A source at Foxtel tells The Spy Report that A-SPAN, which will launch on Austar and Foxtel on January 20, will be renamed to A-PAC – The Australian Public Affairs Channel.
The channel will also brand as “A-PAC featuring C-SPAN“.
Subscription Television December 29th 2008 — 4:58 pm
A modern tradition of Christmas in the UK, the alternative Christmas message broadcast by Channel 4 has this year caused offence again by featuring Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said that in giving Ahmadinejad a platform, it is an invitation for offence and bemusement.
News of… Continue Reading >>
International Media December 26th 2008 — 7:04 pm
Rove McManus‘ US television debut, The List, has flopped. The local talk show host has worked hard to break into the US television industry, however ratings released today for the hour-long retrospective of 2008 placed its network ABC in third place for the evening.
The hour-long program shot above Times… Continue Reading >>
Celebrities / Personalities, Industry, International Media, Ratings, Talking Points, Television Programmes December 25th 2008 — 8:05 pm
The Queensland Government has launched an audacious bid to steal the hosting position from Melbourne, where it has been for the best part of its 50 year history.
The pitch was made during an informal meeting between the Nine Network and its owners and the government – who offered to… Continue Reading >>
Peter Fray, editor of Fairfax paper The Canberra Times has been announced as the new editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, replacing Alan Oakley who stood down from the position earlier this month.
Fray, who has also been the editor of the Sunday Age in Melbourne will start in the… Continue Reading >>
Appointments, Print December 22nd 2008 — 5:19 pm
A copy of a video showing Seven stalwart Andrew O’Keefe in a drunken state on a night out on Melbourne’s Chapel St has been obtained by the Sunday Herald Sun newspaper.
The four minute video, which can be viewed on the newspaper’s website, features an inebriated O’Keefe stumbling down the… Continue Reading >>
Celebrities / Personalities December 20th 2008 — 11:00 pm
Australia’s most successful radio personality Alan Jones is recovering in hospital after a secret three-hour operation to remove a brain tumour.
It is Jones’ second major surgery this year. In July he had a cancerous prostate removed.
Jones, bearing a sizeable scar on his head, says he has been medically… Continue Reading >>
Radio December 20th 2008 — 6:05 am
Charlie Cox, one of the co-hosts of SBS‘ Top Gear Australia, has announced that he will not be returning to the program for its second series in 2009.
Business commitments in both Australia and the United Kingdom meant that he could not devote the time required for the show.
Celebrities / Personalities, Television, Television Programmes December 19th 2008 — 9:26 pm
The radio airwaves around New Zealand will sound very different in 2009, with changes to breakfast slots in the main centres.
Paul Holmes, nationwide Newstalk ZB breakfast host, left his role this morning unbeaten in 43 consecutive surveys as number one in the Auckland breakfast market.
Holmes’ farewell show was… Continue Reading >>
International Media, Radio December 19th 2008 — 3:16 pm
Ten Network chairman Nick Falloon said the broadcaster has cut back staff across the company as it feels the impact of the advertising downturn.
Mr Falloon would not say how many jobs had been shed at Ten and its outdoor ad company, Eye, but staff numbers had been reduced on… Continue Reading >>
Television December 18th 2008 — 12:13 pm
Channel 9 has claimed bitter rival Channel 7 forked out a large sum of money to keep secret a video of one of its major stars misbehaving.
Nine spokesman David Hurley claimed Seven allegedly paid $25,000 to a bouncer hawking mobile phone footage of its star Andrew O’Keefe on a… Continue Reading >>
Celebrities / Personalities December 17th 2008 — 8:50 am
Eddie McGuire could make his TV hosting comeback early in 2009.
McGuire, former host of The Footy Show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire and 1 v 100, is being considered for an early-evening news-magazine show at Channel 9.
Nine executives are confident McGuire is the perfect fit for the… Continue Reading >>
Celebrities / Personalities, Television Programmes December 16th 2008 — 8:51 pm
Low-income households and pensioners could be given a free set-top box to convert analog TVs to receive a digital signal as the Federal Government gears up for the biggest changeover since the introduction of decimal currency.
The Government may also consider allowing free-to-air TV networks to show protected sporting events… Continue Reading >>
Digital Television December 15th 2008 — 4:29 am
Jessica Rowe – humiliated in 2006 when her then Channel 9 boss Eddie McGuire was indiscreet about plans to “bone” her – has been sacked again.
Rowe hasn’t had her contract renewed by Channel 7 and sources close to the newsreader say she is upset at the snub.
Rowe, a… Continue Reading >>
Celebrities / Personalities December 15th 2008 — 4:21 am
Former All Blacks forward John Drake, a member of the New Zealand team that won the 1987 World Cup, died today in Mt Maunganui at the age of 49.
Drake, a tight-head prop represented New Zealand between 1985 and 1987 and played eight tests.He was a key member of the… Continue Reading >>
Uncategorised December 13th 2008 — 5:08 pm