Media Street: Latest news and rumours from AFL television, radio and newspapers

Channel 10 faces the prospect of losing its star racing signing, who has been one of the most recognisable faces of the spring carnival in recent years.

Jack Heverin was a versatile presenter for Craig Hutchison’s (right) SEN.

Is there an early scratching from Channel 10’s spring racing coverage?

Word around the tracks is that glamorous commentator Francesca Cumani may not be making the trek down to Australia for November’s Flemington carnival.

Cumani has become one of the most recognisable faces of the spring carnival in recent years through her work with Channel 7 and was Ten’s star signing when they took over the rights to the biggest week on the racing calendar.

While she signed a five-year deal worth about $1m back in 2019, her circumstances have changed dramatically since with the whispers in the mounting yard having her staying in the UK this year.

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There are doubts Francesca Cumani will be part of Channel 10’s Spring Carnival coverage.

Cumani has become one of the most recognisable commentators of the carnival.

Her loss is set to be Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne’s gain as she impressed Ten bosses with her work during last year’s broadcast.

Cumani missed last year’s carnival because she was stranded in the UK due to Covid-19 border restrictions and was forced to do a prerecorded package for Melbourne Cup day.

Payne, who has significantly scaled back her riding commitments to focus on a training career, is likely to have a beefed up role alongside hosts Michael Felgate and Caty Price.

Cumani, 39, is expecting her second child in June with boyfriend Max Johnson, a former triathlete and leading businessman.

Cumani was previously married to Australian international polo player Rob Archibald with the couple having a son, Harry, in April 2016.

Following their split, Cumani started dating her fellow commentator on Britain’s ITV, Oli Bell, before they called it quits after two years.

Michelle Payne is set to have an increased presence on Channel 10.

Hutchy’s former golden boy resurfaces

One of the media’s most versatile performers has added yet another string to his bow.

Former SEN golden boy Jack Heverin is now branching out into television production and is in charge of running Wednesday night’s Footy Classified show, hosted by Eddie McGuire.

After being everywhere on SEN as a caller and host of The Sporting Capital for a couple of years, Heverin left the Craig Hutchison empire and briefly went off the radar.

But over the past 12 months he has steadily resurfaced and is now Mr Everywhere again.

Heverin is carving out a spot at Triple M having called cricket and football for the FM station while he also co-hosted the Summer Breakfast on RSN 927.

He is also the main play-by-play caller for the NBL and is the king of lawn bowls, hosting the sport’s increasing coverage on Fox Sports.

Covid wipes out prominent media voices

Ballarat was on the nose for a lot of people on Saturday and not just the Western Bulldogs.

Only one radio station, the ABC, made the trek down the Western Highway for the Dogs clash with Adelaide.

Unfortunately misfortune struck a couple of the other broadcasters with COVID knocking out 3AW’s two main callers, Tim Lane and Tony Leonard.

SEN also had some health issues with caller Andy Maher losing his voice the day before which threw everything out and forced a quickly assembled new team to call from its Southbank studio.

To be fair the facilities at Ballarat’s Mars Stadium don’t exactly make it overly inviting for broadcasters with the small commentary booths barely fitting in three people each.

Tim Lane (right) was among those unable to travel to Ballarat.

Media round-a-bout continues at clubs

Is a former AFL media manager making a return to the code after a long sabbatical?

We hear former Hawthorn communications co-ordinator Sarah Kalaja is set to pop up down the highway in Geelong’s restructured media department.

Kalaja was with the Hawks for four years, including the 2008 premiership, before joining the Melbourne Storm in 2011.

She spent almost eight years at the NRL powerhouse before moving into PR at netball and Tennis Australia. Her latest gig was as an account director at TLA.

Meanwhile, Collingwood has been quietly interviewing candidates for its vacant media manager gig over the past week.

The Pies parted with long-time media boss Stephen Reilly last month.

Originally published as Media Street: Latest news and rumours from AFL television, radio and newspapers