No slow news day for New Idea, Seven

FOR glossy magazine staff, creative television producers and media lawyers, it was a dramatic start to the day as dozens of federal police agents raided their offices.

FOR glossy magazine staff, creative television producers and media lawyers, it was a dramatic start to the day as dozens of federal police agents raided their offices.

At the Eveleigh premises of weekly magazine New Idea, editor Kim Wilson received a phone call at 9.30am asking her to come to reception -- the AFP were there to see her. Stunned staff watched as half a dozen officers set up camp in the Pacific magazine boardroom. They spent the day interviewing senior employees including Ms Wilson, publisher Fiona Legdin and executives from the finance department, quizzing them on payments made by the magazine for interviews.

"Poor Kim Wilson . . . had all her fabric samples pushed aside while they sought evidence of criminal offences in her office," commercial director Bruce McWilliam said.

One source said the agents were treated cordially and served tea and sandwiches.

But at the Sydney headquarters of the Seven Network, the execution of the search warrants was less polite.

Seven reporter Damien Smith became embroiled in a feisty argument with AFP officers when he started filming the raid.

"Damien Smith almost got arrested. He went in with the cameras while it was all happening and AFP said you need to move the cameras but (commercial director) Bruce McWilliam said they should be allowed to film," a source said.

"The AFP said by filming it you could be causing a distraction to our officers while they're trying to conduct a search warrant."

The entire Seven West executive team, including chief executive Tim Worner, chief operating officer Nick Chan, Pacific magazine director Peter Zavecz and chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette, were at Doltone House in Pyrmont presenting half-yearly financial results to investors and shareholders when more than 20 officers entered the head office building on Jones Bay Road. The corporate PR team of Susan Wood and Simon Francis were also attending the presentation, leaving Mr McWilliam to hold fort. When Mr Worner returned to the office, he found Mr McWilliam with a phone in each ear, using colourful language to describe the AFP's search of his office.

"Goons," was how Mr McWilliam described the AFP agents, while insiders said the search was "bloody chaos".