So, if you decide to spend some time on YouTube searching for old news openings (or am I the only one?) or you’re a bit older than me, then you will remember this retro 80s stuff:
Channel Ten’s news was branded “Ten Eyewitness News” and had quite a few good journos there – Anne Fulwood, Juanita Phillips and Ron Wilson. Then in the mid-1990s, they turned into “Ten News“, and it looked like this (from 2000):
They have had a few tough years, lost (or sacked) a few goodies and despite desperately trying to have a breakfast show, they failed. Possibly because people didn’t like the presenter from New Zealand who, in my humble opinion, was a bit of a pain. However, they’ve kept some of their political reporters and anchors for years, like Paul Bongiorno and Hugh Riminton. Not to mention Sandra Sully, who is best known for her rolling coverage of 9/11 during what was the late news, and turned into 24-hour coverage that lasted several days.
In the last few years they have hired some journalists of excellent calibre, such as Hamish Macdonald, who hosts Ten Late News.
They’re not bad to look at either.
Anyway, Ten’s decided to get serious about their news, shown by the fact that between 5pm and Midnight on weekdays there are four regular news programs, including a repeat of The Project. They’ve also recently started a show called Revealed with Hugh Riminton. So that makes five news/current affairs programs on Thursday.
Now that Peter Meakin (Head of News for Channel 9 and Channel 7) working for Ten, it looks like they’ve gone back to the Ten Eyewitness News brand. They’re launching it today (Monday 16th September) and Ten is really promoting it.
However, it isn’t all smiles today, with the news that Hamish Macdonald is leaving Ten. He tweeted to his followers today:
https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/379401105374855169
https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/379401234970451968
https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/379401326964129792
https://twitter.com/hamishNews/status/379401392407863296
No-one really has any idea where he’s going after the short break, but it looks like there are a couple of offers on the table, including from some international broadcasters. He’s an excellent journalist and very smart, good luck to him. His last Ten Late News will be on Thursday September 26. Here’s hoping that the ratings don’t fall too dramatically after he leaves…
Kara L 