Editing Eddie McGuire (section)

==CEO of the Nine Network==
[[File:Bruce and Eddie 28.02.20.jpg|thumb|Eddie McGuire and Bruce McAvaney]]
On 9 February 2006, it was announced that McGuire would become the new CEO of the [[Nine Network]],<ref>{{cite news|first=Jesse|last=Hogan|title=McGuire CEO show live on air|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/mcguire-ceo-show-rolls-on/2006/02/09/1139379610820.html|publisher=[[The Age]]|date=9 February 2006|access-date=12 April 2007 | location=Melbourne}}</ref> filling a vacancy created by the departure of [[David Gyngell]] in May 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gyngell resigns from Nine |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Gyngell-resigns-from-Nine/2005/05/09/1115584894573.html |work=[[Australian Associated Press|APP]] |publisher=The Age |date=9 May 2005 |access-date=12 April 2007 |location=Melbourne |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124074910/http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Gyngell-resigns-from-Nine/2005/05/09/1115584894573.html |archive-date=24 November 2010 }}</ref> McGuire had to sacrifice his on-air commitments including hosting ''[[The AFL Footy Show]]'' and ''[[Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Australian game show)|Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?]]'', as well as AFL commentary, for what turned out to be a very short term tenure. According to ''[[Business Review Weekly]]'' McGuire's on-air salary was [[Australian dollar|$]]3.5&nbsp;million a year. Gyngell had earned $1.1&nbsp;million a year by comparison. According to the 2006 PBL annual report, McGuire was reported to be on a $4&nbsp;million fixed remuneration contract.<ref>{{cite web|title=Publishing and Broadcasting Limited Concise Annual Report 2006 |url=http://pbl.republicast.com/ar2006/republicast.asp?page=76&layout=1&control=yes&zoom=100 |publisher=[[Publishing and Broadcasting Limited]] |page=76 |access-date=12 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928042223/http://pbl.republicast.com/ar2006/republicast.asp?page=76&layout=1&control=yes&zoom=100 |archive-date=28 September 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> By May 2006, McGuire had travelled to [[Beaconsfield, Tasmania|Beaconsfield]], Tasmania, to rally [[National Nine News|Nine News]] reporters covering the [[Beaconsfield mine collapse|mine collapse]]. McGuire came out of on-air retirement to host the event, which was broadcast as part of ''[[The AFL Footy Show]]'' (both versions).

Before leaving for the Munich edition of ''The Footy Show'', he announced the elimination of 100 jobs, most in news and current affairs. Despite a vigorous publicity campaign by the CEO these cost-cutting measures severely damaged morale at the network. On one program, McGuire's required job-cuts exceeded the actual number of employees. This raised questions in both the media and within Channel 9 itself about the competence of Nine's executives.<ref name="age"/>

The troubles worsened when an affidavit written by a Channel 9 executive affected by the purges was leaked to the press and Nine failed in its attempts to suppress it. It contained allegations regarding McGuire's treatment of employees. The document's author, Mark Llewellyn (previous head of news and current affairs who has since found work at Channel 7), claimed that McGuire and his staff had told him that he would be forced to "eat a shit sandwich" (accept a dramatic pay-cut). He also recalled conversations with McGuire where the CEO had spoken of wanting to "bone" (reported to mean "fire") [[Jessica Rowe]], co-host of the network's ''[[Today (1982 TV program)|Today]]'' show. Following these allegations McGuire guaranteed Rowe her position on the program.<ref name="age">{{cite news| url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/its-black-and-white-teams-says-eddies-out-of-form/2006/09/01/1156817099211.html | location=Melbourne | work=The Age | title=It's black and white: team says Eddie's out of form | date=2 September 2006 | first=Dan | last=Silkstone}}</ref> McGuire has never denied the allegations. On 6 May 2007, Llewellyn's position was vindicated when it was announced that Jessica Rowe would not be returning to Channel 9.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nine 'bones' Rowe|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/tv--radio/rowe-goes-quietly/2007/05/06/1178390123628.html|publisher=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]|access-date=7 May 2007 | date=6 May 2007}}</ref>

McGuire's decision to force [[Jana Wendt]] off the ''Sunday'' program backfired with the relaunch of the show on 3 September 2006. The Nine Network's switchboard was flooded with an unprecedented number of calls complaining about the new format and hosts.<ref>[https://archive.today/20121230080732/http://www.crikey.com.au/Media/20060905-Viewers-let-Nine-know-what-they-think-of-the-new-iSundayi.html Viewers let Nine know what they think of the new Sunday]. Crikey (5 September 2006). Retrieved on 14 October 2011.</ref> This episode was considered by many in the media as a failure by the 'P-plated CEO' (a term coined by Sydney tabloids) to manage the network in a professional and ethical manner. It also fuelled speculation as to his longevity in his position as CEO of Nine.<ref name="age"/> On 30 June 2007, McGuire resigned as CEO of the Nine Network and took on a new position in programming services as well as more on-screen roles.<ref>{{cite news|first=Dan|last=Harrison|
title='I wasn't given the flick'|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/i-wasnt-given-the-flick/2007/05/18/1178995363893.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=18 May 2007|access-date=18 May 2007}}</ref>