Major drama unfolds at Channel Nine as newsreader is seen bursting into tears – shortly after TV network’s new boss arrived in town
- Veteran TV presenter seen in tears leaving meeting with news editor
- Channel 9 Perth on eggshells as new national news boss arrives
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A veteran Channel Nine TV presenter broke down in tears after a conversation with her boss, as tensions run high at the network, which prepares to lay off 38 staff from its news department.
Monika Kos, the beloved Perth presenter who has worked at Seven, then Channel Ten and now Nine since 1990, was seen crying on Tuesday after a meeting with Gareth Parker, the news director of Nine News Perth.
The meeting coincided with a flying visit to the state by Fiona Dear, Nine’s newly appointed national director of news and current affairs, and raised fears among observers that Kos’s scalp could be the first in a wave of resignations.
Although Nine denies that Dear was present at the Kos meeting, staff are believed to be ‘walking on eggshells’ over Ms Dear’s arrival and the announced redundancies at the network.
Monika Kos was seen leaving a meeting with Channel Nine Perth’s news boss in tears, sparking fears the beloved veteran newsreader was the first scalp in the network’s impending layoffs
Monika Kos and 6pm news reader, Michael ‘Thommo’ Thomson, are part of Nine’s nightly news line-up. Nine staff are ‘walking on eggshells’ as network prepares to cut 38 news staff
When Daily Mail Australia contacted Nine about Kos’ tears, the network denied she had been fired.
Instead, a spokeswoman insisted the 56-year-old newsreader was simply “sad” about an issue involving a colleague.
Known to viewers as “Mon”, Kos’s poised and warm voice has earned her a spot at awards shows, sporting events and charity programs.
She was previously the face of the now defunct local version of Seven’s Today Tonight and Ten News First.
Kos now presents Nine’s 4pm news, followed by the well-watched game show The Tipping Point, which provides a useful lead-in to the ratings for the 6pm bulletin.
Nine News in Perth, presented by 63-year-old Michael ‘Thommo’ Thomson, nevertheless lags behind Seven’s evening news, which traditionally has the best time.
The arrival of Fiona Dear, the new Nine Network news and current affairs director, in Perth has caused fear in the newsroom
Monika Kos, 56, (left) is also a Perth personality who MCs sports and awards shows, and there have been concerns about similarities between her and Brisbane newsreader Shayrn Ghidella, 57, who was recently fired from Brisbane’s Seven Network
The drama comes amid bloodshed at rival network Channel Seven, where veteran presenters including Brisbane newsreader Sharyn Ghidella, Gold Coast weatherman Paul Burt and Sydney crime reporter Robert Ovadia have all been sacked.
Monika Kos is married to Australian media ‘royalty’.
Her husband Grant Willessee is the cinematographer son and nephew of former national current affairs legends Terry Willessee and Mike Willessee.