"It would appear that [a guy who was fired from radio then fired from City 7] is not the only recent loss of what was Dubai's only attempt at an independent local television station.Any TV tarts out there willing to spill?
"Following his termination with immediate effect, it now appears a number of higher-ups have "jumped the proverbial ship" before it really and truly goes under. Anyone have the inside scoops?"
Wednesday, 8 August 2007
InTV OutTV
A reader is curious about the comings and goings at City7:
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56 comments:
What do you mean by "goes under"? Money problems or just talent leaving?
If its money problem I expect they are still regretting that massive launch party at Buddha Bar.
"Talent" leaving. Did they have any to begin with? Take a look at the imaginatively titled "That Woman's Show". You couldn't find a group of more uncharismatic and totally forgetable presenters if you tried. And don't even get me started on Good Morning Dubai. City 7 was a great idea and certainly has legs, but needs some professional guidance and love to make it work.
And re the Buddha Bar launch, its Dubai all over. Style over substance. They would have done better to plough the bar bill into programming.
Why can't I vote for XMess on the radio poll?! Your poll is meaningless if I can't vote for Xmess! Xmess is a great product in its own right! He he he he he
I have to admit that Good Morning Dubai is staple getting-ready-for-work viewing in my household. Some guests are fun, most are droll time-fillers, but it's the best effort I've seen out here so I'm sticking with it out of glass half full principle. They have the (very) occasional OB nowadays, so things are progressing, sort of. Oh, and they even have a new set! Besides which, they always get the gremlins causing havoc, which certainly livens things up once a show!
so, who left???? and why???
City7 is rather embarrassing. No kidding when I say a few of my kids school plays have been better entertainment. Is a motley crew dipping into Daddy's big bank account and playing with an extremely expensive toy? Summary: continue to purge the big-egos and bring on the beef. Sorry, just won't watch it.
And in response to anon, earlier:
So? What's the scoop, then?
Basically, Binhendi has no business running a TV station, he won't listen to the advice of anyone with any credibility that he has hired. Between sackings due to "restructuring" (read: hiring Indians to work for lower wages) and resignations by the genuinely good people in there, they are haemorrhaging staff like there's no tomorrow. Another fine success story for the Dubai Media. City 7 is making Emirates Today look slick and professional.
Er, anon 8:56 u sayin C7's recently departed "chief" had credibility but no-one would listen to him?
Hope that's not what you meant.
Poor choices? Maybe recently departed Chief repeated a-la-stuck-record Big-Promises-&-Claims then whistled in same A(hole) Team and of course accelerated predicted failure.
What gets some of us is the ego: remains defiant and rampant. Said Buddha Bar production proves it. That was a false audience. Personally after a career record like that I really wouldn't hang around.
It's a square pin in a round hole so if u short don't play basketball, dude. Join a rowing club or team Groundhog Day 'coz obviously the cap is never gonna fit.
Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians. Collateral damage high. How is it that one man can systematically move through these companies barking "You're fired!" before his tenure collapses? Who does he think he is? Donald's Skunk? The whole thing stinks.
for those of us out of the loop please namew this pewrson whop has been fired so we can undertsand thr stpry a little better.
It's persons, not person who has been fired. There isn't enough room on my screen to list the number of people who have been fired from City 7. The place is a total farce.
Sadly a case of yet another bullshitter!
Why doesn't this country learn that backgrounds should be checked before employing 'senior management'.
In a place where ex-pats far out-weigh locals, an english-speaking channel had the potential for success of at least channel 33 standards (not hard)- and in the beginning made Emirates Today an embarassment. The tables turned!
Too many cooks definately spoiled the broth!
(1) local hires experts to set up a station (2) local decides that now station is up and running he wants to "play" with it (disregarding any commercial objectives) (3) experts protest (4) local fires experts so he can play with his shiny new multimilliondollar toy all by himself.
Secretdubai. Are you Defending the Caveman aka recently fired 7-Boss?
He always has some beef with the locals but only after shimmying up to that (name) & parading the (name) to one and all reminding us who he knows (name name name).
You trying to say it was everybody else's fault he pontificated ad nauseum on air on 103.8 and subsequently got fired that same day? (name name) ?
Bets were out that he'd be fired from C7 and when I left Buddha Bar Bonanza I knew it would be a matter on months.
Not before firing great staff, intimidating, humiliating and belittling others who had been at C7 long before him. Typical.
