TV panel shows facing extinction. To comment further on this, media commentator Managing director of Media Stable, Nick Hayes, Morning Neck, thanks for doing this.

TV panel shows facing extinction. To comment further on this, media commentator Managing director of Media Stable, Nick Hayes, Morning Neck, thanks for doing this.

Good morning Mike.

Good morning Mike.

Good to be with you now. Q and A got axed although this is very ABC. It was actually picking up in the numbers, I believe, but got axed anyway, and Ten's decided to end the project and people have been predicting the end of ten for a very long time. The drum was given the chop. So the sports panel shows they're going great, but political discussion panel shows not so much. Why do you think are they too dull?

Good to be with you now. Q and A got axed although this is very ABC. It was actually picking up in the numbers, I believe, but got axed anyway, and Ten's decided to end the project and people have been predicting the end of ten for a very long time. The drum was given the chop. So the sports panel shows they're going great, but political discussion panel shows not so much. Why do you think are they too dull?

What is it? I don't think necessarily it's dull. I think it's mainly come down to cost, cost of putting programs together. Let's have a quick look at the project. There's a lot of paychecks that have to sit on that panel. You know, anything between four and sometimes five panel members on the project, and it's not cheap TV to do. When the project first kicked off, it was almost a spin off off the panel. Do you remember the panel, Mike, yes, I do.

What is it? I don't think necessarily it's dull. I think it's mainly come down to cost, cost of putting programs together. Let's have a quick look at the project. There's a lot of paychecks that have to sit on that panel. You know, anything between four and sometimes five panel members on the project, and it's not cheap TV to do. When the project first kicked off, it was almost a spin off off the panel. Do you remember the panel, Mike, yes, I do.

Yeah, Yeah.

Yeah, Yeah.

That was a ripper of a show that was a once a week show and it was a very sort of comedy, different look at news and a little bit of fun. A lot of show business around it as well. But when the project kicked off it was a Monday to Friday then went on to Sunday. It was originally only used and filmed out of Melbourne now Melbourne and Sydney, and it just became a very costly program to put together. There's up to one hundred staff members that were involved in the project week by week, and fifty of them, as we know now, are going to lose their jobs and fifty of them will be moved around. It is just a costly program to put together.

That was a ripper of a show that was a once a week show and it was a very sort of comedy, different look at news and a little bit of fun. A lot of show business around it as well. But when the project kicked off it was a Monday to Friday then went on to Sunday. It was originally only used and filmed out of Melbourne now Melbourne and Sydney, and it just became a very costly program to put together. There's up to one hundred staff members that were involved in the project week by week, and fifty of them, as we know now, are going to lose their jobs and fifty of them will be moved around. It is just a costly program to put together.

I tell you what I don't mind. I do seek it out on Channel ten and that's that show, the Cheap Seats. Have you seen that? I guess you have.

I tell you what I don't mind. I do seek it out on Channel ten and that's that show, the Cheap Seats. Have you seen that? I guess you have.

Yeah, I have. I'm looking forward to hearing or seeing myself on there one day. No, it's a little bit of fun, it's a bit's comedy again. But I think sometimes it, Mike, could be interesting to you from your listeners. I think that I've spoken to many people around the country around the sort of the fall of the panel shows is that they saw the projectors being in verta Commas two woke a lot of them didn't like Wali Dali. They liked the sort of the former presenters that were there, the Charlie Pickerings that carry Bickmore's, the Dave Hughes's, the original format, but they tended to look at the show as being a little bit dealing with issues that were probably more First Nations. They were probably to do with the environment. They felt like they were being talked down to, and that was one of the problems. I suppose that a lot of viewers were turning off, and the numbers were certainly dwindling. In the heyday of the project, it was eating one point one one point two million people, but it was well below that.

