Channel 7 axes Today Tonight in Adelaide and Perth after 25 years
Channel 7’s weeknight news and current affairs program Today Tonight has been dumped, despite years of ratings dominance in Adelaide.
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Channel 7’s weeknight news and current affairs program Today Tonight has been axed in Adelaide and Perth after 25 years.
The top-rating show, which is hosted in Adelaide by Rosanna Mangiarelli, will air for the final time on Thursday night.
The cost-cutting decision will result in seven jobs being lost in Adelaide but longtime presenter Mangiarelli – who also hosts the local 4pm bulletin – will remain with the network, with the majority of staff being redeployed into local newsrooms.
Today Tonight will be replaced by a one-hour news bulletin from 6-7pm, starting on Monday, in line with Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
The current affairs show has been phenomenally successful in Adelaide, this year claiming a record 750th consecutive weekly win in the official ratings.
“It’s been enormously successful but at the end of the day it just comes down to economics. The feeling was that a one-hour news bulletin would rate higher and cost less than putting out Today Tonight,” a TV insider said.
Today Tonight debuted in Adelaide in 1995 with Leigh McClusky as host, with Mangiarelli taking over the role in August 2007.
In 2014, Seven axed Today Tonight in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, as they moved to a one-hour 6-7pm news bulletin.
Seven’s news boss Craig McPherson said the decision to end Today Tonight was a “tough decision”.
“To end such a successful reign has been one of the toughest decisions but a necessary one as the audiences shift and change along with the economics,” he said.
The news comes less than two months after Seven dumped its flagship current affairs show Sunday Night.
Average ratings, controversial sackings and high costs were said to be behind the move to drop the program, which was hosted by Melissa Doyle.