Nine’s secret move on Seven

9Aug07

Source: Amanda Meade, The Australian

THE Nine Network is in turmoil once again after new boss Jeff Browne offered news chief Garry Linnell’s job to a young gun from Seven.

Behind Linnell’s back, Browne has been trying to lure the 31-year-old executive producer of Sunrise, Adam Boland, to join Nine when his contract with Seven runs out in February.

Browne has told Boland he has the mandate of the PBL board to hire him to revolutionise the way Nine does news and to "smash the Nine news culture", which he believes is expensive, outdated and is full of "dead wood".

Sources say Browne’s grand ideas to give Nine a point of difference include shifting the 6pm news bulletin and developing a nightly news and entertainment show starring his best friend Eddie McGuire.

Browne believes McGuire, who stepped down as CEO in May and is now earning $5 million a year, is "the network’s No1 priority".

Sources say Browne, a lawyer who does not have a background in television, told Boland he wanted to "surround himself with people who understand television".

Linnell is a print journalist and former editor-in-chief of The Bulletin who was appointed by McGuire and PBL chief executive John Alexander in June last year.

Alexander’s power over Nine has diminished since private equity group CVC Asia Pacific moved to a 75 per cent stake of PBL Media.

McGuire said at the time of his appointment that Linnell would improve Nine’s news-breaking culture at a time when television was competing with new media.

In a series of secret meetings last month, Browne asked Boland to come over to Nine and help him change the way news was done in this country.

Although Linnell joined Nine the same day the news and current affairs budget was slashed by $15million and 100 jobs were axed, the PBL board is demanding more cuts and more changes, as the network is now running second to Seven.

Boland has built a formidable reputation by turning Sunrise and Weekend Sunrise into a ratings powerhouse on a relatively small budget and more recently creating The Morning Show, which immediately took the lead in morning television from Nine and Ten.

Although Boland is understood to have turned down Browne’s offer, Linnell’s position is now untenable.

Browne may find himself having to pay yet another Nine news director out of his contract to the tune of $1million.

Linnell’s predecessor, Mark Llewellyn, was handsomely paid out after being demoted and is now working at Seven on special projects.

Browne refused to comment yesterday but a source close to senior management said Browne had asked Boland to join Nine in a senior role but denied it was Linnell’s position.

It is believed Linnell’s contract does not expire for at least another year. Linnell has recently fought off another attack from within — this time from 60 Minutes executive producer John Westacott, who was working behind the scenes to steal his job.

Westacott has been lobbying for the directorship on the strength of the consistently high ratings for his Sunday night program.

Westacott is understood to have put himself forward to PBL Media CEO Ian Law as the better candidate for the job.

Boland has told Seven CEO David Leckie he is not joining Nine but he has yet to finalise his new contract with Seven.

Boland is understood to be seeking more control of news and current affairs, and additional programs.

Seven News is averaging 1.47million viewers compared with Nine’s 1.24 million for the 2007 official ratings year to date. Today Tonight is beating A Current Affair nationally with an average of 1.39 million to A Current Affair’s 1.20 million.

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