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ABC poaches Promotions staff from commercial networks

Nine boss David Gyngell has phoned ABC's Mark Scott after Promotions staff were being poached.

ABC has been headhunting for new promotions staff from commercial television networks, and even offering salary increases.

Two promotions staff from Nine have jumped ship to the ABC, and according to The Australian, it has led to a surprise call from Nine boss David Gyngell to the ABC’s Mark Scott.

The call, in which Gyngell complained about the 20% salary increase, was described as ‘amiable.’

A Nine spokesperson said, “How is it that ‘Our ABC’ is out there offering more money to television promo producers than the commercial networks? Are their ratings that good? And are they taxpayer dollars well spent?”

Or maybe it’s just a case of ABC “thinking brighter?”

24 Responses

  1. This article by the Australian is so September 10.More Nine bashing … Yawn. Say something nice like … How much we love the new ABC onair feel . Great work Aunty !

  2. ABC2 actually needs some better programmes not better promos. As the saying goes “you can’t polish a turd”. All this means is channel 9 promo staff will come up with the ingenious idea of adding more screen clutter every 5 mins. Is this why they had to sack the ABC Perth weatherman to pay for the 20% payrise?

  3. Funny, since promo producers at ABC probably earn 20% less than their commercial network counterparts to begin with.

    It’s no secret that the ABC has been stacking programming and promotion positions with commercial network people.

    The result?
    Poor ratings and dumbed down promo campaigns.

    The ABC can offer all the money they want, they too will have staffing issues due to a toxic workplace.
    That channel 9 attitude doesn’t wash off.

  4. “Electronic graffiti” is the right term for it!
    Plenty of us here wanting the ABC to quit with copying all the most irritating dumb-ass things the commercial stations do.
    I can barely believe that they’ve desecrated Dr Who episodes with moronic pop-ups telling me where I am or what’s on next.
    And they want to pay out good money to employ promo people from 9?
    Unbelievable.

  5. A, do you just copy & paste that comment on every ABC-related story? Time to move on, man. If the only thing that gets your back up is their little five second pop-ups, then they must be doing a pretty good job overall.

  6. Doesn’t David Gyngell have anything better to do? Maybe his staff are jumping ship because they are not very happy – due to Nine’s precarious financial situation and ratings situation. Problem at Nine is the dead wood who stay!

  7. @A and @Kenny – I couldn’t agree more – the visual graffiti on all stations is ridiculous. I especially hate the ones telling me what I’m doing “now” – I’m not dementing yet!! Also voice-overs over end credits can also be annoying – sometimes the atmosphere can be totally ruined by someone droning on.

  8. This is hilarious – this news is a month old.

    There are two ‘real’ issues here. Firstly, Amanda Meade’s timing of this article suggests she’s prolonging the Australian’s attack against the ABC in the lead up to the senate inquiry. No news there.

    And secondly, the fact there is no mention that people are lining up en-mass to leave the 9 promo department – willingly. The culture of fear and confusion caused by ‘programming’ on level 3 wreaks havoc on the department and no amount of money they offer will steam the tide. So far 6 producers/designers have left in the last 6 weeks and there’s more to come. No other channel has this desertion rate. In fact, the situation is so bad they’re sourcing staff from the UK and NZ – why? Becuase any Australian producer who knows better gives the CH9 promo department a wide-berth!!!

    It’s time they took a good hard look at themselves before crying foul.

  9. …and you don’t need to tell me what I’m watching “Now”. If it wasn’t “now” then it wouldn’t be what you say it is (which you insist on doing because you think I’m stupid and don’t know what I’m watching).
    Yes, the use of electronic graffiti is ridiculous.

  10. @Jerome. It’s not the promo people at Nine who are bad, it’s the poor creative management heads running them – that’s why the majority are desperate to get out of there. Nine’s easy to fix – just need to listen to their troops and ditch those at the helm.

  11. I’d suggest to Mark Scott that Nine’s promotion staff would be willing to take a pay cut for the opportunity to be able to promote something that is worthwhile and decent.

  12. Well, did the Gynge counter offer to keep the Promo guys/gals who left?

    There would have been nothing to stop him offering them more money to stay or is Nine broke thesedays??

  13. Could they please suggest to the ABC that the pop-ups during programmes remind viewers to switch over after the end credits. Because you’ve just announced you plan on ruining all the shows for today or tonight so you may as well switch over now. And it is just before the end so they might remember it as well as be annoyed enough to do it. Sigh. BTW it often works, i.e. the flick over, for me. Either that or I go on the computer and don’t pay too much attention to the screen due to the clutter. Hence they cause me to watch the screen less and not more. I guess it’s too much to ask for just the programme with out the electronic graffiti i.e. just the show and nothing else? As that’s what I want as a viewer. I don’t get why it seems impossible to have that as an option. Plus the be reliable thing i.e. on time and follow the paper TV guides and no radical last minute changes. I’m glad that mainly still happens.

    Lastly good luck. Unless you’re superstitious then break a leg. 😉

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