Fuckwits and dopes. Or is it just Leckie being Leckie?
So are media agencies fuckwits and dopes?
That’s one of the more entertaining comments to emerge from James Warburton’s affidavit about the views of Seven boss David Leckie.
If you’ve half an hour spare, give it a read via the link above (the good stuff starts on page 27). It’s obviously just one person’s version of events, but it’s still a compelling insight into life at the top of a TV network.
Perhaps the most talked about section – at least inside media agencies this week – is the exchange between Warburton and Leckie, after Warburton told him he was off to Ten.
Reading it I thought Warburton does stick the boot in – there’s discussion about Leckie’s inability to embrace magazines/digital/integrated (a big claim considering Leckie is about to run Seven West which is a multi-channeled media concern) … claims reporting into him is/was embarrassing etc, that Stokes went behind Leckie’s back straight to Warburton about progression and roles. If that isn’t damaging to a CEO not sure what is.
Can’t see how Leckie can survive this – investor concerns will be significant.
Any media buyer who objects to be called a fuckwit by David Leckie is just singling themselves out for special treatment.
don’t be too hard on Leckie, he is the last of a great breed
If he did say that…..I wonder what oppinion he has on those of us who take their advice ?
Some of them are though. This isn’t something new, fk wits are everywhere agency AND media side.
I worked with Leckie and yes he is a larger than life character and does use very colourful language when you talk with him.. But to be honest i always knew deep down he was a Fuckwit. These comments attributed to him don’t come as a surpise.
I used to have respect for him, now i just think he is a dope.
One man does not rebuild a Network, it took a team. That team seems to be falling apart. Or maybe they are tiring of the one trick magician and bully boy tactics.
I cant believe this comes as a surprise to anyone
its Dallas without the oil
who’s gonna get shot i wonder, by who
perhaps its a bit unfair…I know a media buyer who is ok…..actually on second thoughts he’s a bit of a wanker at times…..
…….He’s right! HOLD THE FRONT PAGE!!!
Harold calling James an arsehole…. that’s priceless
What a great read! One question though – how on earth did James Warburton recall all those conversations he had so precisely? Seriously, can someone please enlighten me?
Thank-you Leckie! You’ve said what everyone thinks but can’t say it!
I think you Helped point out that they are not gods gift to business and a media buyer who makes $60k a year is earning a 1/3 of a good salesperson! Booking monkeys!
@Po…there seems to something on your shoulder.
Hopefully as you mature you’ll see the bigger picture of the media business.
For the moment, just carry on being that angry little man who takes solice purely in the size of your pay packet.
I’d rather be a fuckwit than a total stupid fuckwit. Leckie, what an idiot – but it’s the dollar movement off the back of that talk that will count. Not the committed stuff, but the fluid money, which ads up and will clearly move away from seven
After reading james Warbuton’s affidavit and, if you take it to be what actually transpired, I want to know what he actually did?
All of his comments are around how ‘others’ (being Kurt Burnette and Kerry Baker) prepared all the budgets, did all the rate cards, negotiated all the deals, held all the external meetings (bar one relationship meeting with the Aegis Group), ran all the network sales meeting and kept all the notes as James didn’t need to as he had complete faith in his two dept heads.
He didn’t question them at all, he didn’t oversea what they negotiated, he didn’t attend meetings (except ones on Kerry’s boats!), he didn’t get involved on a day to day/weekly or even monthly basis with what was happening, he didn’t or couldn’t have retained any confidential or operational information ‘cos he wasn’t included in that level of the business….so what did he do????
Not bad for $2.2M or $42K per week
To the poster who wondered how he remembered the conversations, he would have taken contemporaneous notes.
People do that when they know they are being “stitched”.
d
Gives new meaning to the term “swearing an affidavit”
@Doughboy
Thanks – he must have known he was being “stiched” for quite some time
They’re not all bad – however a number should lift their game – as I’ve written in my blog ‘Advertising agencies, digital agencies, web developers & printers – you need to understand government’s online requirements’: http://egovau.blogspot.com/201.....ncies.html