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Mott gone, but Hollywood spins story around Murdoch.

David Mott exits but international trades are more interested on the word 'Murdoch' as part of the story.

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The exit of David Mott from TEN yesterday is now being reported by entertainment trade in the US and UK.

A story in the Hollywood Reporter, which was penned by an Aussie correspondent in Sydney, shifts the focus to Lachlan Murdoch -particularly in light of the failure of Everybody Dance Now being hosted by wife Sarah Murdoch. It also features a photo of Lachlan Murdoch, not David Mott.

The Hollywood Reporter story was headlined “Lachlan Murdoch’s Ten Network Loses its Programming Chief”:
“Mott appears to be taking the fall for a recent number of poor performing programs which have failed to arrest a ratings and revenue decline at the network that’s been ongoing now for nearly two years. Indeed many media commentators here have noted that the decisions to commission the programming, that Ten is currently struggling with were made during chairman Lachlan Murdoch’s tenure as interim CEO last year, and more recently under his CEO-designate former Seven Network ad sales chief James Warburton, who joined Ten in January. The network’s programming woes accelerated in the two weeks since the Olympics with a string of flops headlined by big ticket reality dance show, Everybody Dance Now, an original format fronted by Sarah Murdoch, Lachlan’s wife and former host and executive producer of Australia’s Next Top Model, and Kelly Rowland and Jason Derulo. It launched with a meager 598,000 capital city viewers, was cut back to one hour a week then axed on Monday after just three episodes. Any free-to-air program that airs to over 1 million metropolitan viewers here is deemed a success.”

Deadline Hollywood reported: “Australia’s Network Ten Top Programmer Quits”
“Network Ten’s chief programming officer David Mott today fell on his sword after a steep slide in ratings and the failures of a slew of local series including Everybody Dance Now, The Shire, I Will Survive and Being Lara Bingle……..Successful shows Mott commissioned include MasterChef, Australian Idol, The Biggest Loser, Thank God You’re Here, Big Brother, Offspring and Puberty Blues. In the first half of 2012, Ten’s audience share averaged a lowly 15.9%, versus Seven with 24.7% share and Nine at 22.7%.”

C21 reports: “Mott pays for Ten’s ratings slump”
“The chief programming officer at Australia’s Network Ten has resigned after 16 years with the broadcaster. In a statement, David Mott said he was proud of he “bold programming decisions” made during his tenure. CEO James Warburton described him as a “fantastic asset” for the network who he was sorry to see leave. However, it would appear that Mott has fallen on his own sword after a succession of ratings failures in local commissions.”

WorldScreen reports: “Network Ten Chief Programming Officer Resigns”
“David Mott is stepping down as the chief programming office at Australia’s Network Ten. Beverley McGarvey will continue to serve as Network Ten’s head of programming. She will take over Mott’s responsibilities on an acting basis as well.”

15 Responses

  4. There is no way that David Mott is the the one and only person responsible for the recent programming failures when you look at that list of shows he has spearheaded. He is definitely a scapegoat for the two CEO’s who were meant to make TEN better, not worse.

  6. Kevin Spacey used to visit him in London at his house and Kevin has an offsider who rather looks like Murdoch. A biopic? 🙂 I must admit, when I first sort the article’s headline I thought that’s what this was about.

  7. International press looking at the results of lachlans decisions. Ratings, share value, profits and brand value plummets. Excellent!!! Come on Lachlan. Do the right thing for everybody…shareholders and viewers…and yourself. And quit!!!!

  9. Of course this is the story – not that the News Corp press will report it that way. Is the OzTV shakeout upon us with both Ten and Nine looking for new owners and new direction in 2013? They cannot continue to spend more than they earn and keep announcing new, expensive initiatives like in-house production at Ten, and loss-leading sports events. Even Seven announced cost cutting this week – which means less and more efficient in-house production. James should read his sister’s speech delivered at at the Edinburgh TV conference – a study in contrasts. The heir-apparent has emerged.

  10. Not a scapegoat…in my opinion….I think he had enough sense to jump off the sinking ship before it completly goes under and save some credibility.

  11. McGarvey and all other Mott peeps will clearly also go. Then Warburton. Then Murdoch will pull his money. Only TEN’s obviously competent drama team (Maier and Co.) will be left standing after the Sat Night Maasacre that is surely coming.

  12. Wow! International trade papers have reported on the mess at Ten too. MuchoTB – of course Mott was the scapegoat.

    I read an article last week that Sarah Murdoch had blamed the producers of EDN for getting the format so wrong. She – like her husband – choose not to take any responsibility for the show failing. And when DTTB and IWS both failed on debut – Mott had to be the sacrificial lamb to slaughter.

    Do the math – Mott has been there for 16 years and during that time Ten has had some spectacular successes – Idol, TBL, TBYG, TGYH, Rove, BB, MCA. Over the past 18 months or so Ten has had some spectacular flops – Renovators, EDN, DTTB, YTT, Shire, Bingle and IWS (sorry – love the show but it’s a flop).

    What has happened at Ten during the past 18 months? Lachlan Murdoch and James Warburton. ’nuff said.

  13. I consider these journalists have got it right. After Murdoch bought into Ten and started a campaign to destabilise the management at that time to install himself and Warburton. This will become a case study for students in due course.

    The change of strategy to a youthful segment puts Ten on a collision course with receivership. Small niche audience, smaller revenues and rising costs – what happens next ?

    Given Mott did what he was told – being grab onto a small audience with youthful abundance meant he must fail. By the way – so will the next programmer and probably the one after that.

    That said, lower ratings results in less revenue – which means lots of focus on Murdoch and Warburton. James will consider he is safe – but his last name does not start with M !

  15. I still say this guy was a scapegoat. Lachlan Murdoch and in particular James Warburton have not been the saving grace to Ten that some people expected them to be

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