In our new column exclusive to Mail+ subscribers, Steve Jackson, one of Australia’s most plugged-in senior reporters, and political editor Peter van Onselen reveal what’s REALLY going on in the worlds of media and politics…
Channel Nine star threatens to walk
It’s that time of the year when TV bosses start planning how to wrangle money out of the budget for the staff Christmas party.
Over at Nine though, the under-fire news and current affairs executives are worried they might not last long enough to attend any end-of-year festivities.
Inside Mail can reveal several senior Nine newsroom managers are secretly being investigated by the media giant following a deluge of staff complaints about their leadership.
One of the network’s leading television identities is even threatening to walk away from the channel completely unless their boss is given the boot, after accusing them of running a hateful campaign of bullying and intimidation.
It is understood the complaint relates to a number of heated exchanges between the duo – both in private and in front of colleagues – spanning several years.
The falling-out has become so embittered, the feuding personalities are now no longer on speaking terms, let alone capable of working together.
Multiple sources confirmed Nine is investigating the circumstances surrounding the rift, and that the aggrieved on-air personality is demanding the offending executive is removed from their powerful position.
The TV star did not want to discuss the details of the allegations when contacted by Inside Mail and is said to be mortified the dispute risks drifting into the public domain.
Underscoring just how merciless Nine’s internal politics have become, at the same time all this is playing out, the senior exec in question is also being actively recruited by a different TV star in their separate bid to have another newsroom leader ousted.
Toxic newsroom culture? What toxic newsroom culture?
Albo is so toxic, a state election gets moved
Speaking of toxic sagas, the Western Australian Labor Party thinks their federal colleagues are so poisonous, Premier Roger Cook is looking into if he can move the state election so it’s nowhere near a possible federal poll.
He doesn’t want his popular state government to be tarnished by the stink associated with the federal party, or the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in particular.
Polling this week revealed Albo’s personal support has plummeted and federal Labor even trails the Coalition in the betting markets now.
WA’s Labor Premier Roger Cook is preparing to go into election mode but he doesn’t want the state’s poll to be affect by the stench surrounding federal colleague Anthony Albanese.
Cook’s problem is WA now has fixed four-year terms, so the state election is set for March 8, whereas Albo can call the federal election for anytime that suits him.
At the last federal election, Albo launched his campaign in WA, trading off the popularity of then-Premier Mark McGowan and picking up five seats in the west, giving Albo his majority.
It doesn’t sound like he’ll be welcomed back by the new premier. Certainly not before the state election anyway.
Where in the world is Liz Hayes? Not on 60 Minutes…
Network execs usually know better than to ask, ‘Where in the world is Liz Hayes?’
After all, the answer usually elicits a dangerous – and decidedly expensive – response.
‘She’s on the hunt for a murderer in Africa’ or ‘climbing frozen waterfalls in Russia’ – or off on some other wild adventure in some other far-flung place.
For almost three decades, 60 Minutes’ intrepid headline star was always scouring the globe for must-see stories.
But eagle-eyed viewers have noticed she has barely been sighted on the show over the past two years, sparking speculation her appetite for long-haul flights and bad hotels may have waned.
Award-winning Nine star Liz Hayes hasn’t been since on 60 Minutes in months despite having her eponymous true crime series, Under Investigation with Liz Hayes, canned in August
To be fair, the award-winning reporter has had her hands full until recently driving her own eponymous true crime series, Under Investigation with Liz Hayes, which explored some of the nation’s most enduring murder mysteries and cold cases.
Tragically, the popular series became a victim itself after it was axed by the network amid wide-ranging cost cuts in August, even though Hayes was still up for a coveted TV Week Logie Award for her work on the program at the time.
Although Nine promised we would soon see Hayes back in action on 60 Minutes, it appears the veteran presenter has been taking a well-earned break.
She returned with a vengeance last week though, fronting the network’s U.S. election special alongside Today show anchor Karl Stefanovic.
The trusted host helped Nine dominate the commercial TV coverage of the race to the White House, ahead of arch rivals Seven, with Ten trailing in third place.
Hayes is being tipped for a larger network role after leading Nine’s dominating U.S. election coverage alongside Today show host Karl Stefanovic
The impressive outing may well have reminded Nine’s execs about Hayes’s star power, with rumours now circulating she may offered a plum role fronting all of the channel’s major news and events coverage.
It comes as 60 Minutes continues to an enjoy an abundance of talented female reporters in its line-up between Hayes, Tara Brown, Amelia Adams, Dimity Clancey and, most recently, new special correspondent Tracy Grimshaw.
Inside Mail asked Nine whether there was any truth to the speculation Hayes may be offered a larger role with the network – or if she would indeed be returning to full-time duties at 60 Minutes as previously flagged – and received a polite ‘no comment’.
Make of that what you will.
Why did Albo say ‘no’ to a gala dinner?
The guest speaker at last night’s Sydney Institute annual gala dinner was the minister for misinformation (official title, communications) Michelle Rowland.
Last year it was NSW Premier Chris Minns. We were left wondering why Anthony Albanese didn’t accept an invitation to headline the event, especially with a federal election just around the corner.
Plenty of prime ministers have done precisely that in the past. Was it perhaps because the official sponsor this year was Virgin Australia?
Everyone knows Albo loves a free flight upgrade, but only with Qantas.
