Newman dragged off air by Nine
The Age
May 29, 2008
CHANNEL Nine has forced Sam Newman to take a break from television after the furore over his treatment of women on The Footy Show.
Newman has also been told to attend counselling for his recent behaviour, which included manhandling a lingerie-clad mannequin he dressed as The Age's chief football writer, Caroline Wilson.
His behaviour prompted a group of the AFL's most influential women to complain to Nine boss David Gyngell and call for the cast of The Footy Show to receive counselling.
Newman responded by calling the women "liars and hypocrites" and saying that women "served very little purpose" in football.
One of the signatories of the letter to Gyngell, Western Bulldogs board member Susan Alberti, is suing Nine, Newman and the show's co-host Garry Lyon for defamation over the remarks.
The Age last week revealed that ANZ had redirected its advertising on Nine away from the show. It also reported that ratings had plummeted since the mannequin stunt.
Last week's show was watched by 380,000 people, a drop of 15% since March 27, the week before the stunt, when an average of 457,000 people tuned in.
In addition to the ANZ, one of the show's sponsors, Crazy John's mobile phone company, expressed disquiet about the show's treatment of women. "They are under no illusions as to how we feel," said Crazy John's managing director Brendan Fleiter.
Nine executive director Jeff Browne told the Herald Sun that Nine should not have allowed Newman to return to television so soon after prostate surgery. He also broke an ankle while lifting weights earlier this month.
"In order to allow Sam to return to full health without the stress of having to perform on live television each week, I have directed him to take a break from The Footy Show," he said.
"As a component of this rehabilitation, I have arranged for Sam to undergo counselling to address, with professional assistance, the behaviour and issues that have attended what I now believe to be his premature return to the program."
Lyon apologised to Wilson for the stunt, but paid tribute to Newman at the Logies award ceremony for his capacity to create controversy and draw ratings. Lyon hung up when contacted by The Age last night.
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