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Clock ticking on Latham stunt

Former Labor leader Mark Latham would appear to have failed his first test of journalism after making himself the story in his campaign collision with Julia Gillard.

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Former Labor leader Mark Latham would appear to have failed his first test of journalism after making himself the story in his campaign collision with Julia Gillard on Saturday.

There are some who might argue that other 60 Minutes journos made themselves the centre of attention over the years -but at least they had a few runs on the board first. Latham is no Richard Carleton or Ray Martin. Heck, he’s not even an opinionated filmmaker like Michael Moore yet. But he may ultimately prove to match Mike Moore.

Nine CEO David Gyngell was forced to apologise for Latham’s behaviour as a network representative after he publicly confronted Julia Gillard. So will 60 Minutes now make use of that particular footage too? His story is due to air next Sunday night.

Meanwhile, veteran journo Laurie Oakes is having none of it. He dismissed Latham’s hiring on air in his Nine News report last night.

“I’m more concerned with how damaging he is for the Nine Network,” he said. “There was an ugly incident yesterday with Julia Gillard, and Nine chief executive David Gyngell was right to say Mark Latham crossed the line and to apologise. The trouble is, I’m not sure that Mark Latham knows where the line is. He’s not a journalist. He’s still full of bile and settling old scores. I don’t really think it does 60 Minutes or the network much of a favour, really, to have him posing as a journalist.”

You can say that again.

So far the hiring of Latham is reflecting poorly on Nine, which lost its commentator Graham Richardson to Seven last month. It’s a stunt. After all, do we really expect to see him filing stories after the election is over? Doubtful.

While we’re on the subject of politics, how amusing to see several TV shows referenced at the Liberal Party launch yesterday. Gillard and Rudd have supposedly danced for too long and now “should be voted off the show,” said the National Party Leader Warren Truss. Julie Bishop likened ALP’s plan to have a community forum on climate action to locking people up in the Big Brother house to make a decision.

And as for Gillard and Rudd she said, “Don’t worry about The Bold and the Beautiful or The Young and the Restless. Try the Vain and the Ruthless.”

Nobody came up with a Bondi Rescue analogy for Tony Abbott. Slack…

Finally, as for Latham’s confrontation with Gillard, let’s give it to the journo watchdog to dissect the behaviour. One for Media Watch tonight, pretty please?

18 Responses

  1. Latham’s a has-been. But like you said, he’s just doing what many 60 Mins journos have done before him … wittingly or unwittingly. It’s all publicity, something Nine craves – good or bad – it makes people watch/read/listen … tabloid television!

  3. Nine should handle this situation the same way they handle their programme guide, dump him without notice and replace his spot on 60 minutes with a 2.5 men repeat.

  5. This guy reminds me of President Logan from 24 a bit of a weasel and finding it hard to lrt go of the glory days,theres nothing worse then being forgotten

  7. Ch9 deliberately went out to embarrass Julia Gillard – why else would you employ sour grapes Latham. Anyway, its backfired and now the ALP are looking good again. Gillard must remember to thank both Ch9 and Latham in her victory speech. Amazing how a ‘Latham handshake’ can turn an election…

  8. What is Julia Dullard afraid of? What did he actually do? Ask her about her secret deal that got her the Prime Ministership or what?? If you ask me, Julia is the spineless little pussycat while Mark Latham is the superhero in this.

  10. But Jason D., the Chasers aren’t confronting politicians for their own personal grievances and attacking them personally. Latham was not aiming to be analytical or political – he was chucking a tantrum because he is still bitter about the Labor party.

  11. I don’t think Graham Richardson is much of a loss to Nine, the other bloke who replaced him who’s been debating Kroeger on the Today show is heaps better. Not yet a well known personality but he’s more eloquent than Richo imho.

  13. Latham has done the Labor Party an enormous favour. Julia doubtless earned some sympathy votes in the way she handled the perennial school yard bully.

  14. “Some…might argue that other 60 Minutes journos made themselves the centre of attention over the years”? I don’t think there is much argument. It is apparently well known within the industry that this is the expected style at 60 MInutes.

  16. I think the apology from David Gyngell was more politically motivated than sincere, especially when the Chasers have had a long history of confronting politicians.

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