0/5

SBS axes World News Australia presenter

Exclusive: World News Australia presenter Neena Mairata has been axed by SBS, with her last bulletin set to air this evening.

Exclusive: World News Australia presenter Neena Mairata has been axed by SBS.

Mairata joined SBS in 2008 following employment at Australia Network. She began as one of the back-up presenters to Anton Enus and Janice Petersen as well as appearing on the 9.30pm bulletin.

Her departure is believed to be part of cost-cutting within News and Current Affairs.

An SBS spokesperson told TV Tonight: “Neena Mairata will be leaving SBS at the end of her contract.

“Her last night on-air is tonight.”

The announcement comes exactly one week after Managing Director Shaun Brown told staff George Negus would be leaving to join TEN at the end of the year.

17 Responses

  1. Ridiculous. Yet another stupid move by SBS. The should drop back to one channel and merge with ABC. Move all their news onto ABC News 24 and remain as a single channel with foreign language programming and a handful of ‘culturally significant’ programs, including the home made dramas that they’ve done so well in recent years. No more Entourage! It has nothing to do with SBS’s original mission. Move back to only showing commercials between programs. It feels like it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a station filled with insignificant programming hosted by white people (ie Seven).

  2. Why don’t they sack the CEO who was responsible for inserting advertisements within programs instead of between programs?
    That fool is responsible for turning off half their viewers.
    He doesn’t deserve oxygen, let alone a salary.

    Neena, you gorgeous creature, we’ll miss you!

  3. I am extremely disappointed…..I really enjoyed this young woman doing the news……I have been a consistant viewer since she has had the position….previously….it was a bit hit and miss because of the news readers….
    Shame!

  4. Farewell Neena! Big mistake SBS! I know you will turn up on the TV screens somewhere, you are too good a talent to lose. SBS World News is the only decent look at news on the TV, the commercials have no idea and now they cutting it back? Please SBS dont become a news service of 20 second sound bites.

  5. That sucks! Was just saying recently what a great newsreader she was. Suppose they will replace her with a hairy browed angry man who is half way to the old age pension.

    Lost my viewing SBS. Cost cutting indeed.

  6. Really Stan, the world game that millions enjoy (ex you) is pointless – more likely your post is pointless and yes a pity she is leaving but I doubt she’ll be out of work for long

  7. The removal of one of the few remaining foreign language programmes from prime time and the axing of one of their leading presenters in one day – shows yet again that SBS has completely lost its way. Either the current management must be removed or it should be merged with the ABC so it can return to what it originally was – a non-commercial channel focussed on foreign language and multicultural programming.

  8. Do SBS realise that Neena is on the Freeview ad in the SBS World News Australia section? Will they remove it and replace it with footage of people they didn’t bone?

  9. What a shame. She was infintely more likeable than Richard.

    Oh well I guess that means more money spent on inane crap most Australians don’t give two hoots about.

  10. Wow! What a shame. They only picked up Ricardo Goncalves from Sky Business in April this year & now they’re doing this to somebody who’s been there at least two years.

    Must’ve been all that money they spent on the pointless World Cup?

Leave a Reply