NATIONAL NINE NEWS

'''National Nine News''' is the news service of the Australian Nine Network. It has traditionally been the most popular service in the country, however in recent years the Seven Network's ''Seven News'' has become the highest rating evening news service on a national basis.
Its flagship bulletin is broadcast daily at 6.00pm. Individual, local bulletins are produced in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Darwin . In Adelaide and Perth ''National Nine News''-branded bulletins are produced by WIN Television, owner of the two stations there.
The Sunday editions are the highest rating news bulletins in every capital city in Australia (except Perth).

Contents

Bulletins

National bulletins

Today

Morning Edition

Afternoon Edition

Nightline

Online bulletins

Nine News Now

Local bulletins

References

External links

Bulletins

National bulletins

Today

Main articles: Today (Australian TV program)

''Today'' is the network's breakfast program, shown from 6-9am weekdays. It combines talk, entertainment and human-interest stories as does rival program Sunrise. ''Today'' is hosted by Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson. Georgie Gardner presents half-hourly news updates with Cameron Williams (sport) and Steve Jacobs (weather). Richard Wilkins and Hollywood correspondent Richard Reid report on entertainment stories.

Morning Edition

''National Nine News: Morning Edition'' is a national bulletin shown at 11.00am weekdays, presented from the network's Sydney studios by news presenter Wendy Kingston and finance presenter Joanna Townsend.

Afternoon Edition

''National Nine News: Afternoon Edition'', introduced in 2004, is a national bulletin broadcast at 4.30pm weekdays, presented by Kellie Connolly. Nicole Livingstone presents sport from Melbourne, while finance is presented by Karen Tso, and weather by Majella Wiemers.
Nine plans to scrap the Afternoon Edition and make a 5.00pm News program with Ray Martin, in an effort to try and get a strong lead into the 5.30pm slot and a get a better rating ''National Nine News'' at 6.00pm. ^[1]

Nightline

Main articles: Nightline (Australian TV series), Nightline


''Nightline'' is the network's late news bulletin, shown at around 11.30pm weeknights, depending on what precedes it. It is presented by Michael Usher, and features a range of reports covering news, sport, finance and weather, sourced primarily from National Nine News, but often also A Current Affair and foreign news services such as ITN. Stephanie Brantz presents sport, Karen Tso presents finance, and Majella Wiemers presents the weather.

Online bulletins

Nine News Now

''Nine News Now'' is an online bulletin recorded at 3.00pm weekdays, and released an hour later presented by Kellie Connolly and finance presenter Karen Tso. The service began in 2006 and can be seen and downloaded at ninemsn.com.au and as a vodcast.

Local bulletins

Sydney

''National Nine News Sydney'' is presented from the network's national news studios by Mark Ferguson, with Ken Sutcliffe presenting sport Mondays to Fridays and Stephanie Brantz presenting sport on Fridays, and Majella Wiemers presenting the weather, filling in for normal presenter Jaynie Seal, who is on maternity leave.
Mark Ferguson succeeded Jim Waley in 2005 as the bulletin's main presenter. Waley had been the longest serving presenter at the time, following the retirement of Brian Henderson.
Mike Munro presents on weekends, alongside sport presenters Stephanie Brantz on Saturdays and Ken Sutcliffe on Sundays. Mike Munro and Michael Usher are regular fill-in presenters.

Melbourne

''National Nine News Melbourne'' is presented from the network's Melbourne news studios by Peter Hitchener, with Tony Jones presenting sport, and Livinia Nixon presenting the weather. Weekend bulletins are presented by Jo Hall and sport presenter Heath O’Loughlin.
Brian Naylor presented National Nine News in Melbourne for 20 years, (1978-1998). Following his retirement, he was succeeded by Peter Hitchener as weeknight news presenter, while Jo Hall took over Hitchener's existing position as weekend presenter. Melbourne's bulletin, along with Adelaide, uses an older version of the "Cool Hand Luke" National Nine News theme as a result of an initial decline in ratings following its early-2006 relaunch.
Brett McLeod is the fill-in weekend presenter for the Melbourne news service, with Christine Ahern the fill-in sport presenter. Carolyne Randoe presents the weather in place of Livinia Nixon over the summer or as a fill-in.

Brisbane

''National Nine News Brisbane'' is presented from the network's Brisbane news studios by Bruce Paige and Heather Foord, with Ian Healy presenting sport, and Joseph May presenting the weather.
Melissa Downes is the weekend presenter for the Brisbane news service, alongside sport presenter Steve Haddan and weather presenter Miranda Deakin.
Wally Lewis was the weekday sports presenter until December 2006, when following an on-air incident, it was found he had epilepsy. It is currently unknown if he will return to presenting sport. ^[2]

Gold Coast

''Gold Coast News'' is presented and produced from the network's Brisbane news studios by Jillian Whiting, with Eva Milic presenting the weather.
The bulletin was presented from news studios on the Gold Coast until July 3, 2006, when production was moved to Brisbane.

Adelaide

''National Nine News Adelaide'' is produced from WIN Television's Adelaide news studios by Rob Kelvin, with Kym Dillon presenting sport, and Keith Martyn presenting the weather from the Met Office. The Adelaide bulletin was notable for having the last remaining all-male co-anchor lineup (with Kevin Crease and Rob Kelvin), which ended in early 2007 after Crease's death.
Georgina McGuinness is the weekend presenter for the Adelaide news service. Mark Bickley presents sport and Xavier Minniecon presents the weather.
Throughout the 1990s, Deanna Williams was the main fill-in presenter and state political reporter however. She was stood down when she refused to cancel a holiday which clashed with a state election. Either Kelvin or Crease would fill in for McGuinness on weekends, but in 2005 the situation arose where all three presenters were unavailable, and weekend sports presenter Mark Bickley had to read the news. Since summer 2006, Sonia Madigan has presented occasionally.
Tory Grey fills-in as sports presenter, while Ali Carle from local radio station Mix 102.3 occasionally presents weather.

Perth

''National Nine News Perth'' is produced from WIN Television's Perth news studios by Dixie Marshall and Sonia Vinci, alongside sport presenter Michael Thomson and weather presenter Natalia Cooper.
The Perth bulletin is currently the most poorly performing National Nine News bulletin in Australia, typically holding third or fourth place. This is commonly attributed to the popularity of rival station TVW-7's ''Seven News Perth'', which regularly attracts over 100,000 viewers more than ''National Nine News Perth''.
Perth's National Nine News bulletin remains the first and only Australian news bulletin to have two female anchors, Dixie Marshall and Sonia Vinci. They are also the faces of Nine Perth's general operations and promotions.
Sharlyn Sarac is the weekend presenter for the Perth news service, Mark Readings presents sport.
This bulletin is also screened on WIN Television throughout Western Australia.

Darwin

''National Nine News Darwin'' is presented from the network's Darwin news studios by Jonathan Uptin, with Lisa Andrews presenting sport.
Tim Arvir is the weekend presenter for the Darwin news service, which comprises local news and sport, then national news presented taken from the network's Sydney bulletin presented by Mike Munro.

References

1. Martin approached for a new Nine News program
2. Lewis making good progress, says wife

External links

★ National Nine News Site

★ National Nine News at the National Film and Sound Archive