Sam Newman dragged off air by Nine / back on air tomorrow night

[one-eyed]

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.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/newman-dragged-off-air-by-nine/2008/05/29/1211654133227.html

[Moi]

Ridiculous!
It was a bad taste stunt, but move on ladies!
If the woman in question, Caro, has moved on, why can't everyone?

[1965]

Ridiculous!
It was a bad taste stunt, but move on ladies!
If the woman in question, Caro, has moved on, why can't everyone?

No, Sam had to go.

Falling ratings, and advertisers pulling the plug.

Nine had no choice.

I hope it is a permanent arrangement.

'65

[Francois Jackson]

this is bull poo. channel 9 used and abused him.

they were happy with his stunts last year and every other year.
The ratings are still beating any other program on at the same time just down on last year.

pathetic

[Moi]

Where are Channel Nine and their advertisers' scruples when it comes to Gordon Ramsay?
Hypocrites!

[Francois Jackson]

Where are Channel Nine and their advertisers' scruples when it comes to Gordon Ramsay?
Hypocrites!

exactly moi.
i have no doubt he was pushed out

losers. i hope channel 7 comes out with their own now

[richmondrules]

Alberti stands firm on Newman lawsuit

http://www.theage.com.au/national/alberti-stands-firm-on-newman-lawsuit-20080529-2jbn.html

A woman who has taken legal proceedings against controversial television personality Sam Newman says she has no plans to withdraw the action.
The Nine Network last night announced Newman would not appear on the Footy Show in the near future, while he is counselled about his behaviour and recovers from prostate surgery.

Dr Susan Alberti, a prominent Melbourne businesswoman and an AFL Western Bulldogs board member, told AAP this morning there was no chance of her backing down.

Dr Alberti has launched defamatory action against Newman, the Nine Network, and the show's co-host Garry Lyon.

When asked if she planned to withdraw the action, Dr Alberti replied: "Oh no, oh no. I thought long and hard about that''.

"My reputation was very much much tarnished. I had worked hard for the community for a long, long time, you know. That sort of thing did not go down very well with me, I was very upset.

"I gave them an opportunity to apologise, I wrote to them and asked them please to apologise. They didn't do it, they just ignored me and I was put in that position.''

She said, for legal reasons, she could not say much at this time.

"Except to say, time will tell.''

Dr Alberti was one of the signatories to a letter of complaint to Nine boss David Gyngell calling for the cast and crew of the show to receive counselling on their attitude towards women.

Newman responded by saying the signatories to the letter were "liars and hypocrites'' and that women board members in football served ``very little purpose''.

He also said on air Dr Alberti had reserved two tables in the show's studio audience this season.

Dr Alberti said she had bid for the tables at a charity auction and donated them to another charity.

AAP

[mightytiges]

Ridiculous!
It was a bad taste stunt, but move on ladies!
If the woman in question, Caro, has moved on, why can't everyone?

No, Sam had to go.

Falling ratings, and advertisers pulling the plug.

Nine had no choice.

I hope it is a permanent arrangement.

'65

As some caller on SEN said today, if ratings fall away then Sam will be brought back with much fanfare; if they improve on the past 2 weeks then he's gone for good. Nine has a history of axing big names once ratings start to slide.

[Moi]

Director/execs don't seem to have any control over the program - whoever's in so-called control should go.
Can't tell me no-one was aware he was going to pull this stunt!

[mightytiges]

Director/execs don't seem to have any control over the program - whoever's in so-called control should go.
Can't tell me no-one was aware he was going to pull this stunt!

They're probably loving the publicity this is getting.

