Outrage as Nine network pays more than $2m for Cleo Smith interview

Nine has paid more than $2m for an interview with the kidnapped toddler’s parents – a record in Australian TV, angering staff.

Nine boss Mike Sneesby was determined to secure the interview to take his network back to number one in the ratings war, industry sources speculated. Picture: Britta Campion

The Nine Network has paid more than $2m for an exclusive interview with the parents of kidnapped four-year-old girl Cleo Smith – a record in Australian television that has angered staff and is likely to outrage the media group’s shareholders.

The plan is for the interviews with the family to appear on the network’s news and current affairs flagship 60 Minutes, with possible spin-offs for the Nine newspapers and talk of a six-part special for streaming service Stan.

It is understood the deal involves filming with not only the toddler’s mother, Ellie Smith, and stepfather, Jake Giddon, but also Cleo herself.

The possibility that the four-year-old might be interviewed about her experience at the hands of her abductor, alleged to be Carnarvon resident Terence Darrell Kelly, has horrified many at the network who know of the deal.

“What are the possible consequences of asking this young girl to talk about what happened to her, when we don’t know what she went through?” one journalist asked. “And what are the optics of it as far as the viewing public is concerned?”

The bidding war for rights to the story started almost as soon as Cleo was found on November 3 last year, alive and well inside a locked house only minutes from the family home.

The Seven network was also chasing the story for its Spotlight series, and was also prepared to pay big money for the interview.

It is understood Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes had taken a personal interest in the story and was keen for the network to acquire the rights.

The deal was negotiated by talent agent Max Markson, who stands to pocket at least $400,000 from the deal on his usual 20 per cent cut.

The biggest chequebook journalism payment to date went to the two survivors of the Beaconsfield mine disaster, Brant Webb and Todd Russell, who were each paid about $1m by Nine after they had spent two weeks trapped underground in 2006.

Before that, the record was held by Lindy Chamberlain, who was paid $250,000 by 60 Minutes in 1985 for an exclusive interview for her account of being falsely ­accused of murdering her daughter Azaria.

Amateur mountaineer James Scott received $250,000 for his story about being lost in the Himalayas for 43 days without food and in freezing conditions.

Staff at Nine are expected to be appalled by news of the Cleo Smith deal, with large budget cuts having already eaten away at most of the network’s news and current affairs programs.

The deal amounts to about a quarter of 60 Minutes’ entire ­annual budget.

“This kind of money could employ not only dozens of journalists but is also enough to run multiple programs,” one senior television executive observed.

Another pointed out that the figure is not far from what Nine offered star Today Show presenter Karl Stefanovic – $3m per year – when it was last in a big bidding war with Seven.

The network may have to wait some considerable time before airing the program because the case against Mr Kelly is yet to be heard and any discussion of the facts around the case could be in contempt of court.

Industry sources speculated that Nine boss Mike Sneesby was determined not to be beaten by Seven this year, after losing last year’s ratings war.

“Nine was scared at the end of the year after they lost their No.1 position – this seems to be a desperate attempt to regain the mantle … and it won’t work,” the source said.

“This is insane. This is dinosaur chequebook journalism,” said one insider. “It smacks of an inexperienced chief executive who has got a rush of blood in his first bidding war.

“Shareholders will be screaming. Kerry Stokes is an astute judge – he knows what a story is worth – and, instinctively, knew it wasn’t worth this much.”