10 News First to launch 90-minute news bulletin with Sandra Sully
10 News First’s new look bulletin is expected to take the form of a one-hour local state-based bulletin from 5-6pm followed by a national bulletin from 6-6.30pm weeknights in a move that will address demand for more localised services.
Confidential
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Network 10 is set to trial an extended 90-minute news bulletin from this week.
The new-look 10 News First bulletin is likely to take the form of a one-hour local state-based bulletin from 5pm followed by a national bulletin from 6pm to 6.30pm on weeknights, in a move that will address demand for more localised services.
Ten would not confirm the format when contacted but did confirm Sandra Sully will stay on as the host of the revamped bulletin.
Hugh Riminton and former Seven Network newsreader Chris Bath — who yesterday confirmed she is stepping down from her evening radio program on ABC radio — are also contenders to host the 6pm national component of the bulletin.
The network’s director of news content Ross Dagan refused to comment on the experiment, which is expected to begin tomorrow.
In a statement, Ten said: “We have decided to take the opportunity of changes to the commercial news landscape along with an intense news cycle to better serve our audiences by offering a quality extended local news service in all states. This is a trial and in the meantime Celebrity Name Game will play on Bold.”
Nine’s director of News Darren Wick said Ten’s 90-minute extended news was unlikely to impact on Nine’s market share and pointed out that Ten dabbled in the extended news space in 2011, when it launched 6.30 With George Negus.
“I wish them luck. It makes sense from a cost point of view. There are savings to be made. News is cheap to produce. And it’s smart from a programming position. When ratings are down, as they are with 10’s game show, revenue will be down too,” Wick said.
“But it doesn’t necessarily make sense in terms of audience size. More viewers won’t necessarily follow.
“From a newsroom perspective, however, the more news and more news bulletins around the country, the better result for our industry.”