A “massacre” within the senior executive ranks of Channel 7 has shocked industry watchers, who say it’s a sign of just how serious the crisis is at the network – and in television broadly. Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes, the billionaire media magnate who owns a controlling share ofContinue Reading
Advertising millionaire and philanthropist Harold Mitchell has been farewelled in a state funeral, where he has been described as a fearless, funny and provocative industry giant who had a famed hatred of meetings which ran late. The Melbourne man, who ran one of Australia’s first independent media and advertising companiesContinue Reading
The Seven West board, led by Kerry Stokes, has probed shock claims of cocaine and sex workers plaguing investigative program Spotlight, with questions raised over the extent of knowledge in the finance department and among Seven executives. News.com.au understands that news and current affairs boss Craig McPherson told the executivesContinue Reading
Seven West Media chief executive James Warburton is leaving the troubled company more than two months earlier than expected. “Current managing director and chief executive officer James Warburton will finish at SWM today … with Jeff Howard commencing in the role on April 19,” the company announced to ASX saidContinue Reading
Ex-Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach has dropped a new bomb on Channel 7 sending a concerns notice regarding comments purportedly made by a number of the network’s executives. The concerns notice names Seven chief executive James Warburton, Kerry Stokes’ longstanding right-hand man Bruce McWilliam and producer and blogger Robert McKnight, andContinue Reading
That was the succinct description from a senior Channel Seven figure of the weeks of turmoil that have rocked the network. On Wednesday, it emerged that Seven ordered two separate investigations into claims a small number of staffers at its top-rating breakfast show Sunrise had engaged in fraud. The SydneyContinue Reading
Channel 7 ordered two separate investigations into claims that staff at its top-rating breakfast show Sunrise had engaged in fraud, it can be revealed. The existence of the probes, which began in March 2022, has remained secret – until now. It was reported today in The Sydney Morning Herald andContinue Reading
One of the most senior figures in Australian media has defended sending a graphic email to a reporter at a rival organisation, in order to defend a colleague and “friend” from a looming negative story. Bruce McWilliam, commercial director at Seven, fired off an angry message in 2022 to ZoeContinue Reading
Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn has been recorded in an internal staff meeting complaining that despite the pressures to “do whatever it takes to get the story”, the program is “a bit stuffed” because it is starved of cash by Channel 7’s management. News.com.au has obtained an audio recording ofContinue Reading
A controversial overhaul of Australia’s anti-siphoning laws, which grant free-to-air television channels first dibs on broadcasting rights for major sporting events, should be amended to allow all free video platforms to negotiate broadcast deals, the NRL says. Fronting a Senate inquiry into new legislation which proposes to stop streaming servicesContinue Reading