Nahhh, your support doesn't wash. He's a name (twat).
secretdubai - yes, it's called emiratisation; and can be glimpsed across many big Dubai companies to similar effect.
Nahhh, your support doesn't wash. He's a name (twat).
Not him - he didn't set it up. The guys before him who actually did. The guys that were forced to swap popular expat series like Men Behaving Badly for sumo wrestling and coverage of his friends' weddings (filmed by the news crew).
Actually I don't think the sumo happened, but not until after some poor bastard had spent weeks trying to source it before that whim was over and the next one began.
But the guy you mentioned was by all accounts an arse. He also fired talented people, some of whom have been asked back by the new new new management. (New new new new if you count BH's brief hands on stint as well).
Background checks on senior management? Ha! Nobody cares out here. So many people are here because Dubai is the new Hong Kong, a place to go when you've failed and fucked up in other places. Just as there was the FILTH - Failed In London, Try Hong Kong - we now have FIST'D: Failed In Sydney Try Dubai and FILTER: Failed In London, Try Emirates' Reality. There is at least one person here who is both FIST'D and FILTER.
secretdubai: One before him used too much hairspray. Had some things in common with his successor: fear and insecurity. Both fear good ideas, popular people and blast advice. The last one feels advice shows him up (as the loser he is). A well-disturbed control freak.
So new new new management as you say seems to have gone Full Circle sans BBC's Michael Palin. Back to Bollywood or Back to the Future.
Anon 11:56 another for said individual above. Hmmm, fairly apt pun too:
FIDDLE Fails In Dubai Doesn't Last Ever.
Can I ask one thing? I am a journalist and want to get a job in the UAE. where is the best place to start?
Jennifer,
Probably not on this website, which is populated almost entirely by bitter, failed hacks who've been fired from more jobs than you've had hot dinners.
The best advice, assuming you're genuinely looking for a job and not trying to make fun of some of our unemployed colleagues, is to find a publication you like the look of and contact them directly.
do the city 7 good morning dubai presenters look really bored of their jobs recently, or is it me?
used to be ok, if not the best. now just looked half asleep
jennifer assuming your chosen language is English you may try Arabian Media Group, City7, ITP, Motivate AMEInfo 7 Days Gulf News Khaleej Times XPress for starters. Assuming your investigative journalism talents are neither dormant nor tarnished you'll discover the above and more on a simple Google search. DMO doesn't come up immediately on Google so mefinks you may know the blog well? Refreshing question tho and good luck. We're mostly 30-something bitter has beens probably now eeking aliving out of motor-sport or property.
anon 13:49 don't watch C7 or else I'd also be asleep.
anon 13:01 I know the guy everyone is talking about. Good one but try Fiddler on the Spoof!
what is the name if the person whop has been fired. why the silent mystery
now i know. a friend over there confirmed. he got instant marching orders 31 July after destroying morale purging staff nicking credit being arrogant firing everyone and is allegedly claiming "they were all fired by idiots". still claims to be an expert. expert in denial probly.
I completely agree with SecretDubai, the only mistake Dave Marshall made was to be naieve enough to believe they were going to let him run it once it was developed. Love him or hate him the guy clearly has ability, whether that is technical ability to do the job himself or the ability to bring in the right people to get the job done is irrelevant.
With the expansion in tri media in the UAE this is not the last we will see of him i am sure.
my experience of dealing with dave marshall was that he was very much in the mould of another former aussie tv sheikh - the legenday sam chisholm who ran channel 9 sydney for many years before putting sky on the road to financial success.
like sam marshall was a tough negotiator and a hard tasmaster but was fair and loyal to those people he valued - and was very good at building teams, and television is all about teamwork not about some egomoanical entrepreneur thinking its his own private train set, escpecially a man with a proven personality disorder and very dubious financial morals. working for arabs can be a nasty shock to the system !
To 09:53 & 12:14....
The same genius (your description) has been fired 4 times and has fired 4 times as many good people. Go figure. Good luck Tri Media Dubai.
Getting fired is no barrier to success out here. Neither is charged with a criminal offence, or sexually harassing colleagues, or just being an utter twat or talentless, incompetent muppet.
Anonymous 09.00
You are talking about Anal Bhoil again aren't you?
sandybin: dr david livingstone-cold in person i presume? god help us.
Anal Boil is just one of many, many people who could fit that description.
