Victorian State Liberals claims both organisations are struggling to comply with their charters and that privatising them would raise funds to pay off government debt.

This is a change from the usual catch-cries to merge both (a concept that TV Tonight readers have continually played down as an industry priority in annual surveys).

This weekend the Victorian Liberal Party’s state conference will vote on a motion urging the federal Coalition to make a full-scale ”operational review” of both broadcasters.

Fairfax reports the motion says the original arguments for public ownership and operation of the ABC and SBS are ”no longer valid in 2013”, arguing both ”aggressively compete” with private media outlets in a ”high-velocity public information environment”.

”Public ownership of like corporations is not compatible with Coalition policies,” the motion says. ”In a complex communication market where media outlets are required to set the agenda, ABC/SBS are finding it increasingly difficult to comply with their respective charters, thereby alienating constituents.”

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy said the motion was a ”clear warning” of the policies to expect if the Coalition wins the next election.

KKR will sell its remaining $260 million stake, representing 12% of the company.

Chairman of Seven West Media, Kerry Stokes, said: “KKR has been a great partner of Seven for nearly seven years. We understand their decision to sell their shareholding in the company. We have worked closely together over the years in building Seven Media Group and then working together with West Australian Newspapers to create Australia’s largest and best-performing media company, Seven West Media.

“We will welcome our new shareholders following completion of KKR’s sale of its shares. George Roberts, Justin Reizes and the team at KKR have been excellent business partners and we/regret that they have come to the conclusion of their investment.”

The move comes on the back of Seven appointing Tim Worner being appointed CEO yesterday.

Justin Reizes from Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co said: “This decision was a tough one. KKR has been a shareholder in and partner with Seven for seven years. Seven West Media is a great company with a terrific management team and a strong future. Our decision to sell our shareholding is based on a broad range of parameters on which we based our initial investment and how we sought returns for our investors.

“KKR has immense respect for the Stokes family and the Seven West Media management team and believes that with Tim Worner as the newly-appointed CEO, it will remain the powerhouse in Australian media.”

Communications minister Stephen Conroy brokered the deal for Free TV Australia, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, despite on-going criticism to eradicate promotion of odds during Live sports broadcasts.

The changes would ban promotion of live odds during play, including by commentators, and rule out commercials that update live odds during play.

But Labor MP Stephen Jones will address caucus next Tuesday to rally support for a ban on live odds and all gambling advertising in the PG classification time to 8.30pm.

Yesterday Conroy also told media South Australia had no power to ban gambling odds during sports broadcasts.

“They do have certain other powers, but they reached an agreement at COAG (Council of Australian Governments) to go through a consultation phase,” he said.

Free TV Australia’s changes are being considered by the Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Additional source: News Limited

On Tuesday, Carlton tweeted: “Bizarre that last night’s Australian Story on Ray Hadley should be a 30 minute commercial for a rival broadcaster. The show was a disgrace.

“I was selectively edited to make it look just that. I’m angry at this travesty, lodging a formal protest with the ABC … It was unethical and irresponsible. A disgraceful pierce (sic) of television.”

Carlton told the Sydney Morning Herald‘s Andrew Hornery he had already informed Australian Story’s executive producers he would lodge an official complaint and had requested his original, uncut interview be maintained.

An Australian Story spokeswoman said Carlton’s comments, were weighed up very carefully but referred to the ABC’s editorial policies.

“We evaluate accuracy, fairness, balance and right of reply issues in deciding what to include and what to exclude. As well as editorial issues, there may be legal issues such as defamation risk,” she said.

Excuses and blame are common as various representatives answer questions from the media, usually upon their arrival back home.

This year Germany, which finished 21 of 26 countries with Cascada, is blaming the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is unpopular in some parts of Europe because of her austerity measures in exchange for rescue packages.

“There’s obviously a political situation to keep in mind – I don’t want to say ‘this was 18 points for Angela Merkel’,” said Germany’s ARD TV network coordinator Thomas Schreiber. “But we all have to be aware that it wasn’t just Cascada up there on stage (being judged) but all of Germany.”

Ireland’s Ryan Dolan, who came last, is more optimistic -noting that his song is charting in 17 countries and that the contest gave him a new platform to market his music.

