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Its almost too exhausting to have to defend, but after the Chaser filmed a sketch involving Today Tonight host Anna Coren at Seven’s studios in Sydney.. “there was a bit of a Mexican stand-off with cameras for about an hour and all these Today Tonight executives went berserk and ran off to the Supreme Court” explained executive producer of the Chaser Julian Morrow.
Long story short Channel Seven have obtained an injunction to prevent the footage being aired on tonights episode of The Chaser’s War on Everything. Today Tonight led with this story tonight (first video) in a piece running for 16 minutes (topping an earlier Chaser story they did for 11 minutes). The story is basically one long interaction between Chas and TT reporter Bryan Seymour where he tries to be as offended as possible by the whole thing, while Chas waits to hear from the ABC’s lawyers and continues to point out the enormous irony of the whole situation.
Whatever comes out of this, the fact is that Today Tonight masquerades as a serious news program while doing nothing more then chipping away at our society and culture with the garbage its broadcasts five nights a week. Its understandable then that a show like Today Tonight, the complete antithesis of the Chaser would be so upset by the success of this amazing satire, that so publicly tears apart the role and significance of tabloid television on a weekly basis.
For more on my admiration of this show check out The Simpson’s War on Everything, or download entire episodes right here.
Update: Read the official response from The Chaser and ABC here.
Update 2: Read the interim injuction granted by the NSW Supreme Court here.
This TT story was such a confusing convoluted journalism mess, no wonder it took 16 minutes to point out one little thing not to mention making themselves look like even bigger wankers. And besides, at the end of the day, who gives a shit… at least ACA has a sense of humour.
But in true TT fashion, they tried to get one back on the Chaser and failed miserably… (Dun doh – wrong move TT)… By going on and on about it they made themselves look like pathetic assholes while at the same time giving the Chaser more and more material to work with…. I swear that show is run by idiots.
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This video really speaks for itself. Once again, they try to undermine the show that reveals them so well, and once again, they fail. Well done Chaser boys.
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You have to admit, them counting Chas saying the word lawyer was pretty funny.
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The TT reporter was absolutely pathetic.. if thats the best journalism they can muster, well then they’ve just proven their worth. That is to say, pathetic worthless journalism… As someone said above, what was the point of their whole story. What in-depth piece of earth shattering information have they unearthed in that report. Zip!
As Jana Wendt said the other day, current affiars use to have a purpose in the old days, taking a serious issue or story from the news, which only had 30secs to a minute air-time, and investigating further. Its a pity so much as changed.
Good on you Chasers for keeping the bastards honest. As for the TT reporter, you appropriately belong there. Better luck next time
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Wow 16 minutes! That’s more than half the show not counting the ads.
And them counting how many times Chas said “lawyer” was a lame attempt to get back at them. They tried to be funny but, as usual, failed miserably. Considering the situation and the questions Chas was asked, using the word “lawyer” was appropriate, and not like, say, Peter Garrett repeating the prase “a jocular conversation”.
Today Tonight have just made their situation worse. Although the ignorant people who watch TT and believe everything they hear will probably think less of the Chaser – to everyone else it just shows how pathetic and childish TT can be (especially by airing a 16 minute self-indulgent piece about themselves, acting as if it’s big news).
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And so the Chaser raps up the season wondering, just why people couldn’t see all the gags on their vodcast due to a horde of idiotic companies fandom witchhunting!
Its satire for goodness sake!
And to answer the post, this just shows how silly Seven is, not taking satire is one thing, going as far as to witchhunt it is another.
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That story went for way too long.
On another note, that was the most boring episode of Chaser I have ever seen. I only managed a few smiles in the entire program.
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Jeez, Why do TT always try to ‘expose’ the Chaser do they have nothing better to report..oh wait…
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That reporter, too, was just so bad. He went a bit too far trying to be friendly and be on their side. I know that people in the public eye are told to play along, and not just ignore the Chaser when targeted, but the reporter was making such bad jokes I’m suprised they aired them. I mean, trying to make them sing on the spot? What does he expect? Was he just trying to get some good material for the story? And all his other lame jokes were just bad.
Oh, and I wouldn’t be suprised if in TT’s promos they used the shot of Chas “looking down the lens”. Although it was quite funny, they could have made it seem like it was something more viscious, and spun everything around like TT do.