Yeah, I have. I'm looking forward to hearing or seeing myself on there one day. No, it's a little bit of fun, it's a bit's comedy again. But I think sometimes it, Mike, could be interesting to you from your listeners. I think that I've spoken to many people around the country around the sort of the fall of the panel shows is that they saw the projectors being in verta Commas two woke a lot of them didn't like Wali Dali. They liked the sort of the former presenters that were there, the Charlie Pickerings that carry Bickmore's, the Dave Hughes's, the original format, but they tended to look at the show as being a little bit dealing with issues that were probably more First Nations. They were probably to do with the environment. They felt like they were being talked down to, and that was one of the problems. I suppose that a lot of viewers were turning off, and the numbers were certainly dwindling. In the heyday of the project, it was eating one point one one point two million people, but it was well below that.

Talking about what you get and the wokeness, you would be aware of the fact that Greg Gutfeld, with his show on Fox in the US, is out rating the other high profile late night talk shows. He's got more viewers than them put together as far as I know, but he's certainly outrating them all. But they're all pretty woke. They're the old style American format, which I'm not saying is a bad thing, but the stuff that Gutfeld puts to air, I couldn't see executives here allowing that.

Talking about what you get and the wokeness, you would be aware of the fact that Greg Gutfeld, with his show on Fox in the US, is out rating the other high profile late night talk shows. He's got more viewers than them put together as far as I know, but he's certainly outrating them all. But they're all pretty woke. They're the old style American format, which I'm not saying is a bad thing, but the stuff that Gutfeld puts to air, I couldn't see executives here allowing that.

Could you No, Definitely, I think there is a term. I know, we use woke a little bit, we use right wing, we use conservative media quite a lot. I think the Australian media can't really handle that kind of thing. If it's doing very well, it's because it's appealing to a particular audience, an audience that either feels it hasn't been heard before, or is looking for an audience that he wants to know almost you know, that rubber necking. When they see an accident, they just can't take their eyes off it. It's that kind of attraction that they just want to go, what are they going to say next? Shock jock? You know? So the death of the shock jock in radio happens, and I think that Australian media doesn't really cope well with too much shock. There's not a lot of substance there. And at the end of the day, we just want to be educated, informed, or at least given some views to help us form our own opinions. And that's the beauty I think of Australian media is that we do provide a lot of that. People have got choice, it's where to go. In America it's a complete different game in particularly with the present sitting over there. He's encouraging a different format, he's encouraging different views.

Could you No, Definitely, I think there is a term. I know, we use woke a little bit, we use right wing, we use conservative media quite a lot. I think the Australian media can't really handle that kind of thing. If it's doing very well, it's because it's appealing to a particular audience, an audience that either feels it hasn't been heard before, or is looking for an audience that he wants to know almost you know, that rubber necking. When they see an accident, they just can't take their eyes off it. It's that kind of attraction that they just want to go, what are they going to say next? Shock jock? You know? So the death of the shock jock in radio happens, and I think that Australian media doesn't really cope well with too much shock. There's not a lot of substance there. And at the end of the day, we just want to be educated, informed, or at least given some views to help us form our own opinions. And that's the beauty I think of Australian media is that we do provide a lot of that. People have got choice, it's where to go. In America it's a complete different game in particularly with the present sitting over there. He's encouraging a different format, he's encouraging different views.

Yes, mind you, it does depend a lot on the host. I think I remember going to see Johnny Carson live way back and he just understood the medium so well. In fact, the night I went to see him live, I thought, I've come on a quiet night. But when I went back to the motel, because you know, it was recorded for live, as they say in America, but when I went back to the motel, it was exactly right. Although Johnny got very cross with a guest. A guest was pushing something political Johnny didn't want to know about, and you could see he was getting cross And so after the show had finished, Ed McMahon came out and said, oh, can we ask you to pretend that the show's starting again. So they started again, and when the show finally went to it did not include the guest that was doing what Johnny thought was inappropriate.