“That’s the thing we can’t figure out because over the past few weeks the song has been getting great praise from all the press over here,” he said.

“They predicted we would be eighth. It has been in the Swedish charts for four weeks. I don’t know if it is because the audiences watching the Eurovision aren’t the ones buying music or what the reason is.

“I really don’t understand it but I am glad the song is doing well.”

Meanwhile Irish broadcaster RTE objected to host Petra Mede’s joke that when Johnny Logan won three times, including as composer of Linda Martin’s 1992 win, it was really Logan in drag. Swedish organisers went ahead with the gag, at Martin’s expense, who was in Malmö Arena at the time.

Elsewhere, members of the Israeli delegation said they were the targets of anti-Semitic threats as they were walking down the street.

But Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev has ordered an inquiry into why his country gave Russia “nul points.”

Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Russia, Polad Bulbuloglu, disclosed that votes were being recounted after a large number of voters in Azerbaijan, submitting votes by text message, had supported the Russian entry.

“According to this data, Russia should have received 10 points from Azerbaijan. An announcement will be made about this tonight on Azeri Public Television.”

Russia, in kind, did award 12 points to Azerbaijan’s Farid Mammadov (pictured), who came second on the night.

Meanwhile Lithuanian media has reported Russian men acting on behalf of Azerbaijan, attempting to buy votes from students given various SIM cards. A video can be seen here.

And they say Eurovision isn’t about politics….!

Source: The Independent, Mirror, BBC, Independent.

“Due to the tragic events this afternoon in Oklahoma, we are pre-empting tonight’s season finale of Mike & Molly, which has a related storyline,” CBS said in a statement.

The description of the third-season finale indicates a tornado hitting Chicago: Mike and Carl get stuck working at the Renaissance Faire after their boss, Patrick, gets dumped by Mike’s mother. Later, as a tornado descends on Chicago, Mike and Molly each confess important news to each other.

CBS will air a Mike & Molly repeat in its place, and air the season finale “at an appropriate date.”

Source: Hollywood Reporter

SPAA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CMPA, which will facilitate co-operation between producers in both countries.

“Excellent content knows no borders, especially in the digital economy. It just has to resonate with consumers,” said Michael Hennessy, President and CEO, CMPA. “The co-production model is the path to supporting quality productions as the industry at large focuses on audiences around the globe.”

Both Association Presidents complimented their respective governments for encouraging economic and cultural exchanges.

“There is a natural linguistic, cultural, production and regulatory affinity between our two countries,” said Matthew Deaner, Executive Director of SPAA. “Combine that with two strong storytelling traditions, and you have a winning formula for on-screen content that will engage internationally.”

House Rules was 1.04m while The Voice, which dragged on for nearly 2.5hrs, averaged 1.58m in overnight numbers (those figures will be adjusted).

Monday belonged to Nine with a network share was 34.2% then Seven 28.3%, ABC 18.1%, TEN 15.3% and SBS 3.8%.

The Voice was 1.58m for Nine then Nine News (1.38m), The Block (1.24m), A Current Affair (1.07m), Major Crimes (838,000 to be adjusted), Hot Seat (749,000). Footy Classified was 252,000 in 3 cities.

Seven News (1.35m) led for Seven then Today Tonight (1.18m), House Rules (1.04m), Home and Away (1.00m), Revenge (946,000), Deal or No Deal (605,000) and Grey’s Anatomy (432,000 / 286,000).  Private Practice was 131,000.

ABC News (985,000) was best on ABC1 then Australian Story (843,000), 7:30 (797,000), Four Corners (723,000), Media Watch (663,000), Q&A (570,000). Time Team was 344,000.

TEN News was 689,000 for TEN followed by The Project (565,000), The Biggest Loser (563,000). All other shows trailed Bold & the Beautiful (427,000) being David Attenborough: 6o Years in the Wild (397,000), The Simpsons (372,000) and the final for Can of Worms (246,000), which will struggle to be renewed on those numbers despite the competition.

Mythbusters was 276,000 for SBS ONE then World News Australia (170,000), Into the Mind (162,000) and Mad Men (69,000).

Neighbours led multichannels with 353,000. First episode of The Feed on SBS 2 was 25,000.

