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New Ten CEO Warburton: I’ll be announcing departures from the management team

Ten’s new CEO James Warburton has begun his tenure by signalling that he will be firing management who fail to show enough “steel”.

In an interview published in today’s Daily Telegraph Warburton told the newspaper:

“I want to steel some attitudes. Ten, in my eyes, has taken a bit of a back seat and let the agenda be run by others. I’d like much more of a fiercely competitive internal and external organisation. In terms of departures from the management team, I’ll be looking to make some announcements in the coming months.”

Warburton previously ran the commercial operation at Seven and has been on an extended period of gardening leave while he waited to take the helm.

His arrival comes after a poor 2011 for the network which had announced four big new products 12 months ago, none of which succeeded. Reality contest The Renovators drew disappointing audiences, shiny floor show Don’t Stop Believing was axed before it even went to air and Class of 2011 is yet to be broadcast and has become Class of 2012. In addition, the network’s George Negus-helmed national news bulletin launched at 6pm before moving to 6.30 and was then also axed. CEO Grant Blackley was fired.

Tim Burrowes talks to Ten programming boss David Mott and then CEO Grant Blackley just over a year ago:

However, the network did successfully get digital channel Eleven on air, including moving Neighbours and the Simpsons across to it.

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