Yes, mind you, it does depend a lot on the host. I think I remember going to see Johnny Carson live way back and he just understood the medium so well. In fact, the night I went to see him live, I thought, I've come on a quiet night. But when I went back to the motel, because you know, it was recorded for live, as they say in America, but when I went back to the motel, it was exactly right. Although Johnny got very cross with a guest. A guest was pushing something political Johnny didn't want to know about, and you could see he was getting cross And so after the show had finished, Ed McMahon came out and said, oh, can we ask you to pretend that the show's starting again. So they started again, and when the show finally went to it did not include the guest that was doing what Johnny thought was inappropriate.

Yeah, and look, you know we've got we've got a very broad range of media here in Australia, and I think a lot of the criticism, particularly around abc Q and A, was coming from Sky News or coming from Sky as we refer to it after Dark, a very conservative approach to media. They would have a crack and the ABC's Media Watch would very much be looking at what's going on at Sky News, having little DIBs at each other and questioning their values. I suppose their bias if you like. We have that we have had in Australia, and the beauty of it I love about it is the fact that we can make decisions and choices as to who we consume. I get worried, Mike when I hear just someone just listening to one form of media or not really taking in all that is around. It just helps them shape fame and their opinion and position a little bit better. And that's the scary thing with social media, Mike, is the fact that a lot of people get into their silos and just think and hear and think that this is the one and only true message when there's just so much out there.

Yeah, and look, you know we've got we've got a very broad range of media here in Australia, and I think a lot of the criticism, particularly around abc Q and A, was coming from Sky News or coming from Sky as we refer to it after Dark, a very conservative approach to media. They would have a crack and the ABC's Media Watch would very much be looking at what's going on at Sky News, having little DIBs at each other and questioning their values. I suppose their bias if you like. We have that we have had in Australia, and the beauty of it I love about it is the fact that we can make decisions and choices as to who we consume. I get worried, Mike when I hear just someone just listening to one form of media or not really taking in all that is around. It just helps them shape fame and their opinion and position a little bit better. And that's the scary thing with social media, Mike, is the fact that a lot of people get into their silos and just think and hear and think that this is the one and only true message when there's just so much out there.

Well, over the years I have advised my listeners to get their information from a variety of sources. I don't know whether my employers have appreciated me doing over or no.

Well, over the years I have advised my listeners to get their information from a variety of sources. I don't know whether my employers have appreciated me doing over or no.

Well, no, you just think with Mike, Jeffries everyone. You're doing well listening to Mike, but you know in the morning they'll be listening across the other two GB programs and across the other spectrums of media that are out there, and just getting good sound information to be able to make your own choice and decision, because that's what we want. We don't want to be dictated to or told how to think or what to do. We just want enough information to be able to make our own decisions.

Well, no, you just think with Mike, Jeffries everyone. You're doing well listening to Mike, but you know in the morning they'll be listening across the other two GB programs and across the other spectrums of media that are out there, and just getting good sound information to be able to make your own choice and decision, because that's what we want. We don't want to be dictated to or told how to think or what to do. We just want enough information to be able to make our own decisions.

Yes, I actually you've wrote that as a positioning statement for a radio station. When I was the PD, I said, we tell you what's going on, not what to think.

Yes, I actually you've wrote that as a positioning statement for a radio station. When I was the PD, I said, we tell you what's going on, not what to think.

Yeah. I love that. I used to work for a media monitoring company and we used to give you news you need, not necessarily news you want. And I think too much of us at the moment are just seeking out, particularly on social media, and the younger folk that are running around, they're just getting the news they want and not necessarily the news they need.

Yeah. I love that. I used to work for a media monitoring company and we used to give you news you need, not necessarily news you want. And I think too much of us at the moment are just seeking out, particularly on social media, and the younger folk that are running around, they're just getting the news they want and not necessarily the news they need.