[Hellenic Tiger]

Although what Sam did has left a bitter taste in peoples mouths rightly or wrongly
the actual content of the show and the constant regurgutation of old jokes we all heard in year 7 anti Collingwood rhetoric and Garry Lyon having his strings pulled by Eddie any which way he wants now that he aint on the show any more has become wearisome and tiresome. Heaven forbid if they actually talk about a game every now and then. It was not until 10:30 last night when they started talking about one of the weekends games with the teams after 1 hour of how popular they all are in Mildura and how they want Sammy to be back in the chair now that he is resting properly blah blah blah blah blah blah blah and don't get me started on the sensationalist journalism segment with Hutchy.
Give me the footy show of 10 years ago and I will reneg on my smear campaign otherwise pull the plug. It is dying painfully and slowly and being run by people behind the scenes who actually have no idea on footy and are starved of ideas and stagnant. I had not missed a show until about 4 or 5 years ago but once the rot set in I could not care less if a Thursday goes by and I have failed to watch it for one reason or another and if I do its out of habit rather than necessity abit like smoking. I'm off for a puff.

[one-eyed]

Women claim victory as Sam's boys told 'it's more than a game'
The Age
Samantha Lane, Matthew Ricketson and Chris Johnston
May 30, 2008
 
SENIOR AFL women campaigning against The Footy Show's portrayal of women have had a key victory, with Nine chief David Gyngell committing the program's staff to anti-discrimination training.

Mr Gyngell's commitment to a group of senior women working in the AFL followed a letter of complaint they sent him last month asking for the cast of the show to be addressed by an expert from the office of the federal Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.

The letter also proposed a code of conduct for the portrayal of women on the program that would be followed by the cast, and would be part of an induction for guests.

Initially, Mr Gyngell disregarded the requests, which prompted the signatories to consider taking their complaint to the Australian Communications and Media Authority. But he has since indicated he intends enforcing several measures to address the concerns, including the development of further training and awareness-raising programs for staff of the show.

Lyon, was dismissive when The Age last month revealed the women's request for cast education. "I don't accept that I've got to go and talk about showing respect for women," he said at the time. "We accept that you have been critical of us … that is it, done and dusted … if you can't get over it, well, that's your problem."

http://www.theage.com.au/national/women-claim-victory-as-sams-boys-told-its-more-than-a-game-20080529-2jjp.html?page=-1

[Tigermonk]

Well l for one didnot watch the channel 9 footy show last night
l wont be watching till Sam Newman is back 
show must have been a boring one Thursday night

[Moi]

Women claim victory as Sam's boys told 'it's more than a game'
The Age
Samantha Lane, Matthew Ricketson and Chris Johnston
May 30, 2008
 
SENIOR AFL women campaigning against The Footy Show's portrayal of women have had a key victory, with Nine chief David Gyngell committing the program's staff to anti-discrimination training.

Mr Gyngell's commitment to a group of senior women working in the AFL followed a letter of complaint they sent him last month asking for the cast of the show to be addressed by an expert from the office of the federal Anti-Discrimination Commissioner.

The letter also proposed a code of conduct for the portrayal of women on the program that would be followed by the cast, and would be part of an induction for guests.

Initially, Mr Gyngell disregarded the requests, which prompted the signatories to consider taking their complaint to the Australian Communications and Media Authority. But he has since indicated he intends enforcing several measures to address the concerns, including the development of further training and awareness-raising programs for staff of the show.

Lyon, was dismissive when The Age last month revealed the women's request for cast education. "I don't accept that I've got to go and talk about showing respect for women," he said at the time. "We accept that you have been critical of us … that is it, done and dusted … if you can't get over it, well, that's your problem."

http://www.theage.com.au/national/women-claim-victory-as-sams-boys-told-its-more-than-a-game-20080529-2jjp.html?page=-1

I'm ashamed of my species.
They weren't having a go at womanhood, they were having a go at an individual.
Why is it okay when 99 out of 100 times they have a go at a bloke - no-one complains.
If it's an Aboriginal or woman, everyone arcs up.
And I'm not racist and I'm not against women's right, but FFS, lighten up girls!

PS:  I don't want to see anyone being made fun of on Sam Lane's show on Ten EVER or I'll be asking how Samantha could continue to work for such individuals.
It's a joke 

[Francois Jackson]

It's a joke 

ur not wrong mate, its a joke!!
in every department woman want to be treated as equal.
but no no no in this case its a different ball game. they need to understabnd a joke is a joke.
if they cant handle get stuffed

even that girl on sen friday's was hating the fact she was involved as being part of this whinging woman's society.