Channel Nine denies claims 60 Minutes is on the chopping block due to ‘enormous budget cuts’ and too many ‘tabloid-style stories’
Channel Nine has categorically denied reports that 60 Minutes is on the chopping block amid ‘enormous budget cuts’.
This weekend, The Sunday Telegraph reported that network executives are questioning whether there is still a place for the current affairs program, following it’s recent decision to air more ‘tabloid-style’ stories.
Nine’s Director of News and Current Affairs Darren Wick denied these claims in a press release on Sunday, stating: ‘The story in today’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper and online sites suggesting the future of 60 Minutes is in doubt is just that. A story.’
Fake news! Channel Nine has categorically denied reports that 60 Minutes is on the chopping block amid ‘enormous budget cuts’
Darren continued: ‘A fairy-tale. It’s not a report. Reports are meant to be accurate. This is total fantasy. The story is wrong. It’s not merely a beat-up. It’s factually wrong. The reporter was told this by Nine yesterday but chose to write a piece they can never back up.’
‘There has never been a discussion between executives at Nine about axing 60 Minutes. That position has never been considered by myself, the CEO nor anyone else who matters. NEVER. EVER,’ he continued.
He went on to say that 60 Minutes has been vital part of Nine’s lineup for decades and will remain on the network a further four decades to come.
Pictured: This weekend, The Sunday Telegraph reported that network executives are questioning whether there is still a place for the current affairs program, following it’s recent decision to air more ‘tabloid-style’ stories. 60 Minutes reporter Tara Brown
In The Sunday Telegraph’s article, a ‘source’ was quoted as saying 60 Minutes’ travel budget had been slashed, forcing producers to do more local stories.
The insider alleged that, thanks to the recent axing of Sunday Night on Channel Seven, Nine now has ‘no competition, so can dish up whatever they want to their viewers’.
‘There’s been cost cutting in the millions and it is really expensive to do that sort of quality program well,’ the ‘insider’ alleged to the publication.
Denial: Nine’s Director of News and Current Affairs Darren Wick said: ‘The story in today’s Sunday Telegraph newspaper and online sites suggesting the future of 60 Minutes is in doubt is just that. A story’. Pictured: 60 Minutes reporter Karl Stefanovic
60 Minutes recently featured interviews with Josh Reynolds’ ex-girlfriend Arabella Del Busso, radio stars Kyle and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson.
The program also received backlash after airing an interview with anti-vaxxer Pete Evans, who believes there is a global conspiracy surrounding COVID-19 and 5G network.
In spite of the potentially dangerous ramifications of giving Pete a platform, 60 Minutes aired the interview.
Controversy: 60 Minutes recently featured interviews with Josh Reynolds’ ex-wife Arabella Del Busso (pictured)
Potentially dangerous views: The program also received backlash after airing an interview with anti-vaxxer Pete Evans (pictured) who believes there is a global conspiracy surrounding COVID-19 and 5G network