I know you just crave my opinion so here it is:
With Sunrise experiencing a 16,000 viewer increase last week on the week prior, the suggestion (usually found in the Ten News thread) of a straight-forward, fast-paced news bulletin at breakfast will not work, particularly when the 6pm News is starting to litter its bulletins with lighter stories. The people who oppose breakfast television don’t understand its unique genre; a mix of the latest and overnight news combined with feel-good stories to kick-start your day. A breakfast show should be like" a well-informed neighbour coming over to chat to you in the morning" [Morning Glory, 2010]. You will be aware that if you wake up on ‘the wrong side of the bed’, this negativity shadows your day.
Content:
Perhaps this is the greatest area/scope for improvement when you compare the two shows. I would strip it right down into three categories (like Boland did with Sunrise in 2010): news (5.30-6.30, 7.00-7.30), debate/opinion/feature stories (6.30-7.00, 7.30-8.30) and entertainment/lifestyle (some at 8, 8.30-9am). Allow Extra to focus on Entertainment and Weekend Today to pick up the lifestyle/consumer stories.
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Keep- What’s Making News (two social commentators, not one) , Today’s Agenda (maybe move it to 7.30), Front Pages, Week in Politics, Your Health (make it a weekly segment), Today’s Hero
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Reintroduce- Girls on the Grill (important to have female specific opinion/issues), Money Minute, the extended 7am news block for 20-25 minutes.
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Introduce- Sports Talk ( depending on the season, have specialists/commentators), Quote of the Day, On this Day (Follow up on story’s previously covered), Behind the Headline, Your Story, This Week’s Issue (one major news topic for the week discussed and debated with experts), Global Dash, What’s Happening Around Australia (like The Project’s Metro Whip-Around), Your Guest (daily Celebrity interview), live daily music performance.
One thing Sunrise does it entertainment every hour. Personally, I don’t think that is appropriate but if the ratings suggest otherwise, maybe implement them.
I would also suggest moving the segments around ie. Today goes live when Sunrise is on a commercial break, move sport to 6.20 (not directly against Sunrise’s).