Martin not happy at Sunday’s earlier slot

24Jan08

Martin said last night he would now "need to talk" to senior management about his role at the program.

Contacted last night by The Australian, Martin said he had not
formally been told of the changes, due when the program returns on
February 10. "It’s news to me, and if it’s true, it’s an interesting
departure from 25 years of tradition. At 7.30, it becomes a very
different program," he said

Martin joined Ellen Fanning as Sunday’s co-host in the lead-up to
last year’s federal election after the unsuccessful pairing of Fanning
with Nine’s finance editor Ross Greenwood.

While Martin was maintaining a relatively diplomatic public line, he
is privately said to be deeply unhappy – and almost certain not to
return to co-host Sunday in its new timeslot.

Other industry observers were equally mystified by Nine’s move. One
said it was "death by a thousand cuts", given the show’s budget had
fallen from an annual $9 million a few years ago to an estimated $4
million now.

Another respected commentator said: "When will someone put the poor
show out of its misery? It’ll end up scoring (ratings) asterisks in
that slot – and then they’ll take it out and shoot it."

The program’s flagship political interview with Laurie Oakes will be
moved to a timeslot before 9am. This timing is aimed at preceding the
start of other Sunday morning political shows, including the ABC’s
Insiders and pay-TV news channel Sky’s new Sunday Agenda.

Immediately after the program at 9.30am, the network is planning to
run a revitalised Sunday version of Wide World of Sports, a weekend
staple in Nine’s golden era of the 1980s.

Note: Sunday runs on NBN in the Hunter

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