Nine is leaking, but is it sinking?
Both 4BC and the TV newsroom have problems that need sorting out
4BC Breakfast host Peter Fegan did not look happy after stumbling to read a commercial on air on Monday morning.
Perhaps it was because he’d previously read that morning’s edition of The Australian, where the Media column claimed he’d been telling porkies while “renting himself as a master of ceremonies for events around town”.
It comes down to Fegan — or whoever wrote his online profile for Nine Entertainment, which owns 4BC — stating in an online profile that he had won several media awards. The Australian pointed out that the awards were withdrawn. (You can read about the circumstances here.)
A few days ago, the home page for Breakfast with Peter Fegan noted that “Peter is an award-winning journalist with over 10 years of experience in broadcast”.
By Tuesday afternoon, the “award-winning” reference was no longer there. Instead, it said: “As a renowned journalist with over 10 years of experience in broadcast, Peter has his finger on the pulse and will bring you everything you need to know to start your day.”
Mister Brisbane is free to read, but if you appreciate what I’m doing here, and/or
at The Wrinkle and Radio Bert, you can buy me a coffee.
The same edition of The Australian noted the ongoing unhappy mood in the Nine television newsroom as a result of former Seven reporter Joel Dry being appointed co-anchor of the flagship 6pm Brisbane bulletin.
It claimed that free drinks put on by new boss Brendan Hockings were a “fizzer”.
The Oz is not the only rival media organisation reporting unrest in the 9News HQ on Mt Coot-tha. The Courier-Mail has hinted that political reporter Tim Arvier, the source of many Nine scoops, may be lured over to Seven.
However, earlier reports that Jessica Milward, who is married to Dry, might be 4BC-bound have been shot down by Milward herself.
What is clear is that Nine staff are leaking to the media, and that should be a concern for management at both the TV station and 4BC.
Not that they would ever ask for it, but my advice is: don’t shoot the messenger(s); sort out the small problems before they become big ones.
Disclosure: Brett Debritz used to work as a producer for 4BC. He has never won an award for journalism but does hold a participation trophy for playing Aussie Rules with the Golden Valley Football Club as a child.
Having been a 4BC listener for over 30 years, I felt the rot set in when nine took over. Nine is like a loud, arrogant, clueless uncle that turns up to the family party, talking over everyone, with no idea that no one wants them there.
“Breeny” was awful and almost finished me off… and Fegan is the last straw…. I am now a “former listener”
Nine loves “Blokey” personalities with overblown egos, and have done since the 1980’s, hence, I think, the low number of female personalities.