Sunrise: 342,000
Today: 333,000
ABC News Breakfast: 44,000 / 28,000

OzTAM Overnights: Monday 20 May 2013

Voelte was appointed nearly twelve months ago following the resignation of David Leckie and remains as a Board Director and Non-Executive Deputy Chairman.

Seven West Media includes Seven Network, The West Australian, Pacific Magazines and a joint venture with Yahoo, Inc.

Chairman Kerry Stokes said: “We are delighted that Tim has accepted this role as Chief Executive Officer of Seven West Media. He deserves it. He’s the right man for the job. He is an outstanding executive and has played a key role in Seven’s success.

“Tim’s intimate knowledge of the creation of content provides him with the experience to ensure Seven West Media’s continuing success as the company evolves, grows and meets the challenges of a changing consumer market. On a personal note, I have known Tim from my first days as a shareholder in Seven.

“He has accepted and met every challenge put to him over the past eighteen years.

“At Seven West Media’s recent investor day, the company’s management team presented its strategies and approach to building our media and content businesses over the coming years. We are well-placed.

“Tim will be leading a great management team and guiding our strategy, our people and our products as we further build Seven West Media.”

Formerly the head of Programming at Seven, Tim Worner said: “This is an exciting time for these businesses. There is no question we are undergoing rapid change in our marketplace and it is clear we must respond to the change. But we will do it knowing that these businesses are driven by passion and by people who really care about what they create each day. To be able to work even more closely with the best brands and the best people in their respective fields is a privilege. It’s a role I am both humbled and thrilled to take on.”

Mr Worner began his career at Seven as a journalist with Seven News in Perth. Following a career in television production including his role as Head of Sport for Seven in Melbourne and Head of Production for the Seven Network, he was appointed Director of Programming and Production in late 2002. Mr Worner and his team in programming and production have completed a clean sweep of television ratings in primetime over the past seven years and the successful introduction of new digital channels on Seven’s broadcast television platform. Mr Worner was appointed Chief Executive Officer, Broadcast Television, for Seven West Media in 2011.

In his new role as Chief Executive Officer of Seven West Media, Mr Worner will guide the development of Australia’s biggest and best-performing multiple platform media and audience company across the Seven Network, The West Australian, Pacific Magazines and the company’s Yahoo!7 joint venture with Yahoo, Inc.

The company’s media presence stretches across three television channels on its broadcast television digital platform, one of Australia’s two biggest magazine publishing companies, Australia’s best-performing newspaper and new developments driving Seven West Media’s presence in online and new media technologies.

Mr Stokes added: “Twelve months ago, on behalf of our board, I asked Don Voelte, as one of our non-executive directors, to take on a most challenging role for our business. As Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Seven West Media, he has made an outstanding contribution implementing some fundamental changes to ensure our company meets the demands of a rapidly changing media landscape.

“Don has always been quite clear that his management role at Seven West Media was only for the short-term and that his job was to put in place the structures and people that allowed the company to meet the challenges of the future. He was honest. He was right on his timings. He has delivered. Don is an outstanding business executive and on behalf of the board, our people, and our shareholders, I thank him. Don will remain closely involved with Seven West Media and I look forward to his continuing role with the company.”

Don Voelte AO will have a continuing involvement with Seven West Media as a Director on the Board of the company and has accepted the role of Non-Executive Deputy Chairman, to which he has been appointed by the board effective 1 July 2013.

Mr Voelte said: “Over the past twelve months, our management and all of our people have stepped up to the plate in a difficult market. We have made tremendous progress. We have the best brands and people in the media. And I know in Tim, we have the right man to lead Seven West Media.”

Tim Worner will take on his new role from 1 July 2013.

The drama about Nina Proudman and her ‘messy’ family have been taken to the hearts of Australian audiences, along with its star Asher Keddie.

Viewers have become invested in its flawed characters, and taken to social media to root for the hapless romance between Nina and Patrick (Matthew LeNevez). In its fourth season, Keddie wants them to be rewarded for their loyalty.

“I wanted Nina to stop fixing everything for everybody else, as we’ve seen her do for 3 series. I wanted her to stop looking after everybody else all of the time and, however self-indulgent she may be, I do think as a personality she puts everybody else first. I wanted her to look after herself and see how confronting that was for her,” she explains.

