‘Painful changes’: Network 10 axes presenters
High-profile Network 10 presenters Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Natarsha Belling, Tim Bailey and Mike Larkan are among those who've lost their jobs as part of a cost-cutting drive inside the broadcaster's news division.
10 announced the changes – which will result in its Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide news bulletins being anchored from Sydney and Melbourne – in an all-staff email shortly before 1pm on Tuesday.
Natarsha Belling (left), Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Tim Bailey are among those understood to have lost their jobs at Network 10.Credit:Network 10
“These painful changes reflect the state of the media industry in recent years and the need for all media companies to achieve new efficiencies,” said 10’s director of news content, Ross Dagan.
From Monday, September 14, newsreader Sandra Sully will present a 90-minute bulletin at 5pm to viewers in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth while Jennifer Keyte will anchor a combined Melbourne and Adelaide bulletin. Panel show The Project and 10’s national weekend news, hosted by Chris Bath, are unaffected.
Local weather presenters will be replaced by a national meteorologist but 10 will continue employing reporters, news crews and operations staff in every city, allowing state-specific coverage to be inserted into each bulletin.
Sandra Sully will present 10 News bulletins for audiences in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.
Those due to leave the network include: Studio 10 co-hosts Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Natarsha Belling; Brisbane newsreader Georgina Lewis and weather presenter Josh Holt; Adelaide newsreader Rebecca Morse, weather presenter Kate Freebairn and sports anchor Will Goodings; Perth newsreader Monika Kos and weather presenter Michael Schultz; Sydney weather presenter Tim Bailey and Melbourne weather presenter Mike Larkan.
Matt Burke will anchor sports coverage in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth while Stephen Quartermain will present sport in Melbourne and Adelaide. Sports reporters Jonathan Williams in Brisbane and Tim Gossage in Perth will take on expanded roles.
“While we’re centralising the presentation of our news in Sydney and Melbourne, we’re still committed to local coverage,” said a source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to make public comments.
The source said it was too early to estimate the total number of job losses. In addition to retrenching high-profile presenters, 10 will offer a small number of voluntary redundancies to other news staff.
As with most major media organisations, 10’s ratings have grown substantially during the global coronavirus pandemic. Weeknight metropolitan news audiences have climbed by 10 per cent this year compared with the same period in 2019, while the weeknight and Sunday editions of The Project are up by 24 per cent.
Jennifer Keyte will helm a combined Melbourne-Adelaide bulletin.Credit:Ten
But the pandemic’s broader economic shocks triggered a 22 per cent slump in commercial TV advertising revenue in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, according to industry body Think TV.
“The changes we’re making are not just a result of COVID-19,” said the Network 10 source. “All media companies have been looking at their cost base over the past five to 10 years to find savings and we’re no different.”
Among other media outlets that have cut jobs or reduced employees' working hours this year are Seven, Foxtel, Southern Cross Austereo, Australian Radio Network and Bauer Media.
“The decision to make these changes was a very difficult one and I want to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to our friends and colleagues who will leave the network,” Mr Dagan said.
“It is in no way a reflection of their talent, contribution or passion. They are exceptionally gifted people. We are incredibly proud of them and their work. There is no doubt they will be missed.”
In 2017, Network 10 entered voluntary administration. Later that year, US broadcaster CBS – which has since re-merged with Viacom – acquired the network.
In previous years, 10’s Adelaide news was presented from its Melbourne studios while its Perth bulletin was helmed in Sydney. These arrangements ended in 2011.
On Tuesday, entertainment reporter Peter Ford tweeted: “Just spoke to [Kennerley] on the golf course. She’s sad for others but totally accepts the brutal realities of the industry and will finish in a few weeks. Was told face-to-face this morning. No anger and no bitchy quotes.”
Beverley McGarvey, chief content officer and executive vice president of ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand, said: “These decisions are not being made lightly – however, they are essential to future-proofing our business.”
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