Nine continually makes headlines with more dramas than a soap opera.
Mia Freedman, Christine Spiterri and Jessica Rowe have been apart of the revolving door of ‘boned’ women that the weekend papers reported were apart of managements dislike of blonde women reporters (in the case of Spitteri and Rowe) and moreover they would never report on the headline stories of the news bulletins.
The reaction, Sunday nights news had the lead story being reported by Alison Langdon and the second story reported by Karen Tso.
Also making the headlines last week was Stephanie Brantz removal from Nine’s cricket commentary team but is Brantz set for a more important on air-role?
David Gyngell launched Nine’s programming for 2008 which included a new Wide World of Sports series. Previously hosted by Ken Sutcliffe, Max Walker and Ian Maurice.
Nine boast a host of strong male sports presenters still lead by Ken Sutcliffe, Eddie McGuire and Tony Jones.
With Ken Sutcliffe rumoured to be joining the 2UE breakfast show, his time will be limited to commit to more programs other than sports news reading and hosting.
Is it time for a new generation?
As I stated, Nine have a host of male sporting presenters. Looking further a field, Nine have James Brayshaw, Gary Lyon, Cameron Williams and the rising popularity of Matthew Johns, Ben Ikin and Michael Slater on their books.
Nicole Livingstone is currently off-air taking maternity leave but Brantz looks to be the frontrunner for the hosting chair of a new Wide World of Sports.
Nine has re-branded the Network, ‘we love tv’ with a host of shows to become more aggressive aimed at a younger demographic.
Over the summer two men are on trial with Cameron Williams hosting the Today Show and Ryan Phelan auditioning for the Network as the Sports Presenter of the Today Show. To me the former Seven sports anchor and Ten host of Sport's Tonight are the frontrunners to co-host Wide World of Sports with Brantz.
Phelan has been voted a ‘Cleo Bachelor of the Year’ and Stephanie Brantz has also worked previously as a model. Together with their good looks is a genuinely insightful sporting knowledge who are both capable of hosting and presenting Wide World of Sports.
Nine has grabbed the Olympic Games in 2010 and 2012 so strengthening their sporting department would be a network aim.
Partnering Brantz and Phelan I would choose either Matthew Johns or Michael Slater pending on the season (league or cricket) and encourage the involvement of Cameron Williams, James Brayshaw and Nicole Livingstone as reporters.
This group should be Nine’s core group of Sport reporters for the future which would fit Nine’s new demographic and develop a strong on air presence between now and the 2010, 2012 Olympics.