HA HA HA. Doctor David Living Stonecold!!! U r so right there. No it's not about ANABOLIC it's "MARTIAL ART". Martial Farts. Had to be him posting about his great self because no-one else thinks that other than the good doctor himself. HA HA HA u made late shift worthwhile just as I thought the subject was beginning to bore me. What a twat.
First time posting! So be nice ;-)
Did you know this InTV OutTV blog is getting attention via sms? Couldn't resist a perve. Like anon before me, spewed my coffee all over the monitor reading up laffin. He wrote the book on How to Win Enemies and Lose Friends. I worked with the idiot too but was fortunate enough to have stayed out of his firing line. Hardly spoke to him. He's got a side-kick at AMG so heads up. OK I'm done posting.
oh so BH wanting to show his friends weddings was the reason for Mr Marshalls downfall was it?
Nothing to do with shite cooking and sport programmes repeated on a way to regular basis - agh yes but at least he went personally to New Zealand to buy them.
Such an expert - although his friends in NZTV would beg to differ..
And there was the trip back to Oz every three weeks....
So how much money did he raise in revenue for the station? He and his 'excellent' sales and marketing team? At least that's what AME info would have had us believe
You are all see you next tuesdays
So whats the new new new line up at 7?
Hey guys, thanks for the advice! I have tried most of them but I will try Arabian Media Group, City7 and ITP.
I know the blog well, I often find blogs give you better news here... (!)
Anil Bhoyrul does seem to get a fair old kicking on this site it seems,would you have us believe that it is down to his personal love of the ladies and criminal record that forces you to write so negatively or is it something else perhaps? Perhaps it is because the guy actually makes you look like the lazy hacks that most of you are. I remember when he first arrived at ITP and strolled into the then smoking room on the 11th of the month having put Arabian Business to bed. What do i hear you cry, that can't be right, we need to look miserable from the 15th till 23rd as we are under so much pressure to get this thing done and work such long hours that we must have bags of sympathy from the entire company for our committment to the cause blah blah blah. THE reason you dont like this guy is he actually gets on with the bloody job and shows each and every one of you that knocks him to be the lazy,bitter,untalented fools you are.
Er, anon 12:24. Not sure if you've noticed or read all comments above but this particular page is and has always been in reference to InTV-OutTv. The perpetrator discussed here is not A B.
It's about CITY 7 (ex INTV) and the latest f-ups by the egotistical twat fired 31 July 2007. Or perhaps you're trying to deflect attention from the TV buffoon to have everyone confused?
so whats the prognosis for city 7 now. does it need a fresh injectio0n of ex-pat talent ?
amazing how anon at 11 August, 2007 08:56 seems to think that
"restructuring" (read: hiring Indians to work for lower wages) and resignations by the genuinely good people
are mutually exclusive.
so who are those seven that run this site again?
who's the hard-assed blonde newsreader on city 7 who's perpetually squinting at the teletype? makes lyse doucet look like miss world.
how do you know she has a hard arse. personally i considere that to be a good physical quality and far superior to a lardy wobby arse.and whatsit got to do with her professional abilities.
city7 has great potential. BIG it up everyone.
I am a casualty of City7. The "new face of Dubai television" burst onto the city's horizon in (dictatorial) grandstanding style by thrice-fallen "expert" with an expensive newspaper campaign that fell flat on its face amid fanfare, whistles and promises of "professional programming". Our media campaign conveniently excluded longer-term strategy that saw loyal and good staff flung onto the street. What's up with that? EGO. Local owner is not the one who made the promises. It was hard-punching sales talk a.k.a. BS by a totally incompetent, frustrated and blind ego-maniac that levelled the station.
Serious question: ANYONE a clue as to why he hangs around Dubai? He claims he was "brilliant and successful" outside Dubai and "commanded respect". I see. (Not.)
err anon @ 17.48 do read anon @16.57 and wind your neck in.
And please don't tell me that only the subject matter on the homepage is only ever discussed by you under achieving lot....next you will be saying emirates toad is any good and RVS isnt from stoke on trent.
anonymous 16:04. Suggest YOU read anon 16:57's post again. He said nothing about DMO HOME page. Specifically states THIS PARTICULAR PAGE (i.e.: story / post / article or comment). Emirates Road is a nightmare and personally I couldn't give a rat's arse comparing anything to Stoke on Trent. Take your gripe-water and calm down.
