Who Killed Channel 9’s author Gerald Stone is one of Australia’s best-known journalists: an award-winning reporter, founding producer of Nine Network’s 60 Minutes and former editor-in-chief of the Bulletin magazine. It’s therefore no surprise that he can spin up a gripping tale. But the detailed research and journalistic talent applied to this ‘warts and all’ story are what make it so thoroughly engaging – from the now infamous court transcripts describing Eddie Maguire’s intentions to ‘bone’ current affairs presenter Jessica Rowe to Nine’s flip-flop approach to the hiring and firing of its on-air talent and its behind-the-scenes management (including a series of highly publicised and not always graceful departures).

 

Comments about the highly plausible death of ‘free-to-air’ aside, the overriding theme of this true story is one of a creative private company, chasing ratings above all else, falling under the control of a cost-cutting private equity fund, chasing profits at all cost. Who Killed Channel 9 provides a descriptive window into the Australian business world, not just the television industry, at a time when foreign-owned private equity funds are becoming a growing form of business ownership.