The Project: What Network 10 boss told staff as show axed after 16 years

While viewers have been dropping off for some time, the reality is that most of the personnel impacted by The Project’s axing this week are those working behind the scenes to keep it afloat.

Speaking to staff on Monday, Network 10 president Beverley McGarvey confirmed that up to 100 jobs would be affected by the nightly news program’s cancellation, and more than 50 slashed.

Insiders revealed to news.com.au that they were made aware of the decision in a four-minute address by Ms McGarvey.

Broadcasting six evenings a week, and with offices in Sydney and Melbourne, teary staff were reportedly told that after 16 years audiences had “evolved and they’re watching different platforms”.

Of the viewers that remained, Ms McGarvey said they weren’t “as well served by The Project as (audiences) were back in the day” and that “we didn’t think we’d ever have this problem”.

She conceded this disconnect was largely due to a shifting media landscape.

“We didn’t think we’d be here for 16 years but as you all know those younger demographics in particular who really made the show … thrive in the beginning have just evolved and they’re watching different platforms and they’re watching different services,” she said.

“For those reasons, unfortunately the show just doesn’t stack up any longer.”

The Projects’s regular rotation of daily panellists has recently included Sarah Harris, Georgie Tunny, Sam Taunton, Waleed Aly, Steve Price and several others.

However, long-time fans might recall the inaugural hosting panel of Charlie Pickering, Carrie Bickmore and Dave Hughes.

Comedians Tommy Little and Peter Helliar also enjoyed extended stints and were largely well-received.

In wake of the news, Harris joked that she may need to find work on another platform.

“I’ve had a blast but it’s time to take a breath and spend some time with my boys ... keep an eye out for my OnlyFans page!” she said.

Polarising host Waleed Aly suggested the show was a trailblazer, saying, “The projected kicked down the door of how news could be done”.

Ms McGarvey reportedly said that network executives had been considering the decision for “years”, declaring “unfortunately we’re at the point now where it just doesn’t make sense”.

She added that making the decision mid-year would prove easier than in summer when changing audience habits would be more challenging.

Replacing The Project in the 6pm time slot would be an “extended national news” program, catering to the audience that exists in the current free-to-air environment.

On Wednesday, the network announced Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace would host the addition, titled 10 NEWS+.

The reporting line-up would also include Political Editor Ashleigh Raper, 10’s Entertainment Editor Angela Bishop, and several others.

Acknowledging the burden tens of staff would be left with, Ms McGarvey contrasted the decision to axe The Project with other more temporary programs that had been dumped over the years.

“Because of all those reasons, the show getting cancelled after 16 years is much more difficult than shows that we normally cancel after three seasons or five seasons or 10 weeks or whatever it is, so we appreciate that this is difficult and you’ll need time to think about it,” she said.

June 27 has been set as the show’s final night on air.

Sharing the news to the program’s official social media channels on Monday, the announcement was met with a flood of negative responses, including cries of “did people actually watch this?” and “been flogging a dead horse for years”.

The vitriol didn’t sit well with panellist Steve Price, who defended the program as having a balanced take on news despite accusations to the contrary.

In a Herald Sun column earlier this week, Price wrote: “Those ignorant people doing the ‘glad they got sacked’ dance over the cancellation called the show woke and leftie.

“Hello, I am the exact opposite of that description, and have been there from almost the start.

“Show me that sort of political balance on any ABC TV show – you can’t.”