What's reaffirming their views. By the way, here's a question without notice for you. But you took us down that path. You're on a media watch. I don't normally watch media watch, but I've watched it the last two or three weeks and it doesn't look like Media Watch to me. It looks like Linton Besse is giving you a digest of what he thought was the news during the week.

What's reaffirming their views. By the way, here's a question without notice for you. But you took us down that path. You're on a media watch. I don't normally watch media watch, but I've watched it the last two or three weeks and it doesn't look like Media Watch to me. It looks like Linton Besse is giving you a digest of what he thought was the news during the week.

Yeah, Linton, since taking over, I watch it religiously market It's part of what I do. But yeah, it has taken on and it's almost getting a little bit too even the bias level. I suppose that he focuses on the commercial networks. He's really going hammer and tong on that. I've got to say, Linton, I know he'll be listening because they listen to everything. Yeah, I'm not a fan of the show at the moment, but I think he's also just trying to find his feet. There's a long track record of Media Watch that's been on and I think the program itself does hold a lot of media to account. In fact, many in the media will say, you've never been in the media unless you've been on Media Watch or been questioned. But look, I think they do a good job. Just a lot of media sometimes don't want to be how to account and I think we've got to hold everyone to account. And that's the beauty of media that we are regulated. We are looked at and look That's why I'll always get my news from mainstream media as opposed to social media, because I know what I'm getting. I don't know what I'm getting on the social media side.

Yeah, Linton, since taking over, I watch it religiously market It's part of what I do. But yeah, it has taken on and it's almost getting a little bit too even the bias level. I suppose that he focuses on the commercial networks. He's really going hammer and tong on that. I've got to say, Linton, I know he'll be listening because they listen to everything. Yeah, I'm not a fan of the show at the moment, but I think he's also just trying to find his feet. There's a long track record of Media Watch that's been on and I think the program itself does hold a lot of media to account. In fact, many in the media will say, you've never been in the media unless you've been on Media Watch or been questioned. But look, I think they do a good job. Just a lot of media sometimes don't want to be how to account and I think we've got to hold everyone to account. And that's the beauty of media that we are regulated. We are looked at and look That's why I'll always get my news from mainstream media as opposed to social media, because I know what I'm getting. I don't know what I'm getting on the social media side.

You're right about Media Watch. It's changed a lot over the years, and may I say it's come a long way from Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells that was its original BBC name. Did you know that?

You're right about Media Watch. It's changed a lot over the years, and may I say it's come a long way from Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells that was its original BBC name. Did you know that?

No? I did not, And I look at you know, I always laugh at the people that sort of well, I don't always laugh, but I sometimes question why people are so upset when they see themselves on there, and how they react and respond to it. I mean even I've had a text message from Lincoln regarding a particular segment that was on. You know, you deal and you work with it. But I also say, if we're not rocking the boat, if we're not rattling the trees a little bit, are we really doing our jobs anyway?

No? I did not, And I look at you know, I always laugh at the people that sort of well, I don't always laugh, but I sometimes question why people are so upset when they see themselves on there, and how they react and respond to it. I mean even I've had a text message from Lincoln regarding a particular segment that was on. You know, you deal and you work with it. But I also say, if we're not rocking the boat, if we're not rattling the trees a little bit, are we really doing our jobs anyway?

Hey, I'm with you on that.

Hey, I'm with you on that.

Yes, yeah, So I think it's sometimes it is a little bit of a badge of honor being a bit hearing on Media Watch. It's how you work and deal with them and how you respond to it is a real reflection of the brand.

Yes, yeah, So I think it's sometimes it is a little bit of a badge of honor being a bit hearing on Media Watch. It's how you work and deal with them and how you respond to it is a real reflection of the brand.

Nick, appreciate your time in comments. Thank you for coming on the program. Thanks by Nick Hay's media commentator, Managing director of Media Stable

Nick, appreciate your time in comments. Thank you for coming on the program. Thanks by Nick Hay's media commentator, Managing director of Media Stable