“Sad day” as industry extends support to 10 staff
An outpouring on social media after 10 makes cuts to talent & staff in News.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News, Top Stories
Natarsha Belling, Tim Bailey and Kerri-Anne Kennerley are amongst the profile names departing Network 10 in a savage round of cuts to the News department.
Also confirmed to depart are 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; and Melbourne weather presenter Mike Larkan.
But there are also crew who have been made redundant -around 25 roles in total are rumoured.
Sad to confirm the news that I am among those leaving Network Ten. Proud of our team at @10NewsFirstAdl currently working to bring you your local bulletin tonight.
Thank you for your messages of support.— Rebecca Morse (@RebeccaMorse107) August 11, 2020
Sad today for local news and the South Australians that rely on it. Most sad however for @10NewsFirstAdl colleagues, journos, cameramen, producers, hair and makeup artists and countless others who are exceptional professionals and even better human beings. Thank you all.
— William Goodings (@WGoodings) August 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/Joe_Hildebrand/status/1293107716458610688
Studio 10 presenter Joe Hildebrand is understood to have been offered a part time role on and is in talks. Sarah Harris, Angela Bishop, Denise Drysdale, Denise Scott, Narelda Jacobs and Jonathan Coleman are remaining.
It’s unclear if other changes could yet be made at Studio 10, while The Project was not touched.
10 News boss Ross Dagan described it as a “Very sad day” during a staff meeting today.
Indeed, journalists, producers and industry colleagues have extended their support to those impacted via social media.
Life giveth.
And 2020 taketh away.
My thoughts for all my splendid colleagues who are losing jobs in these awful times.— Hugh Riminton (@hughriminton) August 11, 2020
I tell this to my three children every time things get tough. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/sGxSYjATO2
— Tim Gossage 🤓 (@TimGossage) August 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/1293039370253946882
My heart breaks for all my friends and former colleagues at @10NewsFirst A tough time for a wonderfully talented group of people. This is awful news for them and for the industry.
— Eddy Meyer (@eddy_meyer) August 11, 2020
At a time when we need more newsrooms and reporters, not fewer, the job losses out of @10NewsFirst are devastating. Worse that’s it’s happening during a pandemic. Sending strength to all my colleagues there.
— Virginia Trioli (@LaTrioli) August 11, 2020
Sad as sackings at Channel 10 were today I respect management for allowing people to serve out their time in a professional & respectful way. Too often in media you’re escorted out by security guards just carrying your box of belongings. You get robbed of dignity & your job.
— Peter Ford (@mrpford) August 11, 2020
Sending big love to my old team at @10NewsFirst
My life changed forever when I walked into that newsroom at Como and I’m eternally grateful.@10NewsFirstMelb is a great team who pump out a fantastic service everyday.Tough year. Tough day. Guttered.
— Kate McGrath (@KateMcG6) August 11, 2020
This is a horrible day for a wonderful and dedicated team. I owe a great deal to the brilliant people I worked with and the opportunities I was given in the QLD and NSW @10NewsFirst newsrooms. Thinking of my friends there today.
— Dani Isdale (@DaniIsdale) August 11, 2020
Another tough day for the terrific team of people at @10NewsFirst… those newsrooms are relentlessly culled by management. It’s a real shame. https://t.co/qpJaoOSzOJ
— Joel Crean (@JoelCrean) August 11, 2020
We’re not sure what this means for the rest of us yet but for now, I’m thinking of all my colleagues in other states, especially in my home city at @10NewsFirstAdl. I got my first TV reporting gig there and loved every second. They’re a friendly, hard-working and talented team.
— Lia Harris (@LiaJHarris) August 11, 2020
Thinking of my colleagues at @Channel10AU news. More job losses and centralisation of shows limits the range of voices we hear, and that's a loss for everyone.
— Shalailah Medhora (@shalailah) August 11, 2020
This is incredibly tough to digest.
I started my career in the @10NewsFirstPER newsroom. What a wonderful vibrant place with many magnificent people.
Thinking of all my former colleagues and friends within @10NewsFirst who have been dealt a low blow today.
Much love to all.
