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[Laney]

(I found this quite amusing, being quite a bit of a fan on frontline...)

Right on auto-cue

September 9, 2003

Fade to grey: The former host of Frontline, Mike Moore. Digital mischief: Harry Afentoglou

The TV industry was rocked in 1997 when Mike Moore quit Frontline. In a Guide exclusive, the former anchor breaks his silence.

First up, Mike, why did you decide to leave Frontline?

I remember the exact moment. Lisa McCune had just beaten me for the Gold Logie. I thought, all she does is read what someone writes for her - what a joke. A couple of days later I said, 'If this is the direction of television, I don't need it.' Unfortunately my accountant said I did, so I stayed until the end of the year.

What did you do?

Dropped out, basically. Got back to the simple things in life. I rented a farmhouse and lived there for a year.

Where was the farmhouse?

France. They had a beautiful word for the farmhouse - chateau. I saw it on Getaway.

Catriona Rowntree was raving about it and she rarely does that.

What happened then?

After a year, I was ready to get back to work and I could smell opportunity.

Television?

Nuh - been there, done that. Webcasting. I invested in an internet broadcasting company and we launched a 24-hour cyber-talkback current affairs channel.

How did it go?

We had a lot of teething problems. We kept complaining to Telstra that our show's going out to 2 billion people worldwide and yet we can't get a single call through. They kept pointing out the difference between available audience and actual audience and it just got too technical for me.

Did you have an on-air role?

Five nights a week. Well, I say nights, but if you were watching in Toronto it would have been morning.

Were people watching it in Canada?

I said if.

What was the show?

A one-on-one interview program, Moore is Less. There were no celebrity puff pieces, no stars on the sell. A lot of people likened it to Larry King, others to Parkinson and Clive James. But that was the truly original thing about it - we stole ideas from all of them.

What happened in the end?

Eventually my program got axed. By the receivers, actually.

What do you think about the chat shows going around TV today?

They have their place, but occasionally you know you could do the big, important guests better. I still don't think anyone's done the definitive Rose Porteous interview.

What did you do then?

Pay TV. I had offers from Foxtel and Optus but in the end I chose Australis. I was very proud of the work we did and I ended up working with a lot of people I'd worked with in the past, including the receivers.

What's the CNN connection?

They'd been after me for years to do a Pacific Rim business show but I wanted to do something about music and entertainment, so we compromised and did a business show with live music called Moore Money and Music.

Was it successful?

Very, if everyone who could watch the show did, you'd have an audience of more than 700 million people.

You had an audience of ...?

I said if. After that I just needed a sabbatical. I didn't want to be one of those high-profile people who loses perspective and ends up talking about themselves in the third person, so I knew that Mike Moore had to think about what Mike Moore needs for Mike Moore.

What did you do?

Charity work. After so many years of Mike Moore this and Mike Moore that I really felt the need for Mike Moore to take a back seat and make Mike Moore about people other than himself. And that's what I've done with The Mike Moore Foundation, which provides ocean-racing opportunities for underprivileged Point Piper residents.

And you've a keen interest in art?

Again a chance for it to be about someone else and that's what we've done with The Mike Moore Collection of Contemporary Art, which was recently described as "one of the most interesting collections in the country".

By whom?

The Australian Taxation Department. It's the tall-poppy syndrome.

When you look at the current affairs landscape today, do you see Frontline as a pioneer?

Frontline pioneered so many brave new frontiers. In-depth interviews, for example, many of which ran for up to three minutes. We also proved it was important never to back away from controversy. Sure, a lot of so-called experts were sceptical about the medical benefits of the Wonder Bra, but we still ran with the story. Most of all, I believe we were always ahead of the pack. Pick up a paper today and you'll read about Australia's national obesity crisis. What people forget is that 10 years ago we ran our expose on binge-eating babies. Where's the credit?

What is Brooke Vandenberg up to these days?

I don't see that much of Brooke. Sadly, she was forced to leave the show for professional reasons (she was over 30) and we haven't really spoken since. I did hear she was working on a pilot for a medical lifestyles series called Surprise Makeover, in which people going into hospital for minor surgery would wake up to discover they'd been given a facelift or breast enlargement, but for some reason it never went to series.

And what about Martin di Stasio?

Once again, we don't see all that much of each other. Sadly, alcohol became a real problem for Marty during the mid-'90s. He was taking a lot of long lunches and arriving back at the office quite clearly inebriated. This greatly affected the quality of his work and in the end the network had no choice but to move him into the programming department.

Are you still in touch with your friend, weatherman Geoffrey Salter?

Funnily enough I did see Geoff just a few weeks ago. He was broken down on the side of the road and fortunately didn't see me, which just goes to show the value of tinted windows. But seriously, we remain the closest of friends. We still love the chance to get together and talk about me.

Finally, Mike, how do you feel about your return to Foxtel?

Delighted. And there's a real need, too. There are just so many new diets, the present shows can't possibly handle them all. I think we can play a part.

One final word?

Mmmmmm.

Repeats of Frontline are showing on Foxtel's The Comedy Channel on Tuesdays at 9.30pm.

Click for article and amusing picture

[Ginger_bread_gurl]

Me and my Sister LOVE Frontline. I'm so glad that it's on Foxtell now.

[Mythor]

I was actually gunna watch tonight's episode... but someone is already watching the Foxtel.. dunno what. Something that isn't funny, though.

The picture was a bit dodge, I thought. They should've taken a look at what Rob looks like now, then put the Mike Moore hair on top.
It's not like wigs go grey, after all.

[Laney]

they sooooooooooo need to released frontline on DVD. *nods*

nothin but gay