MasterChef hosts’ exit to hit revenue, viewers

Original article by Zoe Samios
The Australian – Page: 7 : 25-Jul-19

Nunn Media MD Chris Walton says the Ten Network’s ratings and revenue will be affected by the departure of ‘MasterChef’ judges George Calombaris, Matt Preston and Gary Mehigan. Nunn adds that sponsors of the reality-TV show will be "sceptical" about a new team of judges for the next season. Ten is parting ways with the trio after failing to reach agreement on a new pay deal. OzTAM figures show that the 2019 season finale of ‘MasterChef’ attracted 831,000 metropolitan viewers, compared with 1.126 million in 2018.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NUNN MEDIA PTY LTD, OZTAM PTY LTD, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED

At $200k, celebrity chef got off lightly

Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 22-Jul-19

Attorney-General Christian Porter says that amongst other things, the federal government’s review of the industrial relations system will look at whether the penalties for underpaying wages are sufficient. He says many Australians would agree with his opinion that the $200,000 fine to be paid by celebrity chef George Calombaris was lenient. More than 500 employees at Calombaris’s restaurants were collectively underpaid some $7.8 million over six years. The ‘MasterChef’ judge says the majority have now received backpay.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Celebrity chef underpayments triple to $7.8m

Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 19-Jul-19

The Made Establishment restaurant business of celebrity chef George Calombaris will pay staff more than $7.8 million in back pay under an agreement with the Fair Work Ombudsman. The amount is more than triple the $2.6 million that Made Establishment had estimated in 2017 that it might owe, while it will also pay a fine of $200,000. Unions have criticised the modest fine, while Hospo Voice union leader Orlaith Belfrage, who worked for Calombaris’s Hellenic Republic restaurant, says he should be taken off reality-TV program ‘Masterchef’.

CORPORATES
MADE ESTABLISHMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, HOSPO VOICE