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TEN sacks Helen Kapalos

“We will not be renewing Helen’s contract," TEN says of its Melbourne News presenter.

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TEN News Melbourne presenter Helen Kapalos is the latest to have been given her marching orders by management.

A TEN spokesperson told TV Tonight, “We will not be renewing Helen’s contract, the details of which we will not discuss publicly.”

A string of journalists and News staff were being forced to take redundancies after the network reportedly didn’t receive enough voluntary redundancies. The network has declined to comment on the total number of people affected, rumoured to be around 100.

Kapalos has been with TEN since 2006, fronting the 5pm news with veteran presenter Mal Walden or in a  solo capacity.

Last night she tweeted:

-Am taking a little break…. but the very competent, bubbly @meldavies10 is filling for me… see you soon….

-Watch out for http://www.helenkapalos.com.au – my blog goes live on Sunday. I will be chatting to you from the Big Apple.

It’s certainly disappointing that so much knowledge and experience is being lost at TEN (Breakfast remains untouched) but even the way TEN is commenting on this leaves a lot to be desired.

In the “old” TEN style such a departure would have acknowledged Kapalos’ achievements, explained the cost cuts and wished her well. But the network has lost its former Programming Chief and Head of Publicity as it adopts a hardline approach to public statements from Sydney. As a result, 6 years of work (and ratings) is apparently summed up with just 16 words.

Harsh. Very harsh is this new TEN.

53 Responses

  1. Jezza .. presumably TEN has 2 newsreaders because the program goes for an hour, quite a load to carry for one person, and fairly boring for the viewer. Other news programs are only half an hour.

  2. Personally I never liked her voice (too harsh and loud). I usually had to turn the sound down when she was speaking, then back up for Mal. So I am glad she is gone as I will enjoy, and watch, Ch 10 news now.

  4. Once again Warburton and his lackless executive have shown their true colours.

    Warburton keeps falling up – the balloon will burst soon and anarchy will follow !!

  6. The Age has reported that Helen has called in the lawyers after the network removed her security and computer access on Friday evening, although her contract doesn’t expire until March. Seems what Ten thought would be a ‘smooth’ dismissal could be anything but.

    I found it sad too to read about Helen and then turn the TV on and there’s smug Paul Henry talking to an audience comparable to that of a test pattern but he is still there – while the co-anchor of the flagship news bulletin, the only bulletin on Ten that people actually watch, is asked to leave in the most undignified fashion.

    I wish Helen all the best for whatever she does from here on. Will be interested to read her new blog later today.

  8. Not getting your contract renewed is virtually the same as being sacked. You are no longer working at that place and you wont be doing the job you have been doing for the past 6 years. Its as good as getting sacked. Channel 10 have chosen not to have her there.

    Don’t think she’s got a job in NY. I reckon she is taking a holiday.

  9. So is Mal Walden going to be on air Monday with Melanie Davies, thinking if this happened Friday after the TEN News, be pretty difficult for TEN to expect Mal not to say something (may PVR the News in case Mal says something).

  10. If I recall Paul Henry has a 2 year contract. So I would assume when that is up he will be sent back to New Zealand and breakfast will be refreshed. assuming of course it does return next year.

  14. That is bad news, would have preferred they kept Helen and moved Mal to The Project (when it goes 6:30-7:30pm next year), would allow Mal to use his humour more. Mal could have been a bit like when Clive Robertson did 11am, then Newsworld and Robbo’s World Tonight, squeezing one person out of The Project wouldn’t be hard with the revolving way they have people behind it.

  15. Don’t live in Melbourne but from the comments here they have made a stupid choice and I agree on getting rid of Paul Henry and Andrew bolt that would save a mint

    you could also get rid of Tim bailey and put bill on the early morning news and bring back Ron Wilson for the 5pm news Ron Wilson and Sandra sully presenting Sydney’s 5pm news two legends presenting the news at the same time would be great and would have to improve ratings

  16. newsflash- not getting your contract “renewed” is Not being “sacked”!!! they are 2 vastly different scenarios, but hey let’s make a better headline without worrying about the truth or fact.

  17. Wow im shocked. Her and Mal and even Stephen Quatermain have a great rapport toegther. Her and Mal just click as a news team.

    Poor form 10. Im pretty sure Helen isnt the reason you are in debt. But of course you keep the males on such as Bolt and is Paul Henry really worth his contract. Hopefully another news network can pick her up. She is a great news person.

  18. Yeah Ten just keeps getting worse and worse and is now even turning on it’s own people! Why don’t they sack people we want sacked like lauchlan murcoch and gina

  20. Is this Ten’s management, double speak example of ‘toe our line’ or else? Ten is now much like a dangerous drifting iceberg, where many of us will occassionly see it, but we will always remember the Titanic, sensibly avoiding it with the widest of margins and only coming in close if there is special scenic view to appreciate and record, but also knowing if it doesn’t quickly reverse direction, it will inevitably melt down.

    We should not only feel sorry for those who have or will soon leave network Ten, but also feel sorry for ‘some’ of those remaining, who may now be unwillingly caught up in the direction that Ten has chosen/forced to adopt, which is becoming more obvious each day, especially following many similar departures.

    Sitting on the tip of this iceberg, among a select few with very vested interests, are the infuential trio of Murdoch, Rinehart and Packer , with Henry and Bolt obviously relishing their alternating roles, such as performing husky lap dogs pulling sleds( or is that sledges?) to the edge of this berg, or like king penqins strutting their stuff etc. but ever ready to squawk in a deafening cresendo, echoing their pack leaders signals.

  22. Disgraceful by the 10 network to of done this to a very talented newsreader, I hope Helen Kapalos finds a job at 7 – she would make a terrific replacement for either Peter Mitchell or Jennifer Keyte.

  25. It is a shame for Helen, but just the nature of the business and the changing landscape. Why have 2 news readers when ch7 & ch9 have one. No job is forever

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