— Tim Hipsley (@TimHipsley) August 11, 2020
This is incredibly grim. Viewers in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth should rise up. https://t.co/1fm1Ivm5oQ
— Jason Whittaker (@thetowncrier) August 11, 2020
Yet again, my heart breaks for those beloved staff @10NewsFirst Always hardworking. Always on tenterhooks. How many must be sacrificed before the beast agrees, enough…
— Jonathan Lea (@JonathanLea10) August 11, 2020
So the numerous times I’ve questioned whether 2020 could get any worse, I didn’t actually want proof that yes, in fact it could. @10NewsFirst
— Georgia Love (@GeorgieALove) August 11, 2020
Loved to tune into @10NewsFirst and see what part of Melbourne @MikeLarkan was out and about in. Sad that he will no longer be able to do that
— Sam Wilkinson (@WilkoSam) August 11, 2020
Such a loss to lose more local programming and some very talented journalists from telling more stories. Thoughts with the fabulous @10NewsFirst family today 🙏 https://t.co/Pv264NzUki
— Sally Roberts (@_sallyroberts) August 11, 2020
Not @dailybailey10 and @NatarshaBelling These are two of the most respected and loyal personalities you had @Channel10AU Very sad day for all.
— Ryan Fitzgerald (@FitzySA) August 11, 2020
Another very sad day for Australian journalism. Thinking of the reporters, presenters and off camera crew at @10NewsFirst and @Studio10au who have been let go today.
— Benedict Brook (@BenedictBrook) August 11, 2020
When I left the Herald Sun a year ago two of the first people to offer support and encouragement were @SarahHarris and KAK. Thinking of everyone at @Studio10au today -both those staying and those leaving – as they adjust to big changes.
— siobhan duck (@siobhanduck) August 11, 2020
Thinking of my @10NewsFirstQLD colleagues today. I started my TV career there back in 2012. A truly brilliant team of newshounds, a formidable anchor in @GeorginaMLewis – through thick and thin they’re committed to local content. A horrible day. #tennews
— Brendan Smith (@brendanjsmith10) August 11, 2020
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- Tagged with 10 News First, Studio 10
45 Responses
Worst decisions to be made.
This was reflected back in May 2014, where they axed Early News along with Morning News, Wake Up and Late News after 6 months on air. Operations & Engineering, Overseas Bureaux were cut.
Sad that Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Natarsha Belling aren’t going to be on Studio 10. They are fun to watch. And I can’t believe Tim Bailey has been axed. I like watching him do the weather and I used to watch on Totally Wild.
Sad to hear Natasha Belling will be leaving.. She is a class act. I hope she gets picked up by another network.
Meanwhile over at the abc they were kind enough to only accept a 2% wage increase this year?
Tend to agree with many that there is an abundance of news style shows on air. How much do we really need. Is there a need for SBS to broadcast news?? ABC24 has got it covered so why bother?? Sky news is available as well. Maybe 10 has gotten it right.
So sad. Monika Kos was a fine addition to the 10 Perth newsroom after being so unceremoniously dumped by 7 last year. I guess there is hope Narelda Jacobs could return to our screens presenting our news from ‘over east’ but still, this is devastating all round.
Unfortunate but understandable given the position Ten is in.
Gee unless you’re Sandra Sully you’d never feel secure in your job if you work at ch 10. They seem to go on a sacking spree every couple of years. A very sad time for all. Natasha Belling & Tim Bailey. Wow what a shock. Tim Bailey’s been there since forever.
Yep too much FTA TV news when we have so many other sources to get news from. This is where the Project could improve by cutting out the duplication’s in news updates & actual stories & interviews. They’re stretched way too thin, when they do get a decent guest they get 5 mins interview if lucky then always have to cut to an ad break, it usually feels rushed, except on Sunday Project sit downs with Lisa Wilkinson.
Back to cuts, I agree with everyone that Natarsha is great but in relation to Studio 10 she is the news reader first & foremost, she pretty much fills in & guests as a presenter. So i think that’s why Narelda has been retained instead. I also agree another network should snap Natarsha up if Ten cannot use her skills as a news reader.
Wow. Crazy decision making. Any leading network has to have a rating news service and to get that you have to invest in your news department. I thought they might have slowly been investing in news. Thinking maybe a breakfast news might be in the cards in the new year But clearly not. No local weekend new and now this means there is less credibility. Their weekend news is a joke and hence why it rates so poorly. Clearly they are not like CBS US and take their news seriously. Natasha and bailey are exactly what the today show needs and should be snapped up fast!
yes i’ve wondered for a long time why Ten bother wasting money & resources on their weekend news. They’re up against 9 News at 5, and many people preferring to watch the 7 or 9 news at 6pm, or ABC/SBS later, so unless they’re going to do something different to draw audiences in then they’re fighting a losing battle…& even then the viewers are spread thin across so many news services…
So the Project escapes without any cuts?
The Project will retain its 6:30pm timeslot.
Maybe some of highly-paid, chardonnay-socialist presenters on The Project could take a 50% reduction in pay and save some of their colleagues.
maybe, but how well does the Project rate compared to Studio 10 in their timeslots though? No use making cuts to the show that is the better earner is there?
