How Peter Meakin got Lisa Wilkinson to The Project
Rebel Wilson's court battle and an experienced newsman were behind The Project luring Lisa Wilkinson from Nine.
- Published by David Knox
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Much has been written around Lisa Wilkinson’s newly-published book It Wasn’t Meant to Be Like This regarding salary negotiations at Nine.
But Wilkinson also details in the book how Rebel Wilson’s court battle with Woman’s Day indirectly led to her move to The Project.
After Rebel Wilson won her defamation case, veteran news boss Peter Meakin, who had long been consulting for 10, invited her to speak on The Project around paparazzi and the tabloids.
“With your background in magazines, and the fact that you’ve seen Mr Stefanovic’s life at close range over the last year,” he said, “you’re uniquely placed to bring something interesting to that conversation.”
Wilkinson told him he would need approval from Nine News boss Darren Wick, which ultimately was granted.
On The Project that night Waleed Aly, Natarsha Belling and Pete Helliar asked if Rebel Wilson’s win would lead to more cases?
“Like Karl! Is Karl going to take a stand?” Helliar asked.
“I couldn’t tell you because I haven’t spoken to Karl since the judgment, but he may have a wry smile on his face. And look, having watched all of that closely, I have to tell you it was ridiculous some of the stories that were written about Karl. It was almost comical, but I wasn’t personally involved, and when you are involved, it’s no laughing matter at all,” Wilkinson replied.
“Hmmm, tension on the Today show set …” Aly joked.
“No, no, no … that’s only because he’s hosting A Current Affair tonight, so we’re having network wars right now!” she laughed.
“And we know which side you chose, Lisa! Well chosen!” Helliar replied.
“I’ve gone for Channel 10!” joked Wilkinson.
The next morning Peter Meakin rang to thank her but also queried when her contract was up at Nine?
As fate would have it, an offer from 10 to manager Nick Fordham was then put forward before her negotiations at Nine began to disintegrate.
Wilkinson was able to announce her new home the same day Nine confirmed her departure.
It Wasn’t Meant to Be Like This is published by HarperCollins.
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- Tagged with A Current Affair, The Project, Today
12 Responses
She took a stand and wanted equal pay. Equal pay for equal work. Why is that so hard to comprehend? Women still don’t get paid the same wage as most men. That needs to be called out. Also, it must have been exhausting having to be the adult in the room for 10 years on the Today show. The show suffered when she left because she added a great deal of credibility to it. If a guy left a show because he felt he wasn’t being paid his “value” people would have moved on, but the misogyny continues to swirl around Lisa. Unfortunately, women still need to stand up for themselves and demand their fair share. Those of you who choose to personalize this because you “don’t like her” or she “annoys” you, need to take a hard look at what’s really going on in your heads.
Actually at that level talent are on network deals. Nine maintains Karl was working across three shows, Today, 60 Mins and This Time Next Year.
There’s always two sides to a story and Lisa probably didn’t realise that people in the know at Nine have a different take on what happened.
Let’s face it. Lisa has bought her Salary discussion to the table to increase sales of her book. But her various comments towards nine been shot down quite quickly not giving her much credibility. She pushes her opinions like nobody else on the project. No wonder nine did not wanted anymore and the projects ratings on her nights are so poor. She has become unwatchable unfortunately
She made her wage our “business “ when she used her perceived lack of wage her reason for leaving.
Agreed. The book put it on the table for discussion.
Has Nine Lost Anything By Lisa Leaving???
I Dont Think So.Karl & Ally are good together.
If i watch The Project. I Dont watch because of Lisa
It lost over two years of being competitive, so that’s a lot of revenue.
Hasn’t that paid dividends Mr Meakin.
Not like your taxes pay to run Ch10, so I don’t get the hate. Also I don’t get why her salary is anyone else’s business, we don’t actually know what it is and it is no one’s business.
Seems like just wanting to bring down someone for the sake of it, or have a motive…
No hate Leo , just the facts ,it’s all very amateurish to be honest.
Leo, her wage is everybodys business. Why? Because she made it so. What is worse is that she brought Karl into it and it gave him a bad look until Nine counter reacted. I now switch her off.