Inside Media: Why King Charles and Camilla won’t be at The Everest and is Tony Armstrong really heading to 7NEWS

In this edition of INSIDE MEDIA: Why the King and Queen have been forced to pull out of a major event during their Aussie visit | Is Tony Armstrong really heading to Seven News? | And the truth about why Richard Glover is leaving the ABC.

KING CHARLES A NO-SHOW

King Charles has left organisers around the country disappointed before he even arrives in Australia at the end of the week. Landing in Sydney on Friday with Queen Camilla by his side, the five-day visit will not be as fully booked as other royal visits, due to the monarch’s health.

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Senior sources within the Albanese Government tell INSIDE MEDIA the Royal couple will not be attending this weekend’s Everest event as hoped. Not even NSW racing boss Peter V’landys could pull this one off, with the King not willing to risk his health to attend.

While King Charles is putting his cancer treatment on hold for the Australian tour, he isn’t taking any chances while away from specialised treatment in the UK. In fact, the official itinerary will not include any evening events but will include a rest day. It has also been reported two full-time royal doctors will join the monarch and a spare supply of blood will be on hand, just in case.

One thing’s for sure, if Peter V’landys can’t make this one happen, then no-one can.

CHANNEL 9 SPINNER OUT

Victoria Buchan is the latest senior figure to leave Nine after her role running communications and public relations for the company was made redundant.

Buchan – now the former director of communications and public relations – had come under media scrutiny over her role in the handling of serious allegations of sexual harassment and a toxic culture within its news division were revealed.

While those allegations have not been proven, it is well known Buchan was a very close confidant of former news boss Darren Wick, who has been accused of groping and sexually harassing, or propositioning four women at a Logies afterparty.

Staff were advised by Nine’s Acting Chief Executive Officer Matt Stanton about Buchan’s redundancy via email and Buchan has told 7NEWS the upcoming report into the culture at Nine played no role in her departure.

Buchan sent a note out to an undisclosed list of recipients at 11am on Monday.

“Thanks so much for all the great times. While this year has been more challenging than most, I’ve enjoyed the ride since joining Nine back in 2010,” Buchan wrote.

“We’ve come a long way since those days. I’m looking forward to some family time over the summer and then getting stuck back into some projects or opportunities to work in the industry I love and know so well. As you know, my work has been a passion for me, and that’s not going to change. I will continue to watch, read and listen to all you do and be cheering from the sideline. I can’t wait to reboot and look for great projects and most importantly, great people to work with. It’s been a privilege.”

When Wick left Nine in March this year, Buchan worked behind the scenes to ensure the messaging was that he had left of his own accord, despite the serious rumours within the industry.

I was in contact with her at the time about the Wick rumours but was told outright they were not true.

Stanton said Buchan was leaving because of a restructuring of the business.

The ‘Intersection’ report is set to be released by Nine before the end of the month.

MEDIA MOVEMENTS

Former ABC News Breakfast presenter Tony Armstrong continues to make news with rumours the Logie winner is set to join 7NEWS Melbourne next year as Sports Presenter.

Senior sources at Seven have poured cold water on the idea telling INSIDE MEDIA it’s not happening.

Speculation has run wild in part because current presenter Tim Watson is retiring at the end of the year and many in the media have jumped to conclusions.

Armstrong isn’t the only person leaving the ABC though, with Patricia Karvelas and Richard Glover both announcing they would be leaving their gigs at radio national. PK will be moving into the digital side of the business, while Glover says “I feel I’ve hogged it for long enough”.

Glover is considered to be one of the best broadcasters at the ABC – and one of the few who still rate – but sources have told INSIDE MEDIA he doesn’t want to broadcast from the new Parramatta studios.

On-air presenters are being forced to head west to front programs instead of staying at the Ultimo studio in the city.

While the ABC says the Parramatta studio is about connecting with the community, most staff see it as nothing more than a PR stunt as most of those working behind the scenes will continue to be based at Ultimo. It’s widely believed Glover would not have quit if he could have presented his Mornings program from Ultimo.

Meanwhile, Seven has surprised everyone by announcing Spotlight reporter Sarah Greenhalgh will be joining Max Fulcher as the new co-host of Brisbane’s 6pm News.

Greenhalgh replaces Sharyn Ghidella who is now presenting 10 NEWS FIRST after her contract with Seven wasn’t renewed.

It’s proving to be a big year for Sarah, who revealed to me last week she is 21 weeks pregnant with the bub expected to arrive in February.

Sarah will continue to file stories for 7NEWS Spotlight and, according to news boss Anthony De Ceglie, “she won’t just be the co-anchor for our must-watch 6pm bulletin alongside Max but will also be leader across the newsroom championing journalism and investigations.”

Sarah begins her new role next Monday.

THE VOICE ANNIVERSARY

Today marks the anniversary of the failed Voice referendum and the finger pointing still continues over why the nation overwhelmingly voted no.

Advocates of the Voice have blamed inherent racism, misinformation and political games for the failure, but have failed to look in the mirror.

A week before the referendum last year I produced a 2-hour live TV special for 7NEWS Spotlight. What struck me as very strange was the Yes campaign’s refusal to take part in the live debate.

This was two hours of prime time TV (which was a ratings winner by the way) but the Yes campaign didn’t see the value in being allowed to talk directly to voters who don’t watch the ABC and SBS. It was this arrogance that, I believe, was indicative of how the Yes campaign behaved.

The No vote might still have succeeded but at least those campaigning in favour for the Voice would have been able to walk away knowing they had done everything possible.

It’s my firmly held opinion they didn’t.

BALIBO 5 ANNIVERSARY

Another anniversary to mark this week is the tragic death of five Australian journalists, known as The Balibo 5.

Reporter Greg Shackleton, sound recordist Tony Stewart, and Gary Cunningham, were working for Channel 7 alongside reporter Malcolm Rennie and cameraman Brian Peters, who were employed by the Nine Network.

The group were covering the Indonesian invasion of East Timor in 1975, based in the town of Balibo.

Their deaths have been surrounded in mystery, with Indonesia officially ruling the men had been killed in crossfire on 16 October 1975. But in 2007 an Australian coroner ruled the men had been deliberately killed by Indonesian special forces.

At a time when politicians are eager to label anything they don’t like as ‘Fake news’, this anniversary is a powerful reminder of the risk’s journalists take to bring us the news powerful people don’t want you to hear.

It can be a dangerous job and these 5 men paid the ultimate price while just trying to do their jobs.

Rob McKnight is the co-owner of TV Blackbox

INSIDE MEDIA will return on Thursday