10 job cuts as Bris., Perth, Adelaide news head interstate
Updated: Major names departing 10 as news is 'centralised' from Syd. & Melb. Kerri-Anne amongst Studio 10 cuts.
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Network 10 will cut jobs in its news department which will see Brisbane and Perth bulletins presented from Sydney, and Adelaide bulletin presented from Melbourne.
A national weather presenter is to be introduced across all bulletins.
Changes are also coming to the Studio 10 presenting line-up.
10 News boss Ross Dagan addressed staff in a national staff meeting today, conceding it was a sad day today.
A redundancy program is now commencing for News, Operations and Technology departments. The cuts will encompass on-air presenters, journalists and operations staff, believed to total around 25.
ViacomCBS Australia & New Zealand chief content officer and EVP, Beverley McGarvey told staff the changes to production methodology would bring about more efficient but would mean a farewell to “incredibly talented colleagues and friends who have made important contributions to our business.”
From Monday, September 14 :
- Weekday 5.00pm to 6.30pm 10 News First bulletins will be centralised from Sydney and Melbourne.
- Brisbane and Perth news bulletins will take place in Sydney, and Melbourne will present its local news and the Adelaide news bulletin. They will remain locally produced with local reporters, news crews and operations staff.
- The national weekend news bulletin will remain the same.
- Weather will also undergo changes with a new national meteorologist, all bulletins giving local and national weather forecasts. The role will be announced soon.
Sandra Sully will present a 90-minute bulletin at 5pm to viewers in Sydney and Brisbane while Jennifer Keyte will anchor a combined Melbourne and Adelaide bulletin. Matt Burke will anchor sports coverage in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth while Stephen Quartermain will present sport in Melbourne and Adelaide. Sports reporters Jonathan Williams in Brisbane and Tim Gossage in Perth will take on expanded roles.
There are confirmed changes to Studio 10, with Kerri-Anne Kennerley, and Natarsha Belling departing while Joe Hildebrand is “in talks about his future.”
Just spoke to KAK on the golf course. She’s sad for others but totally accepts the brutal realities of the industry and will finish in a few weeks. Was told face to face this morning. No anger and no bitchy quotes.
— Peter Ford (@mrpford) August 11, 2020
Confirmed redundancies include Brisbane newsreader Georgina Lewis and weather presenter Josh Holt; Adelaide newsreader Rebecca Morse, weather presenter Kate Freebairn and sports anchor Will Goodings; Perth newsreader Monika Kos and weather presenter Michael Schultz; Sydney weather presenter Tim Bailey and Melbourne weather presenter Mike Larkan.
ViacomCBS Australia & New Zealand chief content officer and EVP, Beverley McGarvey said in a note to staff, “I want to make it clear that these changes reflect the state of the media industry and the need for all media companies to achieve new efficiencies and find new operating models. They were not made easily and involved a lot of thinking about how we need to operate to ensure we move forward in the strongest way possible.
“We remain committed to our news organisation, and deeply value this team’s work. As mentioned, 10 News First will continue to be produced locally in each market. It will continue to have local news gathering services, reporters, camera crews and production staff. It will continue to bring local news to viewers.
“Personally, I would like to express my sincere thanks and gratitude for the great work, commitment and enthusiasm the departing staff have shown to their jobs and our company.
“I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done and continue to do.
“Thank you everyone for your ongoing commitment to driving our organisation forward. I know change is not easy, but I am confident that we will build an even stronger media company for the future.”
Network 10’s Network Director of News Content, Ross Dagan, said: “The decision to make these changes was a very difficult one and I want to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to our friends and colleagues who will leave the network.
“It is in no way a reflection of their talent, contribution or passion. They are exceptionally gifted people. We are incredibly proud of them and their work. There is no doubt they will be missed.
“These painful changes reflect the state of the media industry in recent years and the need for all media companies to achieve new efficiencies.
“While our viewers in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth will see some on-air changes, we will continue to produce local news and employ local reporters, camera operators and production staff in those cities,” he said.
The Project is not affected.
Updated.
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- Tagged with 10 News First, Studio 10
53 Responses
Time to make local news a licence requirement – for any broadcast location. Get rid of something else, they should have their licence/s revoked.
More nails in the coffin that is broadcast TV…
Maybe 10 News should get the rights to the magazine name “The Bulletin”.
Sydney weather presenter Tim Bailey…..Noooo ….
I am having a temper tantrum and a meltdown….😡😞
Very bad news…it’s likely that even less people will watch because of this. And letting all of their weather presenters go: please, no way! Local bulletins needed more investment, rather than less.
Like others have said, hasn’t 10 learn’t from the past? The Project should of been sacrifeced and the News left alone. I hope Lisa Wilkinson is sleeping peacefully on her mega pay packet.
I think maybe it has to do with 10 posting a loss of $226 million last month. This year, Network 10 has cut 10 Daily, V8 Supercars and now Per/Ade/Bri bulletins.
