Media Street: Fox Footy makes bold decision with cult-favourite TV show AFL 360
A new show and new time slots for TV show favourites, Fox Footy is breaking tradition in 2024. Plus, another blow for the AFL and the latest on Craig Hutchison’s SEN.
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Fox Footy is breaking with tradition and moving forward its cult-favourite show AFL 360.
In a bold move to go head-to-head with free-to-air nightly news bulletins, the talk show, hosted by Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson and Gerard Whateley, will start at 6.30pm this season.
Since its inception back in 2010, AFL 360 has always started at 7.30pm. But Fox Footy sees the earlier timeslot as a “growth market” that they’re keen to capitalise on for the new season.
AFL 360 will air on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 6.30pm. It also means another change for On The Couch, which will start at 7.30pm on Monday.
The station’s flagship show, hosted by Garry Lyon, moved to 6.30pm in 2022 and it was then replayed back in its traditional slot of 8.30pm.
A new panel talk show, Midweek Tackle, will then slot into the 7.30pm slot on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Recently retired Richmond great Jack Riewoldt is the only change to the AFL 360 line-up. He had been a regular on the show during his playing career and will now be a permanent fixture on Wednesday nights alongside former Hawthorn premiership star Jordan Lewis.
The shuffling of timeslots by Fox Footy raises the stakes again in the football media world.
There has already been a bolstering of stocks at Channel 7 and Channel 9 in the news-breaking ranks. Mitch Cleary took over as Seven’s chief football reporter, with Adelaide sports reporter Theo Doropoulos joining him in the Melbourne newsroom.
Nine made a big move in the off-season by hiring former Fox Footy reporter Tom Morris, who is part of a revamped team that includes rising star Xander McGuire, the son of former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire.
Another PR blow
Gillon McLachlan leaving the AFL wasn’t the only big off-season departure.
The league’s PR department suffered a major hit with long-time mover and shaker Britt Prince deciding to go out on her own. She has launched Prince PR and with her extensive black book of AFL contacts, Prince is set to make waves in the football industry.
SEN lay-offs continue
The purse strings are being tightened again at SEN with more staff redundancies.
Off the back of chief executive Craig Hutchison selling-off shares in the company’s sporting teams, including NBL team the Perth Wildcats, the cost-cutting has now hit the radio station.
Among this week’s departures was loyal long-time producer Brad Klibansky, who was at SEN from the start, before departing briefly and then being lured back by Hutchison.
For the past two years, Klibansky has worked for Rainmaker, the television arm of the business.