I am surprised that studio has not been axed .Does not get great numbers with such a big cast. Guess you would have to talk to Ten accountant about which shows make any money. May be it does not always reflect the show that rates makes more money then a show with less numbers. ??
yes true, ratings wouldn’t always translate to $. Thinking about it, Studio 10 could still earn more than the news (irrespective of their expenses like paying hosts) because they feature those ‘infomercial’ type advertising spots throughout. I usually try & switch to mute or channel surf when they come on but tis easy to just leave them running & i did even ring & enquire about one of the items, realized i could get it & similar items wayyyy cheaper elsewhere though.
You know Chardonnay has been considered low-rent for 20 years, right?
Maybe they should’ve went with Rupert Murdoch and not CBS
So Alan Jones can join the couch on Studio 10?
oh god no please! lol
If they went with Murdoch, there wouldn’t be any 10 News department. Rumour was that 10 News was going to be outsourced/rebadged Sky News
Joe hilderbrand and KAK were the entertaining ones on the show. So if Joe goes part time we will be stuck with too many women.
Joe talks over people alot & wastes too much time telling stupid, unfunny & sometimes insensitive jokes. When he talks about things he actually knows about, like politics, he is informative & he clearly has talent in that field, it is wasted on a chat/magazine style show like Studio 10.
I can’t help but thinking KAK going might be partly because she has been involved in quite a few controversies on the show over the years, not all of which lead to better ratings.
Id love to know how much money is wasted on the judges of masked singer for example but hard working staff who work all year are fired… cut the rubbish pay ten!!
How dare they let go Natarsha belling!!!
Studio 10 has had too many cooks for sometime and can get very noisy with everyone talking over everyone else, especially KAK and Hilderbrand. I wonder if Natarsha and Kerrie-Anne had the bigger pay packets so get the chop. Or did they jump?
Can’t fathom why they would keep Narelda over Natarsha but then I don’t know how the show has lasted without Ita.
I wonder if it’ll last another year.
I can’t imagine KAK would want or need to get out of bed for less than a fairly hefty amount, she has many years of TV experience so fair enough.
I think Natarsha would be a great fit on Today where the need a newsreader. She could also fill in for Alison when needed.
Was about to write exactly the same thing.
I wonder how many jobs they could’ve saved if The Project hosts worked more than 2-4 days a week 🙄
Or they just pulled the plug on Studio 10 altogether?? It would rate less than the local news bulletins. I like the show but it’s been given lots of chances.
Morning shows like Studio 10/the morning show etc work on a different business model, a large chunk of their production costs come from the ‘advertorials’ in the actual shows themselves, not just from ad revenue in the breaks, so although they dont rate too well, the shows are pretty much ‘pre paid’. I would assume ( just guessing) that more than a few of those advertises wouldnt be overly happy with KAKs outbursts – and because they pay for the lights to stay on ,the network has to take note of them ( No shade on KAK)
How dare they cut Tim Bailey and Natarsha Belling? They’re insane to do this.
I agree! Shocking! What a class act she is i hope 7 or 9 snap her up. Shocking decision.
Such an outpouring of grief! Reinforces that US owners don’t care about local stories or our local industry. The Australian identity is further threatened by these losses!
Its sad but not suprising. Feel for all of those who have lost their jobs today. Free to air TV will continue to die a slow death as the years go by I think… 2020 is not a great year as it is!
I have to say cant believe they would keep narelda over natarsha. Tarah would great as a newsreader on today or 9 morning news ect. Hope she gets snapped up quickly!!! A huge loss for 10.
Whilst it’s terribly sad for those who lost their jobs today the saturation of news shows across the networks has reached a saturation point and it was only a matter of time before the axe-man turned up and the era of shows full of people talking about news also seems to be finally reaching an end, too many talking heads sprouting opinions, real and unreal, at a time when more than ever we just need the facts. I do hope all (most) find new jobs somewhere soon. And whilst I’m at it Sunrise i’ve stopped watchin because of your god awful Covid red wall of doom, sheesh…..
I really hope another network swoops up Natarsha Belling. She’s a class act and channel 10 are fools for letting her go.
She’s always stepped up whenever 10 has needed her to. A massive loss to the network.
Ten News won’t be the same. 😥 Will Bec Morse still be on SAFM’s breakfast program?
Why wouldn’t Bec Morse not be presenting on SAFM?
Tim Bailey is a huge loss.
Agreed. This is such a bad set of news. Tim has been with Ten for decades and is still a vibrant presence and welcome guest into loungerooms. And Natarsha is a valuable player – a reader, a panelist, a host. This doesn’t make sense. Unless they are all too expensive and considered dispensable.
Tim celebrated 25 years with 10 just 3 years ago 2017 😞
I agree also …Tarsh is so versatile… I cannot deal with all this on top of Covid.