Mary Kostakidis at war with SBS and Dad’s Army slur

The experienced and highly regarded SBS TV presenter Mary Kostakidis is considering a break with the TV station in part after objecting to elderly Australians being trivialised in a news script and referred to as “Dad’s Army”.

Regarded as the “heart of SBS”, Ms Kostakidis, 53, has also objected strongly to SBS running commercials this year during numerous programs including the news bulletins and has defended the multicultural depth involved in the station.

Despite the efforts by management to attract a younger audience the new hour-long news bulletin from 6.30pm this year is 38,000 down on its average audience of 233,208 last year.

There has also been concern that the new double newsreader format of teaming Ms Kostakidis with Stan Grant – ex Channel 7 and CNN in Hong Kong – has worked to her detriment. SBS observers have said that Mr Grant has now been given the major role and has been allowed to conduct most of the major interviews.

Ms Kostakidis has had a distinguished career as the SBS national bulletin newsreader for the past 20 years and has always retained a well respected position of authority in the country’s media industry. Reports this week said that despite having a three year contract from last February that she was now seriously considering breaking with SBS and seeking legal opinion over her work and contract options.