Talking Footy Axed

[Beaussie]

No not our community here obviously, but rather the Channel 7 footy program.

Channel Seven to axe Talking Footy
By Caroline Wilson
February 16, 2005
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/real ... 02196.html


Channel Seven will enter the 2005 AFL season without a program dedicated to football for only the second time in more than four decades, with the network due to axe its long-running program Talking Footy.

Seven's Melbourne chief executive Ian Johnson confirmed last night that Talking Footy was "not likely" to return this year but denied that the absence of a program exclusively about football would harm the network's chances of playing a meaningful part in the forthcoming broadcast rights negotiations.

Johnson said executives from Seven's southern states would hold a two-day meeting in Melbourne later this week to look at ways to include an AFL presence in its 2005 programming. But he confirmed there would be no new football program.

"I think we've got a few other timeslots we should be spending more time and money on," said Johnson. "It was probably a bit hard to justify spending time on something that was hidden away late on a Tuesday night.

"I'm not saying Talking Footy is going for ever. We are shelving it for a year. The title will be secured for use in the future."

Launched more than a decade ago, the analysis program originally featured host Bruce McAvaney, Malcolm Blight and Mike Sheahan. The program was re-structured last year and hosted by former panellist Tim Watson and also featured David Parkin.

Seven has not gone to air without a football program since it briefly lost the then VFL rights to the ABC in 1987. It comes as the network is waging a complicated legal battle against the AFL, National Rugby League and AFL rights-holders Channels Nine, Ten and Foxtel, accusing them of collusion in the lead-up to the previous media rights agreement. The case is scheduled for court in May.

Meanwhile, sports commentator Tim Lane has signed an exclusive radio deal with the ABC that will allow him to continue at the national broadcaster for the 33rd consecutive year.

Lane, who will continue to call football for Channel Ten, will call Friday night football on 774 and appear on Jon Faine's conversation hour. Lane will depart sports station SEN at the request of the ABC.

"They were keen for me to be working exclusively for them and we were able to establish that continuity, which I'm pleased about," Lane said.

"Whether I should contemplate cutting the umbilical cord, I'm not sure, but it is a great organisation and I'm very proud to still be working for it."

[crocodileman]

Is there any possibility of picking up some 'corporate sponsors' by deceiving them into believing the program has been transferred to this site?