High profile taxpayer-funded journos who have gotten the big golden offer from Willoughby – and accepted.

Max Uechtritz quits Aunty for the Packers

Channel Nine, aka the Packer family home video show, has not shied away
from raiding the ABC when it suits it. The latest recruit is Max
Uechtritz, the man who stared down Jonathan Shier and made a good fist
of running ABC news and current affairs.

The rumoured $500,000 a year package could see Max making decisions
such as whether to replace Ray Martin with Ellen Fanning and how to
outbid Today Tonight in tabloid TV’s cheque book journalism wars. Then
again, it appears the role may be restricted just to news and doesn’t
cover “current affairs”.

Uechtritz follows a long line of ABC luminaries in selling out to the Packers. Check out his list of other ABC defectors:

From Aunty to Nine:

Paul Barry – former ABC heavyweight moved to Witness on Channel 7 and back to the ABC for Media Watch and then Channel Nine.

Danny Blyde – the ABC reporter was pinched from ABC News and lasted around a decade Nine’s Sydney newsroom before leaving.

Richard Carleton – began at the ABC, but defected to Nine over 17 years ago.

Ellen Fanning – former ABC reporter who was being groomed for
big things at the ABC, and who may very well achieve them at A Current
Affair. Fanning became the first woman to present a national ABC
Radio current affairs program, when she was appointed compere of the
ABC’s PM in 1992. She later hosted AM and was the national
broadcaster’s Washington DC correspondent during 1997-98. At Nine she
has worked as a reporter on 60 Minutes and as a reporter for A Current
Affair.

Allen Hogan – began his career at ABC, before taking part in Nine’s original Sunday program.

Mimi Kwa – started at the ABC as a cadet and after a short time (a
matter of months) defected to Nine News and then ACA . Interestingly,
her bio on the Nine website makes much of her short career at the ABC.

Peter Luck – began his career at ABC, before taking part in Nine’s original Sunday program.

Paul Lyneham – the late great Lyneham is another former ABC alumni who ended up at Nine.

Ray Martin – started out at the ABC and was a reporter on Nine before hosting Nine’s Midday for nine years and then ACA for five.

Jeff McMullen – left the ABC for 60 Minutes, but parted
company with Nine over issue of serious journalism – or the lack of it
(he’s not mentioned very much these days by the carpet strollers on the
third floor at Willoughby – as Ray Martin so famously described the
executive class at Channel 9).

Ali Moore – was the ABC’s China correspondent in the early 90’s before leaving for Nine’s Business Sunday program.

George Negus – has been here, there and everywhere, but started at Aunty where he looks like finishing.

Andrew Olle – began his career at ABC, before taking part in Nine’s original Sunday program.

Sheryl Taylor – went from the ABC to become one of the better hands in Nine’s Sydney newsroom.

Max Walsh – began his career at ABC, before taking part in Nine’s original Sunday program.

John Westacott – former executive producer the ABC’s 7.30 Report went to Nine’s 60 Minutes.

Charles Woolley – former ABC 7.30 Report, went to Nine’s 60 Minutes.

Niners at Aunty:

Emma Alberici – the ACA reporter left Nine to front ABC TV’s morning business program, Business breakfast.

George Negus – From Aunty to Nine and back.

We’ll try to keep updating the list so send your contributions to boss@crikey.com.au