Today show will never beat Sunrise like this

No breaking news, no big interviews, no surprises. The Today show is going to have to work a lot harder than this if they’re to challenge Sunrise, writes Holly Byrnes.

I woke up with the new Today… and two hours in had to check I hadn’t hit the snooze button.

Early starts aren’t my thing, so let’s be generous and put this grumble down to sleep-deprivation.

But honestly, day one of the much-heralded revamped show was such a backward step for Nine at breakfast, it lost more than just its recognisable hosting line-up.

It has lost all direction.

For a program sold on the strength of its journalistic pedigree — bringing in Deb Knight to replace Karl Stefanovic and Tom Steinfort to read news — it was beaten to every major interview of the day by market leader, Sunrise.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on speculation an election may be called early? Not first on Nine, but Sunrise.

Probing NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on another dance party death and calls from parents and experts to try pill testing?

Kochie had called her out and the vision was circulating on social media before Today got a shot away.

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The revamped Today show launched today at the Australian Open in Melbourne. Picture: Today

That’s simply not good enough and any executive worth their salt would be giving today’s show a fail mark.

If all you’ve got in the can by the time curtain’s up on day one of a new show is a soft story on the rules of tennis and not even a sweeping crowd shot you’ve excited enough (or paid, even!) to join your first outside broadcast, you’ve got problems that even a Knight in shiny silk blouse can’t fix.

The positive headlines earned for Nine by casting two women in the anchor roles set them up for greater scrutiny — even if Sunrise beat them to that first too, by last year regularly pairing Sam Armytage with Natalie Barr.

The savage kill on Karl while on his honeymoon, the axing of audience favourite, Sylvia Jeffreys, not to mention the unnecessary shooting of breakfast TV’s answer to Bambi, sports reader Tim Gilbert, guaranteed today’s Today would draw interest and commentary.

The fact no obvious preparation was done, no extra effort put into special stories, deep dives on serious news issues or, I don’t know, breaking a yarn at breakfast instead of reading out the daily papers, shocks me for its conceit and complacency in this competitive news landscape.

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Richard Wilkins with Brooke Boney who replaced him as entertainment reporter on the Today show next year. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Your audience has more than likely checked its Twitter or Facebook feed before turning on the telly, only for you to regurgitate the headlines with little to no new expertise or analysis.

New entertainment reporter Brooke Boney described herself as the “kindergarten” kid on the panel — which included Melbourne sportsreader Tony Jones — who all claimed to be dealing with first day of school nerves.

She’s got time on her side and will get more opportunity to show us what she’s got in the days and weeks to come.

But the older heads at the desk, and those now steering this ship behind the scenes, it’s time to put away the colour-by-numbers call sheet and bring some of that experience to bear on air.

What marks the female-led breakfast shows in the US is the stories they bank after 9am: exclusive interviews, fascinating colour stories, rare gets.

It just means getting up and at ‘em before the opposition, if you’ve got any chance of catching them.

Because sitting behind a desk — even if you’re now bosom buddies — ain’t going to do it.

Holly Byrnes is News Corp’s national TV editor.

@byrnesh

Originally published as Today show will never beat Sunrise like this