Seeing double on Seven and Nine
In TV land, it’s all about voting with your remote, and all eyes are currently on the intensifying ratings battle between Seven and Nine’s nightly news bulletins.
Seven has made inroads into Nine’s once-dominant Sydney offering with Peter Overton since doubling down at 6pm and pairing veteran presenter Mark Ferguson with award-winning former foreign correspondent Angela Cox.
Seven’s 6pm bulletin has been neck-and-neck with Nine since pairing Mark Ferguson with Angela Cox throughout the week and the network has now doubled down on the tactic by teaming Michael Usher with Angie Asimus on Fridays and Saturdays as well
The network last month extended the double act across all seven days by matching rising star Angie Asimus with affable anchorman Michael Usher on Friday and Saturday nights.
Although the new duo has only won one of their four outings against Nine’s solo newsreader Georgie Gardner so far this month, industry insiders say the fledging combo is already starting to gel and predict they could soon be vying for top spot.
Nine could counter Seven’s tactics by pairing Sydney newsreader Peter Overton with a co-host, with 60 Minutes star Amelia Adams the most likely candidate to join him
Meanwhile, Nine is said to be wargaming its response if the fight gets too tight, with insiders suggesting they could soon copy Seven’s strategy and introduce dual presenters in their bulletins.
Indeed, versatile 60 Minutes star Amelia Adams is already being tipped to as a potential prime-time partner for Overton.
The new ‘power station’?
In the golden age of talk radio, 2UE could boast it was home to some of the biggest stars in the country: John Laws, Alan Jones, Mike Carlton and Stan Zemanek.
The station was so successful – and profitable – many believed it could never fail.
Sadly, nothing lasts forever.
With ‘Golden Tonsils’ John Laws behind the mic, talkback titans 2UE once seemed infallible
Ray Hadley’s switch to rivals 2GB two decades ago turned the station into a powerhouse
Not long after Southern Cross Broadcasting bought the station – and sister outlet 4BC – for about $90million in 2001, things started going south, and fast.
Before long, Jones and Hadley had defected to then low-rating disruptors 2GB where they would go on to clock up record-breaking runs in their respective timeslots.
Two decades on, 2GB is now the infallible king of talkback and 2UE is an easy-listening music station that plays more golden oldies than they have tuning in.
But with Hadley announcing his impending retirement from radio last Thursday, two newly minted media moguls are wondering if the time is ripe for another once-in-a-generation changing of the guard.
Siblings Despina Priala and George Caralis just inherited the nation’s largest privately owned radio network from their late father Bill Caralis and have grand ambitions to take its prized 2SM outlet from market minnows to the major leagues.
Reclusive radio tycoon Bill Caralis left behind a succession plan for his multimillion-dollar family business before his death aged 82 on July 19. Only daughter Despina Priala (above) and youngest son George Caralis are now joint managing directors of the Super Radio Network
Their tracksuit-wearing tycoon dad was famed for running his Super Radio Network on a shoestring budget and being reluctant to outlay cash on trifling radio overheads such as audio equipment, studio space or wages.
But since taking over the operation, which boasts 42 stations around the country, following his death from a heart attack aged 82 in July, Caralis’s kids are looking to make a significant cash – and star – injection.
The industry is stirring with rumours former 2GB stars Chris Smith, Jason Morrison and Deborah Knight have all been spotted in meetings with 2SM’s new management – and that they could soon be pitted against their old station.
Former 2GB host Deborah Knight is among those being courted by would-be rival 2SM
Even Melbourne-based 2GB alum Steve Price has been on the blower with the talkback upstarts about a show – though he may be reluctant to relocate from the southern capital.
The overhaul is being designed to hit 2GB when it’s at its most vulnerable and lure away a slice of its audience, along with its accompanying ad revenue.
It’s a bolshie move – but Inside Mail hears Priala and Caralis are convinced their high-stakes gamble will pay off in the long run.
Shock 10-to-1 contender to be the next Labor leader
For those not looking to wager millions of dollars on conquering the airwaves, maybe the odds on offer for conquering the ALP could prove more tantalising.
While most of the focus is on which political party is likely to form government after the next federal election, Sportsbet has opened a book on who will be next Labor leader after Albanese.
Obviously if Albo wins punters might be waiting a while to get paid out, even if they get it right.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is the favourite at $2.20, with Tanya Plibersek next at $3.50.
Federal treasurer Jim Chalmers is the short-priced favourite to replace Anthony Albanese
The remainder are way back, but one outsider who really should be 1000 to 1 is Bill Shorten.
The two-time election loser has announced he’s quitting politics to head up Canberra University, where he’ll draw a million-dollar-plus salary.
But Sportsbet still has him at 10 to 1 to take over from Albo.
It would be a Lazarus-like comeback if he did, that’s for sure.
High-profile Labor figure plans to call it quits
Which high-profile Labor staffer is making plans to move on after the next election?
Inside Mail couldn’t get to the bottom of exactly why she’s leaving, but apparently the boss has already been informed she’ll walk away no matter who wins the election.
The staffer is billing her commitment to stick around until then as a show of loyalty, but the boss thinks otherwise.
After elections, all ministerial staff can take packages and leave with a healthy taxpayer-funded payout.
We’re sure that’s going nothing to do with the decision to stick around until then.
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