Workers left in shock after receiving unexpected note from the big boss
After years of cost-cutting and redundancies, the executive team at 10 finally have the money to create their dream schedule. The loss of the Big Bash and FOX output deal has created surplus funds which has seen executives take multiple mega-bonuses since December 2017 with another coming in the next month-or-so.
But the pressure is on.
2019 is the year those very executives have to deliver on all their promises to parent company CBS and there is frustration over the number of leaks coming from inside the building.
Just a few weeks ago Peter Ford revealed the entire cast (bar one) of Dancing With The Stars. That came after David Knox at TV Tonight broke news of the revival before 10 had even planned an announcement.
This very website has broken many stories about the network ranging from which stars were going into the jungle for I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here to staffing changes at Studio 10 and the entire list of projects picked up from Pilot Week.
And 10’s big boss has had enough.
Last Friday CEO Paul Anderson sent a stern e-mail to all staff that included the following;
“We have a talented team…
We market and promote our shows and cast in order to get the biggest audience we can.
Some of this stuff is kept secret… for good reason. If we do establish ‘the leak’ – and we are looking …hard – then there will be serious consequences.
So let’s keep our stuff to ourselves.”
TV Blackbox has been aware for some time the network is on the hunt for anyone leaking information to the media. Staff across various departments and shows have been warned not to share anything but still the leaks come.
Staff have reported to us they are feeling the heat and everyone is a suspect.
There’s no doubt executives are annoyed by the leaks, but that’s not the biggest issue they are facing. After a successful launch for I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here, 10’s share has crumbled since reality juggernauts Married At First Sight and My Kitchen Rules returned to the screen.
Despite 10’s claims they are now playing a 50 week game instead of the official 40 weeks, the final week of summer saw their share fall behind the ABC in both main channel and network shares (12.3% v 11.6%.for the main channel & 17% v 16.8% network).
On Sunday, the first night of ‘official’ ratings, 10 came 4th behind the ABC in both categories once again (10.6% v 8.7% for the main channel & 14.2% v 13.2% network).
Monday night things got worse with the network dropping even further behind the ABC (13.2% v 10.7% for the main channel & 17.1% v 16.3% network). 10 will pick up some steam towards the end of the week when MKR and MAFS aren’t airing, but will it be enough to beat the ABC? The signs are not looking good.
So there’s no doubt executives are feeling the pressure on all fronts, but our sources say a threatening e-mail is not going to win over disillusioned staff who expected more when CBS took over. Staff voted for CBS to get control of the company because they believed CBS would be the white knight who would come in and fix the network but soon realised that while there’s extra cash around, nobody knows what to do with it.
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