Not good news at all. I really feel for all the staff. Especially here in Perth. Ten News is very good and reliable. Poor Monika Kos she was made redundant from 7 Perth and now 10Perth.
I stopped watching ten news when they dumped Ron wilson along with a lot of others in 2012
Ch10 didn’t you learn this the last time? Other networks are smashing it with news – think of your product first.
I predict Natarsha Belling might be picked up by ch9 for the Today Show – they haven’t replaced Tracey Vo yet and they are moving to new studios soon.
How pathetic is this! Hey TEN if you want to save money how about you cut the pay packets of Management! Ten news has always been the poor child of news in Aus and needs more investment not less.
Not the first time Channel 10 has gone down this path. It blew up in the faces. You watch less and less people will watch 10 news because of this.
I’m already disinterested in the thought that my news will be Sydneycentric. Why would Qld viewers care about local NSW politics or other irrelevant issues,and vice versa for Brisbane.If they film two versions, then that would make sense, but then negate the reason for cutting them. Maybe ABC news at 5pm might be worthwhile….
Have always wondered why it is necessary to have a dedicated weather and sports presenter on news bulletins.
Agreed! Just display the weather graphics, if you want more in-depth analysis go online. “Partly cloudy” repeated ad hominem isn’t worth the $$
I’ve always appreciated the detail provided by Michael Shultz in Perth, he often goes into why certain systems are stronger or weaker and why we get the weather we do. Much better than the competition who just read the BOM report….
News is an area where the networks should be increasing their investment given Covid. Channel Ten for a long time had the Adelaide news presented out of Melbourne and the same for Perth if my memory serves me correctly. To also cut the Brisbane news is taking it a step too far.I’m sure they could find the savings elsewhere away from news.
… sadly chickens coming home to roost … the MEAA made strident objections to the possible takeover of the 10 Network by an Australian joint venture set up by Bruce Gordon and Lachlan Murdoch while it “welcomed” the CBS bid stating that “CBS appeared well-placed to provide continuity and certainty for staff” … maybe they’ll learn (and maybe not) …
As if Gordon and Murdoch wouldn’t have lead a cost-cutting spree either
True, look at how WIN stations get their local news now. All from Wollongong, including two capital city stations.
Surely these discussions and job losses could not only be happening at 10 ?? 9 and especially 7 will need to do the same soon
Suspect Adelaide news will get a bulletin 30 min delayed from Melbourne. Brisbane could be delayed by an hour during daylight saving. Hopefully Perth is not 2-3 hrs delayed, unclear.
Unless Sandra’s going to hang around until after 9.30 every night during daylight saving time, it sure won’t be live in Perth.
Sad for all the people losing jobs. Hard at any time, but so tough now. Sending thoughts and love to them all
Mike Larkin…..nooooooo
The absurdity of the week, so far, was Mike Larkin (unknown to us in Sydney but seemingly a Melbourne person), standing on the roof of some unknown building, in the wind and rain, with no discernible background, rugged up in 20 layers of clothes, trying to present a weather report for NSW.
This is absolutely senseless. I’ve never watched much of Ten News but Sandra Sully & Tim Bailey are its backbone and I’m deeply disappointed that Ten management are letting Tim Bailey go.
This sucks. Rebecca Morse & the team do an amazing job here in Adelaide.
Agreed. I wont be watching 10 anymore… Ch7 news from now on.
Surely they can find somewhere for Natarsha Belling.
What a shame Kerri-Anne’s leaving Studio 10… maybe she’ll be able to gain a weeknight, primetime presenting job on Sky News! Now that’s what I’d like to see!
Sydney presenting sport to Perth? That’ll work …
I know networks have to cut costs somehow but I feel like cutting local news never works. Love Sandra but I can’t see many Perth people watching this bulletin now. It will go the same way as the weekend numbers.
A lot of those presenters will hopefully be signed up elsewhere.
> A lot of those presenters will hopefully be signed up elsewhere.<
That requires job openings. Six weeks ago, 7 Adelaide axed a news presenter, a weather presenter, and two producers. The ABC has been cut; and 9 swung the axe in the regions.
With regard to the Adelaide presenters:
Morse co-hosts breakfast on one of the Southern Cross Austereo FM stations.
Goodings co-hosts breakfast on one of Nova's AM stations.
I expect Kate Freebairn might be looking for a gig.
If they are correct political persuasion they can get snapped up by Sky News Australia
Do the presenters remain the same? Or for instance would Jennifer Keyte read Adelaide’s news as well? In that case at least part of the bulletin would have to be recorded.
Very interested to see what the changes to Studio 10 are.
It’s a little confusing the way it’s worded here. The Age report reads to suggest there are only two news bulletins now, a Syd/Bri/Per and a Mel/Adl, both at 5pm. There is no dedicated Adelaide bulletin, it’s a combined Mel/Adl read by Keyte.
“Keyte will anchor a combined Melbourne and Adelaide bulletin.”
Yes but it also says “Melbourne will present its local news and the Adelaide news bulletin” which could be read to mean there are still two bulletins, when there is only one as far as I understand.