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TEN axe falls on Ron Wilson, Bill Woods, Craig Smart.

Updated: TEN is discussing the future for Brisbane's Georgina Lewis as it moves towards solo-hosted News bulletins.

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More key names have been sacked by TEN as the network moves towards solo-hosted News bulletins.

Ron Wilson, who has been with TEN for thirty years, was given notice today. He joined as a newsreader on Good Morning Australia in 1982 but is best known for his TEN News presenting. He has most recently been presenter of TEN Morning News.

Bill Woods has been with TEN since 1989 including on Sports Tonight, RPM, Thursday Night Live and TEN News.

On the weekend TEN denied Bill Woods had been sacked -but it was an ominous  sign of what was to come. Woods also said at the time nobody had discussed his departure with him.

A TEN spokesperson today said, “As a result of changes in TEN’s News and Operations division, Ron Wilson and Bill Woods are leaving the company.

“Both are highly regarded and respected news presenters and reporters, and have been a key part of the TEN team for many years.

“Both Ron and Bill leave TEN with our best wishes. We sincerely thank them for their significant contribution to the company.”

Meanwhile TEN News presenter in WA Craig Smart will also exit, after joining from ABC late last year.

“As a result of the changes in TEN’s News and Operations division, Craig Smart is leaving the company,” a Network TEN spokesperson said.

“Craig is a highly regarded and respected news presenter, and has been a key part of the TEN team.

“Craig leaves TEN with our best wishes and sincere thanks for his significant contribution to the company.”

Earlier today TEN announced both Breakfast and TEN Morning News would wrap on November 30.

UPDATED: The Age reports: “Ten is still in discussions with Georgina Lewis (Brisbane) about her future role.

87 Responses

  6. What can one say but sorry once again.

    I wonder if they preface each departure with, sorry mate we have got to let you go, but if its any consolation, not everybody is getting the chop, we are keeping Andrew Bolt, while Paul Henry will be lurking somewhere in the shadows

    Typical ruthless process by spineless management, this is text book stuff, such as divide and conquer, as well as removing the existing staff with any knowledge and history.

    Then change the rules, and move the goal posts, and if this total destruction fails,(and was probably always going to).Then those who carried out this slaughter simply move on, always claiming sabotage and resistance to change of others, but always only citing the savings generated during the early stages..

    But never staying long enough to live with their changes and actually making them work.

  7. Seriously. Why when you are doing so badly in the ratings would you get rid of your experience and the one thing when you may flick the channel over might make you watch because it is familiar. I agree. Turn Me Off Ten. You’ve seen the last of me. Now your just sad.

  11. Love Ron Wilson when he read the news. I hope someone hires him and properly appreciates what he does. Plus nearly everyone else that have lost their jobs. Not a good day. 🙁

  12. They sacked Ron Wilson? Sheesh, do they want no-one to watch Channel Ten? This is the same style of management that saw One Tel go so badly. Oh, look isn’t some of those people in charge of Channel Ten? No, couldn’t be.

  14. Cannot understand why they are cutting what is their highest rating show (5pm News). They are really downgrading their news services and so will the viewer. They might as well go all the way and shoot the news with an iphone.

  16. I’m wondering- if Ten are now sacking those personalities that are better known by the TV watching audience, faces that are in many ways the faces of the network- then how serious is it at Ten? Is the network closer to the edge than is publically known? As people know, the personalities are an investment- the way to make the network look attractive and get people to watch the TV shows Ten has. If even those people are being sacked, how much trouble is Ten in? Is Ten more δέκα (Greek for Ten), that we are looking at an austerity measure much closer to the Greek bailout- except that Greece at least has a German financier?

    And it begs the question- could the extinction of a TV network closer to reality than has been previously been thought?

  18. Has a network actually gone to the wall before,? because it is heading that way. The other interesting aspect of all this is that social network spreads it to the world, getting away with vicious sackings of loyal and talented people cant happen anymore without massive repercussions.

  20. I’m done TEN!

    You’ve lost me. Mal Walden summed up tonight what I knew. TEN won’t speak. They just take poor actions. He clearly had the face of “I need Kapalos not Davies.”.

    Now if Murdoch and Rineheart came to their senses, Bolt should be going. It’s like Paul Henry 2.0!

    Good luck in 2013! You’ve got none now.

  22. When Mal Walden said tonight “that is Ten news, probably more could be said, but now is not the time”. at the end of his bulletin. Summed up TEN.

    Shameful network, throwing away good talent such as Ron Wilson and Helen Kapalos. Not speaking of their reasons for leaving. They had potential those two, Helen did national bulletins with Nine, including Nightline.

    Getting rid of Paul Henry and Breakfast was a very good move. Now if Murdoch and Rineheart would use and come to their senses Bolt should be bolting away from here. He and his program doesn’t even draw nor need a mention. Just don’t get it. How can they sack good people and axe good programs such as “The Circle”, but kee[ the bad lap dog.

    “Seriously” “Turn me off Ten” “Give me no Ten”.
    You are “The not so Entertaining Network”.

    P.S: Marco Pierre White has been promoting himself for the Professionals MasterChef. I want to know how they got those chefs. I’m a chef and saw no applications or cast calls. I hope they didn’t pick MC guest chefs. That would tarnish the TEN brand further.

  23. more cuts, who will be sacked tomorrow?? Quality people paying the price for poor management decisions. the way things are going ten news will be replaced with modern family repeats

  24. What a train wreck! I cannot fathom what TEN is bringing upon itself. Fair call – you want to cut costs – but you do not cut costs by cutting the newsreaders and people who front the cameras.
    Having two presenters was what sets your news apart! Having lived in Tasmania, we recieved the Melbourne news every night, and it was a pleasure to watch Mal and Helen. Travelling to Sydney, I’d always watch TEN News for Bill and Sandra. And now I live in Perth i watch Narelda and Craig, because they are news presenters, not news readers. They love what they do, and all TEN News duos have great chemistry. I used to watch the late news for years thanks to the power combo of Sandra Sully and Brad McEwan!

    You are not gaining anything for these sackings… congratulations, your cost base have gone down, but so too have your ratings…

    I’m terribly dissapointed. For years, TEN have been a youth orientated network, but these days they have less and less to offer!

  25. Falling apart at the seems, this is why I have unliked all of the Ten Network and the personalities that remain there as a sign of protest against the move to down size there news department more.
    So in using Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus and YouTube I’ve clicked with my mouse that I will not follow them in to the future.
    I think clicking with the mouse is an affective way of just walking away as it says a lot to them.

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