“I liked that she was getting pregnant so that she would have to allow people to take care of her. She’s never really done that, I don’t think.

“The difference this series is that she and Patrick are very much committed to having a mature relationship, with more equilibrium between them because they are going to be parents.

“One might assume it might not be as full as much chaos as previous seasons. Not true. I think a lot of comedy and conflict have been raised in this series because of the pregnancy.”

In a show of support, last month Keddie even won the Gold Logie ahead of serious competition, without the show having aired directly before the voting period.

“It was incredible. I really got such a shock when they read my called out my name,” she recalls.

“I didn’t expect anything…. I watched my speech back and realised how overwhelmed I actually was. That’s a tricky thing, making a speech for a big award like that.”

Surely she had something prepared just in case?

“I will be honest and say because I was working so hard I literally didn’t have time to think about it. My head was so full, I was working such long days. I didn’t even have a dress organised until the weekend. That’s how invested in the shoot I was.

“Some of the characters I’ve played have not always been likeable. Or (are) difficult. Like Julia, for instance, in Love My Way.

“I think it’s a very cool commitment from the audience to have supported me for so long and to give me this kind of reward. Absolutely beautiful.”

All of the Offspring cast is returning this season, including Garry McDonald as Nina’s birth father, Phillip Noonan.

“He’s incredible. I get very excited when I get to do a scene with Garry. I skip to it because I just think he’s unreal!” she smiles.

“It was nice working with Garry this year because as a character Phillip becomes quite protective of Nina. The family rip her to shreds really, she’s pretty judged. Or she’s put on a pedestal as the centre of attention whether she likes it or not.

“Phillip becomes quite protective of her choices and very supportive, so it was really nice working with him.”

This year Offspring also adds two new characters, counsellor Lawrence (Ido Drent) and registrar Eloise Ward (Caren Pistorius). In a show of strength that is rare in Australian television, last year TEN boldly gave the greenlight to two more seasons -a move that has allowed writers to chart a season in the confidence of a 2014 resolution.

“I think creative team this whole show has always felt at liberty to create what we want, and supported by this network,” says Keddie.

“So it’s always had a sense of freedom about it and always developed organically because of it. But because we knew the 5^th season was there, I think the writers had an even more sense of freedom.”

Keddie even concedes a certain April Fool’s gag about fake changes to TEN management and Offspring being “axed” alarmed her family into thinking the show was over.

“Oh my God. Your April Fool’s thing. It was so good. I was in hysterics reading that!” she laughs.

“My father heard it (on ABC) and called me and said, ‘Oh darling. Have you spoken with your producers in the last couple of days? It’s all over the radio!’”

Apologies Mr. Keddie….

During her break between seasons, Asher Keddie is hoping to spend some time developing new projects as part of her ambition to expand in producing. While she won’t yet reveal those new projects, she’s content to remain as actor with the demanding Offspring.

“I have a very collaborative position within the creative team and they very generously allow me to be involved in the scripts before we shoot them. I work so many hours playing this role, I couldn’t possibly take on anything else in this show,” she says.

“But I feel ready to take the next leap and the only way I can do that is for the creative development to become even more challenging for me.

“I want to challenge myself further and stretch myself further. I’m craving a new learning curve.

“I’m very excited about the possibility of playing new and diverse roles as an actor, in personalities or genres I haven’t explored before.

“There are a couple of projects I’m looking at at the moment. I guess I will use a little bit of the break between Series 4 and 5 to commit a little bit more to looking at those projects and seeing whether I can bring them to fruition.”

So what kind of television does she see herself making should she wear a Producer hat?

“What I feel really happy about, in terms of Australian drama, is that we’ve moved away from the more-formulaic show to something a little more free-form, which is the kind of thing that I like to watch. Because it’s not formulaic it’s more ‘surprising’ to me, the drama that we’re making now. I’m really happy that we’re moving towards a more courageous style of writing in this country.

“They’re the kind of shows I want to watch, where I’m surprised, I go on a rollercoaster every episode and I don’t need a cliffhanger. I just want to watch really great drama in the lives of characters that I think are really interesting and compelling.

“And I feel like I’m working on a drama like that in this country and I feel like more are being produced,” she says.

“So that excites me.”