Snippet from Axegrinder in Press Gazette - anyone know any more about said new paper in AUH?
Martin heads East to conquer new land
Posted by Axegrinder on 10 August 2007 at 08:00am
So there is, after all, life after being editor of the Daily Telegraph. Word reaches me that Martin Newland, appointed editor of the Telegraph by Conrad Black to replace the excellent and able Charles Moore (who is now a Saturday columnist on the paper) has left these shores for Abu Dhabi and is to set up a new English-language daily paper there.
Newland resigned from the Telegraph in November 2005 after battling it out as editor for two years. He gained plaudits for keeping a steady hand at the title despite having to contend with his boss being indicted for fraud, a strike and a lengthy and disruptive sale process.
Axegrinder hopes he faces calmer seas out East.
Oh, and apparently he's looking for journalists to join him.
yeah, he's already in situ and on the look out for uae-based talent. it should be interesting to see if abu dhabi makes a better go of it than dubai.
I would imagine Newland would be a great draw which is probably part of the reason they have gone so big. To be honest can you really see a guy of that calibre filling his front pages with junk from WAM and having editorial policy dictated to him....errr nope. You might get away with that for a time with Jason Leavy but not Newland....i have 5 chips that says he's gone within a month of launch. Any takers..?
In reference to the fired man in question, from City 7, I heard only hoorible things about him. Fired from his old job, and hired lots of employeses from previous radio job and even forced some on air so as to brag to radio. Heard he was authoritative, verbally abusive at times and that he desperatly needed to take anger management classes. He had a reputation as a real A hole. Not only did he fire good people, but people were resigning weekly just to get far away from his authoritative and abusive rule. Apparently, his treatement of staff was dicatated on whether he had a use for them.
A true egomania and a big liar. Changed his story every minute.
The channel isn't anything to brag about, although like anything, it has potential but he is defintely a huge disgrace.From what I hear, employees were over the moon after hearing he was immediately fired. So much so that ex employees came back immediately. I heard he's addicted to checking these blogs and even anonymously writes about himself here.Also, apparently
there was another major spineless idiot just below him. He got to such a high ranking position by default. People say he was the type of person that if trapped on an island for weeks would be the first to become a cannibalist.
I am curious if this guy is the same one who has now been covering a show on Dubai eye? Or if there is another compulsive egotistical lying twat who worked for city 7.
The man in question was liked by some and not by others in the office. Yes, he could be all you're saying but he could also get things done. He had every reason to want to make things work which is a hard ask when you've got a tight arse who's out of his depth in trying to own a TV station controlling the purse strings. I'm yet to be convinced that the change over of management will be for the best, for starters there's already some poor treatment of staff going on. Not very reassuring.
City 7 still has an insufficient budget and a dire lack of equipment to make anything of itself. The best staff have gone and those who remain have been told to "stick to what's written on the press release" (wow, top journalism). I hear staff are having to fight to get paid what they've earnt only to be told by the new head that he's too busy to deal with it. Dubious dealings indeed.
I love blogs - especially media ones! They give all those who know absolutely nothing about the issue in hand, in this case television, a voice! Previously all we had to endure were journalists!
For the record - before City 7 there was INTV - anyone who knows even the slightlest thing about the television industry will know it was utter shite! Hospital radio at its worst, translated in all its techniyawn glory onto your screen.
Then came a new management team and behold City 7. Sadly, the new management team and those after them; and now those after them had to battle with constant 'guidance' from the owner, and oh lack of any financial investment - the wonderful belief being it's possible to reap the rewards before making the investment. Show me a business school that teaches that principal...
In other words, it's like being given a Mini but not the keys yet still being told to get from A to B. Oh and when you get to B, trade in the Mini for for a Ferrari. Go figure...
As for the characters involved thus far... again anyone who knows anything about television, will know what an opportunity City 7 presents, sorry presented. I'm sure all concerned, talented and even the less talented(!), recognised the opportunity and the challenge and believed they could make a difference.
Under different circumstances, perhaps they might.
But then this is Dubai...
the overwhelming message across all threads in this blog is that if you choose to live and work in Dubai you need to get out of the place on a regular basis. The negativity here however factual, is tainted with bitterness which tells more about your unhappy state of mind. If you are seeking satisfaction try looking closer to home. Take a deep breath, look at all your options and make a move.
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