Veteran broadcast journalist Allan Raskall appears to be taking his dismissal from Channel Nine’s Melbourne office in stride after his bosses reportedly told him he is no longer needed at the troubled broadcaster.
Two weeks ago, the media star shared a tongue-in-cheek selfie on Instagram in which he appears dressed in a LinkedIn photo-style suit and smiling while holding a sign that reads: “Job Wanted.”
“That’s life (for a freelancer),” Raskall wrote. “Work needed. Call me.”
Raskall is known to have ended his relationship with the network at the time of publication.
Several inside sources have said that Raskall’s casual contract will not be renewed amid ongoing exercises at the network to rescue the bottom line, according to reports. The Herald of the Sun.
“I’ve been working freelance at Nine for over a decade. I guess in times of crisis with the rising cost of living, even big companies have to cut back on luxury items. Who knows what the future holds?” Raskall told the publication.
A Nine spokesperson confirmed Raskall’s departure, citing “the economic challenges facing the media sector” as the reason for the decision to “pause” all casual contracts, but said he would always be a “much-loved member” of its team.
The self-described “TV news man” has cultivated a loyal following since starting his career at Nine’s Sydney headquarters, before moving to Darwin and then the Melbourne newsroom.
Veteran journalist Allan Raskall (left) is the latest victim of job losses in Australia’s troubled media sector. He is pictured with Peter Hitchener
Raskall returned to freelance work, a job he happily pursued for six years, before starting work in the 9News Melbourne newsroom in October 2013 on a casual basis.
The veteran journalist, who has also reported for Channel Ten in the past, is a fixture on Melbourne’s social scene and often attends theatre premieres, including the musical Six last week.
The long-time theater fan also recently announced that he will soon be making his stage debut as a guest at Club Vegas.
This comes less than a week after broadcasting icon Liz Hayes lost her true crime series due to bloodshed by network executives.
The media star shared a tongue-in-cheek selfie on Instagram in which he appears dressed in a LinkedIn photo-style suit and smiling while holding a “Job Wanted” sign.
9News has confirmed it has put all casual workers “on hold” as it grapples with the “economic challenges” facing the media sector.
Channel Nine sources have revealed that the veteran reporter’s award-winning show, Under Investigation with Liz Hayes, is “under review” and on the verge of being cancelled amid widespread budget cuts and forced redundancies at the network.
Long-time Nine staff said they were surprised by the decision, particularly considering Hayes had just been nominated for a Silver Logie for her work fronting the series.
“If that’s what they’re comfortable doing with the Liz Hayes show, then nothing is off limits,” a troubled network source told Daily Mail Australia.
“Liz is a Nine legend and the face of the network. To even think about cancelling her show is brutal – it means absolutely no one and nothing is safe.”
While Hayes’ show may have gone, the star journalist will remain with the network she first joined four decades ago as a news reporter at Nine’s Sydney headquarters in 1981.
Nine boss Mike Sneesby has announced that hundreds of jobs will be cut at the broadcaster as part of a $30 million cost-cutting plan.
“Of our national team of almost 5,000 people, around 200 jobs are expected to be impacted at Nine, including some vacant and casual roles that will not be filled,” Nine’s chief executive said.
Sneesby has since come under constant criticism for her “tone-deaf” generosity amid the cuts, including her decision to fly to Paris to carry the Olympic torch ahead of the Games.
The veteran journalist, who has also reported for Channel Ten in the past, is a fixture on Melbourne’s social scene and often attends theatre premieres.
He was also criticised for staying in a luxury five-star hotel and spa in the heart of the French capital, while hard-working journalists covering the Olympics were relegated to cheap accommodation in the outer suburbs.
Members of Nine’s management team also booked accommodation at the glamorous, ivy-covered Le Pavilion de la Reine hotel and spa in the heart of the capital’s coveted Le Marais district.
Boasting an “elegant atmosphere” and world-class “understated” luxury, the hotel is located a stone’s throw from the city’s most famous landmarks including Notre Dame, the Pompidou Centre and the Louvre, and includes fitness facilities, spa access and complimentary breakfast.
While Hayes’ job at the network is safe, it is understood that several members of the show’s close-knit team have already lost their jobs at the network.