Offspring airs 8:30 Wednesdays on TEN.

A number of readers told TV Tonight this was the first time they had received spam plugging Seven shows.

“As I’ve been using Yahoo email for years I have never received any notices from them advertising Channel 7 shows. I wonder if they are getting a little desperate for ratings perhaps?” said one reader.

The email (pictured) included a link to a clip of the house reveal episode which aired last night. Seven’s renovation show has under-performed, with a lot hinging on an a possible upswing from Monday’s reveal episode.

The emails were sent to users who had opted into ”Special offers, promotions and Yahoo features.”

“I didn’t think a Channel Seven program should be included in that category,” said the reader.

Premier Jay Weatherill has asked the SA Independent Gambling Authority to change gambling codes of practice.

“It has become a pervasive part of the coverage,” he said.

“It is of great concern to me that we will end up with a generation of children who believe gambling is a normal part of watching or even playing sport.”

South Australia would be the first state to implement the change. The ban would not apply to online betting.

Free to Air and Pay TV networks have touted a ban on live odds being spruiked during sporting events, but does not restrict promotion of live odds for other sports events that occur at the same time, such as interstate matches, or during ad breaks.

Premier Weatherill said he wanted the ban in place before the end of the year.

Source: News Limited

Roberts had joked that cricketers in India were “all going home for a very good curry!”

Federation of Indian Associations of Victoria president Vasan Srinivasan said the remarks were in a “light-hearted” context.

“I don’t take it personally as a racist remark,” he told News Limited.

“I have spoken to my committee and we all laughed about it.

“I’ve seen Sandy Roberts on TV for a long time. He’s very experienced and a great sports commentator. I really don’t believe there was any malice in his comments.”

Last night host Peter Mitchell told Roberts, “No accents tonight.”

Seven News

In his piece, Barker criticised the hiring of ‘pert’ female reporters over more credentialled journos.

Osborn wrote a lengthy response on the Melbourne Press Club website, some of which is noted here:

It’s fair to say that article had my knickers in a twist. Of course, I was disgusted by the misogynistic tone and sexist generalisations. But it made me wonder further: was there so little understanding of what we do as television reporters – and as female television reporters, more specifically – that a person employed in the same industry could have no idea about what our job actually entails?

Yes, there’s make-up. We do colour our hair. And, it’s true, we have breasts. But without guts, and smarts, no young woman can survive in this business. Being a television reporter is a tough gig for anyone, man or woman. Being female just adds another degree of difficulty. When I asked colleagues to come up with examples of ‘non-glamorous’ events in their careers, they came up with a laundry list. Sexism. Sexual assaults. Physical assaults. Death threats. Twitter abuse. Raw emotions. Grief. What would be considered crimes or bullying in any other workplace, we’ve come to accept as part of the job.

You can read the rest here.

Seven’s Melissa Wildy won the newly named Max Fatchen Award for Best Young Journalist while her colleague Mark Mooney (pictured) took out the silver award for Best TV Broadcaster.

Mooney’s work was judged as being outstanding both behind and in front of the camera.

TV winners:

• Best TV News Report, Mike Smithson (Channel 7)
• Best TV Current Affairs or Feature, Michael Sexton (ABC TV 7:30)
• Best TV News or Current Affairs Camera, Steve Wright (Channel 9)
• Best TV Broadcaster, Mark Mooney (Channel 7)
• Best Coverage of Social Equity Affairs, Karen Ashford (SBS)
• Best Coverage of Sport, Ian Shuttleworth (Network Ten)
• Best Young Journalist, Melissa Wildy (Channel 7)

Following the season finale of Doctor Who in the UK, the BBC has confirmed a new series has been commissioned with Steven Moffat as the show’s lead writer and executive producer. Brian Minchin will join Moffat as executive producer.

In late November a 3D telemovie will air in the UK to celebrate the 50th anniversary with Matt Smith, Jenna Coleman, David Tennant and John Hurt, plus Billie Piper, Jemma Redgrave, Joanna Page… and the Zygons.

Later this year the BBC also premieres An Adventure in Space and Time, written by Mark Gatiss, that looks at the genesis of Doctor Who.

Matt Smith, who has played the Doctor since 2010, said in a recent interview that he will return for season eight.