AFP raid follows false media rumours
AFP officers went searching for a mysterious $3m agreement with the Corbys, after a lot of media speculation.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
The Australian Federal Police raid on the Seven Network follows false media rumours about a deal being reached between the network and the Corby family, along with incorrect speculation about the value of the deal.
The AFP had gone looking for evidence of a $3m agreement as part of a Proceeds of Crime investigation, despite the value never being confirmed.
Seven says that while there were discussions with Corby, no agreement has been reached.
“The actual fact is there isn’t an agreement reached yet,” commercial director, Bruce McWilliam (pictured) told The Guardian Australia.
“All you’ve got is a whole lot of failed negotiations, effectively. There were attempts at sending stuff to sign but they never ended up signing them.”
Seven sources now say the ballpark figure offered to the Corbys was less than $500,000 for an exclusive Sunday Night TV and New Idea magazine interview with Schapelle Corby but no money ever changed hands.
“We never agreed to pay anything like $3m. It’s a massive exaggeration. You could buy the whole Schapelle Corby documentary for less than that,” he said.
There are also suggestions the $2m to $3m figure was media speculation fuelled by rival networks.
AFP officers were also unclear on where Sunday Night‘s offices were.
But Nine spokesperson David Hurley said, “Seven’s squirming denials of its Corby deal have descended into embarrassing high farce. Next they’ll be telling us the Corbys actually owe the network millions , and that Schapelle is interviewing Mike Willesee.”
Meanwhile News Corp reports communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull phoned Attorney General George Brandis and Justice Minister Michael Keenan after receiving a call from Bruce McWilliam, who is also a former business associate and friend.
The Guardian reports a minister indicated, ‘We are sorry this happened’ but did not formally apologise.
Yesterday Seven CEO Tim Worner said, “We want to emphasize that at all times we have fully co-operated with the AFP in this matter. A raid on our offices at Pyrmont and at Pacific Magazines and at our lawyers’ offices involving around 30 police and eight squad cars to find information we have already provided seems like overkill to say the least.
“But what is most disturbing is to also seek to use search warrants to access all of our news and corporate records. This is without justification and quite possibly unprecedented for a media organization.”
Share
- Tagged with Sunday Night
12 Responses
@DansDans: Do you think “bogans” don’t watch 9?
As a former long term employee of Nine, I can tell you that they know how to play dirty. But I’m sure that would come as no surprise to most of you. And no, I am not a disgruntled ex-employee, I left of my own accord.
It was funny on sunrise this morning when they were talking about the raid then showed the cash cow shredding documents.
Agree with Mr. J, strange how Peter Overton always say $3 million, makes you wonder if channel 9 didn’t start these rumors, and that this is their way of being childish and getting back at channel 7 because the Corby family would have nothing to do with them after 9 aired Scapelle which the family had no say in the telemovie, haven’t channel 9 people gone down hill over the past few years since Kerry Packer died, I wonder what he would think of them if he were still alive.
30 police raiding company and a law firm, (including a lot of privileged privileged information) just because believed what rivals were printing in the media rather than the information the company had given them?
It is the AFP and judge who issued the warrant who will be the ones who are scared if Seven hasn’t concealed anything they should have handed over.
Seven, Willesee and Mercedes have stated from day one that no deal has been reached and that the figures discussed were well under $1m. Now it appears $500k for two exclusives.
The ABC, Fairfax and Nine have been talking about $1,2,3 or even more millions citing no evidence just making up numbers. Just sour grapes because Schapelle wasn’t going to speak to them (if the interview had actually happened).
Is just me that finds it odd that the ‘Commercial Director’ of the Seven Network of all the executives has become the network spokesman on this issue. Where is the CEO or News Directors comments on this matter, one can only assume if the ‘Commercial Director’ is the nominated spokesman, there must be some form of a commercial arrangement in place.
Also, if there are no payments by Seven being made, how is it that Seven is picking up all the Corby costs at the ‘Sentosa Seminyak Resort’ and the security contingent to keep other media out. The provision of services is no different to cash payments.
Clearly the AFP have good reason to do a raid on Seven, after all, Seven Media is not above the law.
So Nine are on their moral high horse about the whole Corby thing now? I certainly hope they did not pay Scott Miller for the interview on 60 Minutes.
How did News Corp know that Malcolm Turnbull phoned George Brandis and Michael Keenan after receiving a call from Bruce McWilliam, aye Murdoch??
And Channel 7, what’s the story with keeping Corby in a 5 star hotel under the guards hired by you – is this story also completely fabricated?
*anyone thinks they
Mr J, I think Ch 9 is being hilarious in this whole situation – and I love how scared Ch 7 are they keep saying things like “false rumours” and “disturbing” and “unprecdented”. They know their core bogan audience, who hates the police, will eat up these words and back them up.. its ridiculous how above the law Ch 7 seems to think they are, and the AFP arent stupid enough to raid a news organisations office based on a rumour. Think about it for a second. If antyhing thinks the would raid based on a rumour, then Ch 7 has convinced them perfectly and those people are stupid. Beyond stupid
Also, Ch 9 would have good reason to believe its above $3mil, because think about – they would have offered a particular sum for the interview, and in negotiations they would have been told another party has offered ‘this’ can you match it?
Some people really need to learn how to put one and…
What is this new trend of ch9 giving an unfunny comment on all of 7s matters.
I noticed Peter Overton has consistently taken the $3mil as gospel. Never saying ‘reported’. I’d believe 9 started the speculation. They were pissed that they stuffed up their chances of getting the interview themselves so wanted their shareholders to think 7 had paid an uneconomical amount.
What a joke, the AFP won’t find any payment looking at office files.
How than?
Someone has paid for the room at the luxury hotel. If Mercedes paid for it, who gave her the cash?
Maybe a celebrity reporter paid the cash to Mercedes. This reporter gets paid by Seven by submitting his invoice which includes his an amount for expenses. Easy as & no receipts needed & No audit trail.