Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his military to prepare to evacuate more than one million civillians from a war-torn city in Gaza, house valuations are expected to drop, scrub fires continue as further restrictions come into place and Chinese new year begins.
It’s one of Three’s biggest shows with one of its biggest names - but it’s not immune to a hiring freeze that has already pushed the release of other shows further into the year. David Fisher reports.
There are issues with Paddy Gower Has Issues - staff meant tostart work on the top journalist’s show this Monday have been told to not come in.
Instead, they were told on Friday work on the show would not be starting this week.
It was such a sudden change in events one former producer for the network predicted Gower would be upset.
“He could walk. He could say ‘f*** you, I’m going to TVNZ’.”
Three’s owners Warner Bros. Discovery ANZ have confirmed a “recruitment slowdown” which has already caused uncertainty among the host of freelancers and contractors needed to put shows out.
Insiders have said that Paddy Gower Has Issues is safe as one of Three’s flagship shows starring one of its biggest names.
But those who have already experienced turbulent employment with the company say the delay to this and Three’s new 7pm show will discourage people from signing on - and damage loyalty to the brand.
The Herald’s Media Insider reported a week ago that the new 7pm show to be fronted by former AM host Ryan Bridge was short on staff, suffering through a hiring freeze and had no fixed date to air.
The Herald contacted Gower for comment but he referred questions to Three’s corporate office.
‘Recruitment slowdown’
The company said it was “in the middle of a recruitment slowdown”.
“As already reported [by the Herald], this impacted some recruitment and the launch date of Ryan Bridge’s 7pm show, it has also impacted some recruitment for Paddy Gower Has Issues,” it said in a statement.
“Our plans for news and current affairs have not changed, other than the timing which has been impacted by the recruitment slowdown.”
Paddy Gower Has Issues was a weekly show that came out of documentary specials fronted by Gower on alcohol and drugs.
Accepting the award, he said: “While my name is on this, this really is for the people who I work with, the people who watch and the people I fight for.”
Paddy Gower and Karen O'Leary - on the set of Gower's new show. Photo / Three
The first season of 10 episodes had a total terrestrial audience reach of 1.134 million viewers aged 5 or older.
NewsHub Nation is another Three show yet to have a full staff. The network’s in-depth politics and current affairs show, fronted by Rebecca Wright, was due to go on air later this month.
The news division itself was also changing leaders with Newshub director of news Sarah Bristow finishing this week. Veteran news leader Richard Sutherland has stepped in on an interim basis with recruitment under way for a permanent replacement.
Last year, the company reported a $35 million post-tax loss. Like all legacy media businesses, it has long struggled with declining audiences and revenue.
It has also experienced the sting of meddling with shows carrying big-time names. The 2015 review and axing of Campbell Live saw the high-profile exit of host John Campbell, who is now TVNZ’s chief correspondent.
Glen Kyne, chief executive of Warner Bros. Discovery in New Zealand, spoke to the Herald last year about the future of television beyond a “broadcast world”.
“What is the future of free-to-air [terrestrial] television? What does that look like into the future? That’s taking a lot of my time, a huge amount of my time, right now.”
