Karl Stefanovic’s safe but Nine’s boss wants Today team to focus

Nine boss Hugh Marks has spoken publicly for the first time about Today host Karl Stefanovic’s personal life amid speculation over his future.

Pressure to perform: Nine chief, Hugh Marks, above, concedes Karl Stefanovic’s relationship with Jasmine Yarbrough, bottom left, has been tough on the Today team, which includes Sylvia Jeffreys, above, and co-host Georgie Gardner, above right.

Nine’s chief executive Hugh Marks has spoken out publicly for the first time about Today host Karl Stefanovic’s personal life and rampant speculation that he will be replaced in the new year, backing him amid softening ratings.

Speaking exclusively to Media as he pursues plans to seal a $4 billion-plus takeover deal with Fairfax Media by December, Marks said constant negative publicity about Stefanovic’s personal life had taken its toll.

He also challenged Today to lift its game as the network’s breakfast show loses more ground in the battle for ratings with Seven’s Sunrise.

“Clearly, it’s been a tough and challenging year for Karl and Today,” Marks told Media yesterday following reports claiming that Stefanovic will be removed in early 2019 before his contract expires at the end of 2020.

“No doubt the constant publicity surrounding issues with his personal life have had an impact on Karl, his colleagues and on the show. We can’t hide from that. And as a result we know there’s a lot of hard work to be done to win back the audience.”

Stefanovic has been constantly in the public eye for the past two years over his divorce with Cassandra Thorburn.

Cassandra Thorburn.

Several months later he started dating Jasmine Yarbrough, a high-profile relationship criticised by some viewers and media commentators.

Marks said he was proud of Stefanovic’s work to raise awareness of the recent drought in Australia after the presenter hit the road for weeks on end, interviewing affected farmers, families and communities.

And Marks continues to have confidence in the pairing of Stefanovic and Georgie Gardner amid persistent reports of friction between the two of them. Gardner replaced Lisa Wilkinson late last year following her defection to Network Ten’s current affairs show, The Project.

“Karl and Georgie are great broadcasters and, when they’re working as a team, we believe they’re among the best going around. Look at the incredible effort by the Today Show this year in raising more than $10 million to help our farmers hurting from the drought,” Marks said. “They made a big commitment to the community and delivered. That’s what they do better than anyone else. Time and time again.”

Rumours in media circles claim that Today executive producer Mark Calvert is also in the firing line, but Marks indicated he is fully behind Calvert, who is working on a revamp of the show to regain viewers after it fell below the 200,000 metropolitan viewers threshold on Tuesday.

“Everyone on Today knows they have to work harder and smarter to make a better show that is relevant, informative and entertaining for a breakfast audience. That remains the focus and the basis on which all decisions will be made,” said Marks.

“We stick by our people at Nine and we’ve put the challenge on the Today Show producers, the presenters and, especially, on Karl to regain the trust and loyalty of our audience. And I have every confidence they will do it.”

On Tuesday, Today delivered 199,000 viewers in metropolitan markets, where the majority of advertising dollars are concentrated, according to OzTAM’s preliminary overnight ratings.

Today’s average metropolitan audience fell 15.50 per cent to 239,000 viewers in the first 34 weeks of the survey year among total individuals. Sunrise fared better, declining at a more moderate rate — down 8.60 per cent to 266,000 viewers, although Nine executives point out that Today sometimes outperforms Sunrise in the three biggest markets: Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Sunrise, however, is currently ahead of Today in Sydney and Melbourne in week 34 of the traditional 40-week survey calendar.

Adding to the barrage of bad publicity surrounding Stefanovic, he was recorded by an Uber driver having a private conversation with his brother Peter Stefanovic. The brothers made critical comments about some of their colleagues.

Advertising on the breakfast shows is worth about $120 million a year. However, the programs are worth more to broadcasters than just ad dollars.

They also kick-start the day, pushing viewers into the network schedule with promos. They also punch above their weight in terms of the unique viewers that make up ratings figures.