Criticism of Channel Nine’s Axing of Adelaide Newsreader Kate Collins: ‘Appalling’

Channel Nine’s decision to axe Adelaide newsreader Kate Collins has been slammed by media personalities and viewers alike.

The popular star was reportedly told her contract would not be renewed and was mysteriously absent from Monday night’s bulletin. 

Collins’ departure from the network after 19 years was met with widespread condemnation this week. 

Speaking about her axing on his FIVEAA breakfast show on Tuesday, broadcaster and journalist David Penberthy said it was a sad day for the media landscape in the City of Churches.

‘I reckon the biggest story in Adelaide right now is the way poor old Kate Collins has been treated by Channel Nine,’ he said.  

‘I mean treated by Channel Nine nationally. It’s a classic example of the head office in Sydney treating us like you know what and, as a result, there’s one fewer South Aussie on our TV screens.’

Penberthy also slammed Nine for the manner in which they reportedly handled Collins’ axing.

‘The manner in which this was handled, I think, was appalling,’ he said. ‘Apparently she only found out in the middle of the day yesterday.’

‘I think this is P-I-double S weak. She’s lovely, she’s really smart, she’s good at her job.’

He continued: ‘Part of this is the commercial squeeze on commercial TV everywhere. Good luck to her and she’ll land on her feet but a crap way to treat a good person.’ 

Former Channel Ten reporter Mark Aiston said that he empathised with Collins’ situation.   

‘When you’re high profile like Kate Collins from Channel Nine – those who watch Channel Nine – feel as though they know her,’ he said on Facebook.

‘And so there’s this sort of empathy and sympathy and I think most people would be feeling for her.’

He said he felt for Collins as there would be no ‘real closure’ for her after 19 years with the network.

‘When someone like that is axed, it would be nice if they were given a night to say goodbye, because there’s no real closure there,’ he added.

Many viewers also took to X in the wake of the news to issue their anger over Collins’ axing.

‘Poor Kate Collins,’ one viewer wrote. ‘She deserved better than that.’ 

Another chimed in, claiming the network was making an error parting ways with such a popular on-air personality.

‘#Nine has made a terrible mistake sacking Kate Collins.  Once again they keep the old men on TV and sack the young women.

Another viewer offered a similar comment: ‘Why is it that Nine sacks women a lot more than men? 

Yet another summed up the sentiment of many with: ‘What gives? Sacking one of the best newsreaders you’ve had right before Christmas?  

‘You want to sack someone, then sack the person responsible for Kate Collins’ termination of her contract.’ 

The decision came as a ‘huge shock’ to Collins, who is said to have been ‘absolutely blindsided’. 

‘She’s heartbroken … she loved the job so much and she never took the privilege for granted,’ an insider told The Advertiser.

The shock move came less than three days after she hosted the network’s Christmas Pageant coverage.

Collins joined Nine in 2006 as a reporter and landed a role as fill-in news presenter on the weekends the following year.

She replaced Rob Kelvin in 2011 and hosted the local edition of A Current Affair.

The news came after it was reported that Nine was looking to slash up to 50 jobs from the television unit.

Staff reportedly received an email from the boss of streaming and broadcast, Amanda Laing, informing them that a consultation period with staff would begin.