Nightline (Australian TV program)

Nightline was an Australian late-night news bulletin television program produced by Nine News for Nine Network. Introduced in 1985 as a 5-minute late-night news summary before becoming a 30-minute bulletin in 1992, it was cancelled in 2008, then was brought back in 2009 before it was cancelled again in July 2010. It aired at around 11:30 pm on weeknights, but was not shown in Perth or Adelaide. Nightline was previously presented by Kellie Sloane. Its main competitors were Ten Late News and ABC News's Lateline, both of which aired prior to Nightline at 10:30 pm.

Nightline
Created byNine News
StarringJim Waley (1992–2001)
Hugh Riminton (2001–2004)
Helen Kapalos (2004–2005)
Ellen Fanning (2005–2006)
Michael Usher (2006–2008)
Wendy Kingston (2009)
Kellie Sloane (2009–2010)
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons18
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkNine Network
Release24 June 1992 (1992-06-24) –
25 July 2008 (2008-07-25)
Release30 November 2009 (2009-11-30) –
2 July 2010 (2010-07-02)

The series was patterned after the version that airs on ABC (US), but that one is different from the Australian counterpart even though at one point both versions used the same opening graphics, which both no longer use.

History

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In 2007, Nightline was also broadcast at 10:30pm on Nine HD, an hour before it was broadcast on Nine SD. This only lasted for a short period of time, however.

Nightline was axed on Friday 25 July 2008 due to budget constraints as part of Nine's news and current affairs division.[1] Wendy Kingston presented the final edition.

In May 2009 during the major expansion to the Nine News brand, Nine's Late News bulletin was re-introduced into the 11:30pm time slot left vacant by Nightline. Nine's Late News, presented by Wendy Kingston, was first broadcast on Monday 4 May 2009.

In November 2009, Nine's Late News was re-launched as Nightline. However, after declining audience numbers due to increasing sporting commitments with televising Friday night NRL (in the northern states) and Wimbledon in June 2010, the Nine Network permanently retired Nightline. It was replaced with sporting telecasts and more "youth" programming that is borrowed from sister networks GO! and GEM, including the continuing of national-produced comprehensive half-hourly news updates presented by reporters who are on shift and is produced from the Willoughby news studios, if reporters are from Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth must travel to Sydney to present the news updates. Nine offered Kellie Sloane a redundancy package.[2]

Presenters

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At the time of Nightline's 2010 axing, the presenters were:

At the time of Nightline's 2008 axing, the presenters were:

The past presenters of Nightline are:

Other past fill-in presenters of Nightline included:

Format

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Nightline consists of news, sport, finance and weather. Reports were sourced mainly from Nine News reports nationwide, but the bulletin sometimes also includes reports from A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and international news services.

Presentation

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When Nightline returned in 2009, it was presented from the Today set. However, only one camera angle was used, being the plasma screen showing a live night-time shot of the Sydney skyline. The program was presented from TCN9's "Studio 3". The backdrop is now of the Nine newsroom. The set is also used for the Early, Morning, Afternoon News bulletins.

In 2006–2008, Nightline's opening sequence used the same generic city buildings of the National Nine News opener, except that they were shown at night instead. Nightline also used its own arrangement of the National Nine News theme.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Nine Network takes axe to news shows". The Daily Telegraph. 25 July 2008. Archived from the original on 8 February 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2008.
  2. ^ Overington, Caroline (2 July 2010). "Nine axes Nightline program again". The Australian. Retrieved 2 July 2010.