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Media scramble over Jessica Watson arrival

Jesica Watson may have survived all sorts of storms at sea, but she's about to face a media storm tomorrow.

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Tomorrow’s coverage of the arrival of Jessica Watson will be fiercely contested by commercial networks.

While TEN / ONE has been a sponsor of Watson’s around the world sail, Nine and Seven are pulling out all stops to cover the event by stealth.

As a sponsor TEN’s coverage has access over rival channels, with Hugh Riminton as the only journalist travelling on the VIP boat with Watson’s family, while Sandra Sully will also be on ground to MC official proceedings and Bill Woods will host the broadcast.

TEN’s coverage begins at 11am with ONE running extended coverage between 1 and 2pm to follow her media conference. Jessica Watson: Sailing into History will air at 6pm Sunday on TEN and is repeated at 8:30pm on ONE.

Updated: Watson will also chat with Jesse Martin for The 7PM Project on Monday night.

But Nine will have an interview with Watson on 60 Minutes. “Charles Wooley will sit down with Jessica as this courageous teenager reflects on the highs and lows of her epic achievement.” Nine indicates Woolley “will be joining the Watson family to welcome her back home.”

Such access so early upon her return is likely to rile TEN.

Nine’s live coverage will see Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson in a two-hour broadcast from 11.00am as they track Watson’s arrival through the heads and on to the Sydney Opera House. Channel Nine cameras and reporters will be dotted right around the Harbour, which TEN has no exclusivity over. Highlights will be replayed at 5:30pm.

Meanwhile, Seven will have Mark Ferguson hosting a live Seven cross to Jessica’s arrival, although the network is yet to advise of any programming change. It will however have a Seven News chartered yacht attempting to get alongside Watson on the harbour, with surfer Layne Beachley on board.

Seven will also feature Jessica Watson: The Homecoming at 5:30pm with her arrival, reunion with her parents, the first media conference back on Australian soil and interviews with experts.

50,000 spectators are expected to cheer Watson as she arrives.

This 16yo sailor may have survived all sorts of storms at sea, but she’s about to face a media storm tomorrow.

All times are AEST.

29 Responses

  1. What are all you wingers on about. This is a much more newsworthy story than Rudd and co.

    What a fantastic feat for one so young. Go Jess – you have showed all your doubters right up and then some!!!!

  2. Hello David Knox…may I say how much I have enjoyed the newsprint coverage of Jessica’s voyage since the beginning…for some technical reason I have never been able to get an encouraging message through to her on her “official” blog. While I was searching around the net I chanced onto the Courier-Mail site and it has been great..especially Amanda Lulham(/?)forgive the obvious spelling error…but Amanda’s reports were also in the Sydney papers. Amanda was able to convey the excitement and drama and also she made Jessica “come alive” for Jessica’s far off fans.It has been wonderful “hooking up” with well wishers from all around the world.. Thanks David and enjoy to-day and fill us in…..please. It’s still only Friday night here in good old Toronto, Canada…however I can “see” Sydney in my mind’s eye and it looks glorious………..Thanks Goodnight!

  3. What’s happening in Australia…has someone spiked the water…the above comments are among the most mean-spirited and nasty I have come across since Jessica Watson set out on her exciting sail around our world!!!!! Yes “our world” we are all sharing it so here is some advice…..take a spoonful of sugar, a deep breath and say out loud….”.I am going to try (very hard) to find something positive to say and I think I will feel a whole lot better”…..Come on Aussies….lots of people overseas think you are OK……don’t let us down! Be nice…it can’t kill you!

  4. Does any of this really matter??? The only thing that really matters is that Jessica had an amazing adventure after setting a goal for herself and now reaching the finish line. My guess here is that many of you are just jealous that you do not have the spark, drive, or motivation to go out and make a dream come true. You can say what ever you want to but you will never be able to take this away from her. If money comes her way so what, go out and do your own thing to put some green in your pockets! Go ahead and ask her what was more important; the money, the glory, or the dream accomplished? I say way to go Jessica and welcome home!!!!

  5. This whole thing has been a waste of media resources from day one. Is it real news? No!

    If Jessica Watson had of sunk three months ago, it would have been news for a couple of days and disappeared forever.

    Now we are going to be subjected to her noggin plastered over every television network, newspaper, magazine, advertisement……ad infinitum.

    Please help us!

  8. I’ve been reading articles that she should be the young Australian of the year? WTF? Surely someone doing some good for the community like a nurse, teacher, doctor, police officer deserves this. Not some person who can use a boat? How does that benefit the community, oh I forgot. It benefits the TV and Media networks.

    All I can think of is Frontline and the boy from PNG. Just slap on a Frontline cap and everything is fine….

  10. I’m still waiting for an announcement about ABC’s coverage with Kerry O’Brien with analysis from Anthony Green and Gerard Whateley along with Sky News Aust’s coverage with Craig Norenbergs and analysis from David Speers and Adam Bolton (who will most likely get angry with someone else).

    Although in all seriousness, if only the networks had this type of coverage for real news? I do agree with some comments here that Jessica should stick it up Seven & Nine tomorrow, by wearing Ten/One HD gear & having her say Ten/One HD as many times as she can (especially during rival network interviews).

  11. It will however have a Seven News chartered yacht attempting to get alongside Watson on the harbour, with surfer Layne Beachley on board.

    Anyone think that there could be an accident, two Yachts in the harbour, one being driven or whatever the term is by a 16 year old under media pressure and another being driven or whatever by someone who will be under pressure by a channel that wants ratings.

    You can say what you want about the other channels at least they aren’t hounding the poor girl as she is sailing into the harbour.

  12. The sooner this is all over the better. So not interested and I agree with Rhys – no sympathy for her or her family, as if they wouldn’t be over the moon watching all the attention and money roll in.

    Hope she has had some media training – a public speaker she is not.

  15. No doubt it’s a terrific achievement but I’m not gonna waste any sympathy on either her or her family regards excessive media attention. Her trip was hyped up from the start and sponsored by a television network. Surely they must have expected (even hoped for) the media to clamour all over her return. And chances are the Watson family bank balance will be duly compensated for any inconvenience.

    You throw out a handful of chips, expect the seagulls to come circling.

  16. Was this the same media that was saying she was too young and inexperienced.
    The same media asking experts why she should not be aloud to do it??
    All aboard!

  18. I feel sorry for her already – the media are going over the top so they can brag about thier coverage. It sounds like she won’t even have a chance to have a shower before she has to attend a media conference.

  20. I think Jess should say, during a live interview with Seven or Nine something like: “I would like to thank TEN and ONE HD for all their support during this event, they are the only TV network that have been with me for the whole journey and you can see me talk to “so and so” on the 7PM Project tomorrow night”

  21. Yes well done to Jessica Simpson….oh I mean Watson (Well done NSW Ports Minister, another “Karl Rove moment”).

    It’s funny to watch the different TV networks fight like seagulls to get their piece of the action but I just they don’t ruin it for Jessica and her family.

    Will make good viewing tomorrow, not just to see Jess complete her voyage but to also watch how silly the networks behave.

  24. Although I am proud of what she has been able to accomplish, I’m going to feel sorry for her when the media starts getting in her face. I wonder what she will think of Australian society when people start pushing and shoving to talk to her after spending time alone for months on end. I also wonder how she would handle the same questions being asked over and over and over again. But then, maybe she’ll enjoy the attention.

  25. i saw an ad for the 60 minutes story last night and they were showing footage of their Watson interview…cant help but feel (seeing as how shes as how she is still on the boat) that they are using an early interview…guess they could do a knew one but there was no mention of first interview or anything like that…

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