.
Impassioned supporters rallied behind the 67-year-old politician yesterday after Today Tonight promoted an ambush interview over pension payments she wants increased.
An unwell Mrs Jamieson says she was hounded by a TT crew despite telling them she was ill.
Mrs Jamieson had turned down an interview with TT the night before, because she didn’t like what she saw as unfair …
No day but Today for Karl
Newly-empowered Karl Stefanovic says in an interview today that there was a time working on the Today show where his esteem hit such a low that Mike Munro once tried to tell him he’d been offered his job.
But Stefanovic hung on, delivering the best he could -a strategy which has ultimately won him respect, and a future at Nine.
Last week there were reports he had held talks with Seven over the hosting gig on Today Tonight. While there are varying stories on the finer details, not even Stefanovic is denying he …
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 …
Matthew White to anchor Today Tonight
Seven will return a male anchor to Today Tonight when sports presenter Matthew White replaces Anna Coren, it has been announced.
He will be the first male presenter in for the programme since Stan Grant vacated the chair for Naomi Robson in 2000.
The announcement of White for the role is a surprise name, most of the rumours were looking elsewhere as to Coren’s replacement, with many tipping Samantha Armytage would take the role. Most recently White was part of Seven’s Olympic team, filling in on Sunrise, presenting sports on Seven’s Sydney bulletin …
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 …
Anna Coren quits Today Tonight
As has long been rumoured, Anna Coren has quit Today Tonight to become a news anchor and reporter for CNN in Hong Kong. She’s due to begin in December.
Coren took a screen test in the US last July, following on-going difficulties behind the scenes, particularly in reference to a courtcase involving Mercedes Corby and the departure of her producer boyfriend Andrew Bourke.
All eyes will now turn toward her replacement.
Samantha Armytage has been considered a front-runner, but with gossip over Seven seeking a deal with Nine’s Karl Stefanovic, there is now a …
Seven loses appeal over child’s “divorce” case
The Seven Network and Herald and Weekly Times have been ordered to pay $50,000 each to charity after losing appeals against a conviction for naming a boy who divorced his parents.
A report published in the Sunday Herald Sun newspaper in 2004 named the boy and included photographs of the child and his mother. His name was repeated on Melbourne’s Seven News, Sunrise and Today Tonight.
In 2006 Melbourne Magistrate Lisa Hannan found the report breached the Children and Young Persons Act 1989 for publishing or causing to be published a report likely …
Network brawl over Stefanovic meeting
The Seven Network has rejected claims made by the Daily Telegraph yesterday regarding Karl Stefanovic.
The newspaper quoted Nine’s David Hurley as stating that Seven had courted Stefanovic with a private dinner at David Leckie’s house. Seven’s “play for him was over the top, dinner at Leckie’s place, the whole bit,” Hurley said.
But Seven has hit back claiming there was no dinner meeting and that Stefanovic was seeking an exit from Nine to Seven.
Seven claims the Today show host privately expressed his wishes and even signed an agreement on terms with …
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 …
Karl in demand
“We hear that Karl Stefanovic is hosting A Current Affair next year,” said Seven spies yesterday. “Apparently, Leila McKinnon’s been overhead telling a few people at lunch today.”
Really? Leila McKinnon, who fills-in as host of ACA, is of course also wife to Nine boss David Gyngell.
But after this line was circulating to media yesterday, Nine communications man David Hurley went one step better by saying that David Leckie had, in fact, tried to convince Stefanovic to front Today Tonight next year.
Leckie apparently dined Stefanovic at his house but failed at luring …
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 …
A Current Affair addresses ACMA concerns
Breaches of the ACMA Code of Practice have so concerned Nine boss David Gyngell that he organised a meeting with his news chiefs and ACMA chairman Chris Chapman to improve the situation and Nine’s standing with the regulator.
As a result, A Current Affair reporters and producers were required to undergo extra training to address those concerns.
The Sunday Telegraph reports that ACMA has confirmed that complaints against both Today Tonight and A Current Affair have lead to investigations despite several warnings.
In 2006-07, for example, Today Tonight was investigated a total of …