More changes in news production in Newcastle and Darwin.
NBN News has moved from live studio presentation to a pre-recorded format as of today.
According to newy.com.au the presenter will pre-record introductions to individual stories throughout the day. Those segments will be assembled alongside the completed reports into a playlist for broadcast in the 5.30pm timeslot.
Friday marked the final Live bulletin directed remotely from Brisbane before a Newcastle control room at NBN’s Honeysuckle studios takes over today. But graphics are expected to be supplied from WIN’s Wollongong operation.
The studio is understood to retain the ability to go live when required, including for breaking news and live crosses to special events, such as Knights games.
NBN originally produced its news and controlled its television playout from its Mosbri Crescent studios, where broadcasting began in 1962.
Newy reports NBN News name will remain, but Nine’s familiar dots will be removed from the branding as the programme adopts graphics consistent with WIN News.
In June WIN insisted the 5:30pm bulletin would contain more local news than the current one-hour program. NBN’s journalists and camera operators have reportedly struggled to cover stories following WIN’s staffing cuts, often relying on vision provided by councils and third parties, particularly when colleagues are on leave.
Meanwhile WIN News Darwin newsbreaks begin today on Channel 9 on the WIN Network, ahead of a full half-hour local bulletin at 5.30pm each weeknight. A launch date will be announced shortly.
Andrew Lancaster, CEO, WIN Network, said, “For the first time, the WIN News brand has a presence in every state and territory in Australia. This is a significant moment in our network’s history and reflects our commitment to investing in local journalism. This milestone reflects the dedication of our people across the network and a shared belief in the future of local news. It is a proud moment for everyone at WIN and demonstrates what we can achieve when we invest in our people and the communities we broadcast to.”
Stella Lauri, National News Director, WIN Network, said, “This is a powerful demonstration of the vision WIN has for the future of regional broadcast news. It reflects our belief in the importance of local journalism, the communities we serve and the role regional television continues to play in keeping Australians informed and connected. Our Darwin team will bring that approach to its reporting, supported by the experience of colleagues across our network. As we prepare for the full bulletin, our focus is on delivering relevant, reliable coverage of the issues that affect people’s lives and keeping viewers informed about what is happening in their region.”
WIN Darwin Manager Steven Shervill added, “Seeing WIN News on air in Darwin today is an exciting step for our community and brings us another step closer to delivering a full half hour local bulletin for our community.”
The Darwin expansion brings WIN News to 23 half-hour bulletins at 5.30pm each weeknight, supported by 26 newsrooms with locally based journalists and camera operators.