Nova’s baffling PR strategy for ‘the Kate Ritchie problem’… and a very senior figure goes nuclear over our scoop: INSIDE MAIL
Network publicists are a funny party. “So nice to meet you,” they tell us. “Call us at any time,” they tell us. “We are always happy to take on your call.”
That is of course, until we call them about something they don’t want to talk about (which, not surprising, happens quite often with Inside Mail).
And so it was with Nova last week after Kate Ritchie had had a very public collapse.
We initially contacted Nova via e -mail … but it seemed that their server had to have fallen because our questions were not only unanswered – they did not go.
So we tried to call. Then text. And no word was heard.
Now we don’t have any dramas with Ritchie. On the contrary, we are big fans.
We are obliged to ask Nova: “Is everything fine with Kate?” Unfortunately Inside Mail did not receive an answer
What is more, we 100 percent believe in the former Home and Away Star’s right to privacy … Private.
But when a headline Brekky radio presenter … who has more than a million dollars a year … and acts on her public profile … is seen back and forth … and cries in a very public park …
Well, then we are more than obliged to ask: ‘Hey guys, what’s going on here? Is everything okay with Kate? ‘
In particular, when an important public personality, who is a registered person about her problems with alcohol dependence, is spotted with stopping at a bottle store after she has been sick for her first week back at work.
In the days after our scoop, Kate issued a statement and acknowledged that she was in a bad place and asked for privacy.
Her colleagues in Nova, as well as hosts at rival radio work, also offered their sympathy and criticized us for publishing the story in the first place.
Although they are entitled to their opinion, it all feels very ‘shoots the messenger’.
Of course, let’s completely ignore her problems and not report it because we liked her as Sally Fletcher from Summer Bay.

When Inside Mail reached out to Nova to ask about the well -being of Headline Brekky radio presenter Kate Ritchie, it seems that their server must have fallen …
Please. Sweeping things under the rug never causes problems, right?
Make no mistake, this is serious things and will be seen as an important drama for the top brass in Nova.
While we are talking about Nova, we hear that the episode of Ritchie is not the only drama that takes place among network managers.
We hear that there was a hell to pay after Inside Mail revealed that the staff had received a company-wide e-mail last month in which they were advised that they did not have to celebrate Australia Day on January 26 if they felt uncomfortable to do this .
Instead, they were very welcome to work on the national vacation and to take a day of their choice instead.
It turns out that this kind of Namby-Pamp nonsense does not completely fly with everyone on the network … and an important, very senior identity was especially furious to hear about the internal e-mail … and, worse, to about it from us to hear.
Read the full edition of Inside Mail tomorrow, excluding for e -mail+ subscribers. Last week’s column can be found here