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Being a journalism student (from some other country) Today Tonight’s piece is, well, useless. Legally this deserves a court case, don’t you think? TT went around in circles giving Chaser more publicity…
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omg that was hopeless. TT deserves to be cut. that reporter just made the situation worse, and the video was so obviously biased. waste of time and was only a way to get ratings. should post these comments on the tt website lol
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i find lots of things funny, but the chasers arent… thank god we arent exposed to such bullshit in NZ
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Apart from providing further evidence that Bryan Seymour is an idiot (cf. http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s1726065.htm and http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2003995.htm), that report contained a long list of names and phone numbers on the whiteboard in the background which Seven failed to blur.
More here:
http://samuelgordonstewart.com/2007/11/channel-seven-release-journalists-mobile-phone-numbers-in-video-footage
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My god that “reporter” was annoying. He’s like the sort of person that gets murdered but secretly you can understand why!
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Please tell me this doesn’t consistute as part of Seven’s obligation to news programming! If it is they deserve a hefty fine for lack of… news!
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Today Tonight is just jealous of the Chasers cos they have taken their crown as the highest rating comedy show in Australia.
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Oh, and Sean, 7 is a commercial broadcaster, they don’t have an obligation to news…which is why 7 is a joke when it comes to News (as are all the commercials pretty much)
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I wonder where ‘Nick’ is? He is usually along with the latest Channel 7 press release?
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If the commercial broadcasters don’t have to show news, why do they? From what I’ve seen the quality of some of them is pretty poor. Wouldn’t it be cheaper and bring in higher ratings with non-news programming?
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Ryuichi Katsumata – I, too. noticed the list of phone numbers on the whiteboard… I even tried to find Brian Seymour’s phone number…
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Leave Bryan alone, its not his problem he works for channel 7. they are all idiots there. he was much better on One News here in NZ, and I don’t think he would appreciate such comments about him.. you don’t know him so you can’t judge him.. I can email him anytime you know!
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anyway, you guys who watch chasers must be a bunch of pathetic idiots too, they are a hideous bunch of fools, who aren’t even funnier.. id expect better from the ABC.
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Oh Damian. How frustrating for you that 1. There are millions of so-called “pathetic idiots” loving this show, not just in Australia, but all round the world. 2. There are now several countries who have bought the rights to air episodes of The Chaser increasing the number of “pathetic idiots” who think it’s funny. And 3. You’re not very good at English – which might explain why you don’t understand The Chasers humour. Such a shame you have to go through life with so much great Aussie humour going right over your head!!
TT are just making this even funnier than it was originally intended to be. A good indication of how “bothered” the Chasers really are is that they didn’t care enough about the injunction to even defend it. They knew they had a great sketch and wonderful publicity either way – courtesy of the idiots at Channel 7. Love these guys!
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Sean O’Brien – the commercials show news as it actually rates very well – even the TT crap rates really well. That’s probably why they bother showing it.
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Does this mean if Seven or Nine or other network gets in your property without your permission and you caught them, you have the right to own their tapes or recording media?
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damian – I don’t think any of us would have a problem with Bryan as a person. I’m sure he could very well be a top bloke, but we are (or at least, I am) commenting on how he was in the clip. Maybe he was instructed to be like that, but either way the way he presented himself in that report did make me cringe.
And I agree with Andy OZ… where is Nick?
Seriously, though, I would be genuinely interested in what he has to say, as the majority of comments here are very much against Today Tonight (though rightly so, I think).
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Such a flabby over-long report, not funny, clever, informatitive or concise
I can’t believe that a current affairs programme would spend so long reporting about a rival, especially when the end result is that they would have just encouraged people to watch the programme!
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Looking at the Today Tonight clip, and the whiteboard behind them when the argument starts, there are mobile phone numbers of what I’m guessing are all their staff… could be fun…
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Channel 7 have breached the interlocutary agreement. The should be prosecuted for being in contempt of court, but I assume that ABC will decline to actually prosecute. As always, one law for the big companies and another for the rest of society.
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Finally got around to seeing this.
That Today Tonight segment was the worst piece of journalism I’ve seen in a long time! I can see why they did it (if someone annoyed me personally I’d want to have a go at them too) but it was very poorly done
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Wonder when the footage is gonna be leaked?
Hopefully on the DVD
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Would they be allowed to publish the footage on the DVD, though? What with the whole Supreme Court injunction and stuff
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I’d love to see somebody quietly leak it onto YouTube… although potentially this could mean somebody at Aunty losing thier job over it.
So perhaps not.
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Chasers ftw!
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