It was a long time coming, but three weeks
after Sandra Levy joined the Nine Network as head of Development, the
Network’s drama boss, Posie Graeme-Evans has resigned “to spend more
time with her family.”

In reality, she was forced out by Sam
Chisholm to give Sandra Levy more elbow room for developing new drama
for 2006 and 2007, because that’s emerging as Nine’s biggest problem.

Posie was the force behind Nine’s only successful drama, McLeod’s Daughters, but was also the force behind the unsuccessful series version of The Alice,
2004’s most successful movie or telemovie. She had a reputation for
being pilot driven, but since Sam Chisholm took over mid-year, nothing
has been commissioned and plenty has been approved then un-approved
because of indecision and financial strains. She was, however, the
driving force behind Nine’s most successful telemovie this year, Little Oberon.

But
while Posie might be aiming to spend some time at home, I hear there’s another
historical novel under way (the third, I think), plus she has Hi-Five to
supervise and make money from (it’s Nine’s answer to The Wiggles) and there are a couple of other projects.

Nine issued this statement yesterday:

The Nine Network today announced changes to its programming
department. Following the resignation of Director of Drama Posie
Graeme-Evans, Nine’s Director of Development Sandra Levy will assume
responsibility for the Network’s drama output. Ms Graeme-Evans resigns
to spend more time with her family. Nine today also announced it was
strengthening its On-Air Promotions Department, with Andrew Peace
joining as Creative Director, responsible for the Network’s brand
management. Mr Peace was previously Group Channels Creative Manager at
Foxtel and begins in early December.