Melbourne Weekender

Seven Melbourne relaunches Melbourne Weekender

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They’ve finally realised the hole they’ve dug themselves into on Sundays leading into the news.

Great to see new local content.

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Yes, I can also see some episodes being shown on Saturday Afternoons when Sunday Afternoon Football returns.

Unfortunately, these things take time to repair a stations image, but Seven is on the right track with reconnecting to its local viewers. This should have been relaunched 2 years ago after covid ended.

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https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/04/seven-revives-melbourne-weekender.html

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Anyone have any info on the history of the show?

I can’t find much about when it first started apart from Jo Silvagni being the host in 2005. I found a bit when it was revived in 2015 with Cameron Ling as host.

I know all the Weekender shows were axed in 2020 due to the pandemic but others like Sydney Weekender came back quietly without any fanfare.

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I’m trying to do some research. From my memory, Seven Melbourne had a show called “Discover Victoria” in the early 2000s, this was replaced by Melbourne Weekender in 2005 which flopped against Postcards.

This is my current list (may have forgotten one).

Discover Victoria (2002-2004)
Melbourne Weekender (2005)
Coxy’s Big Break (2006-2014)
Melbourne Weekender (2015-2017)
Mobile Living with Patrick Dangerfield (2018)
A Movable Feast (2018-2019)
The Great Weekend (2019-2020)

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I’m sure Coxy was on-air longer than that, 2004 IIRC?

Was that the one with Jane Bunn and Jack Riewoldt? LOL.

This was a nice little show, wonder what happened to it, the companion radio show on 3AW on Saturday mornings also disappeared. Ross Stevenson was in his element, I think at least once even won its timeslot.

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Yes, didn’t last long as it was axed in 2020 due to staff cut backs around the network.

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Yes, won its time slot regularly. Had two seasons from memory, but both hosts opted not to continue the show.

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Promo just aired during Seven News

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Interesting that HSV/BCM couldn’t produce their own promo for this (Seven Sport/7AFL do plenty), this one looks to have come out of Sydney, including the female network V/O, promo template with supers & end-tag and regulatory bugs.

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News promos are also controlled from Sydney. I believe It’s been like that since 2020 when HSV7s team were made redundant.

You can tell that some shots of Melbourne are dated. The Australia 108 building is only half built in some shots. It would be worth employing some locals who actually know the city.

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That is a bit ridiculous, wonder how much money it’s actually saving and if it’s actually made work harder.

What about GTV-9 news promos/ presentation?

Someone else might need to confirm, but I believe GTV9 still have the capability of doing local promos for news and local shows etc

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Springvale is home to one of the biggest Vietnamese communities in Melbourne, and the hub of the community is a bustling shopping centre that transports you to Vietnam. Gary meets our guide Duncan Lu who takes him on the ultimate Springvale foodie tour. The tour ends with Gary and Duncan’s pick for where to get the best food in the area.

Duncan was one half of Team Vietnam on Seven’s Plate of Origin, on which Gary was a judge.

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Thanks for that info.

I see in Wikipedia that they say in 2005 it was hosted by newsreader Peter Mitchell and then Jo Silvagni. Any idea why he was replaced?

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From what @blackbox mentionrd a few months ago, when he produced a promo, sounds like there is a promo team in Melbourne again. Is that true @blackbox

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I do know that they were advertising for a Seven Sport publicist or maybe general station (HSV) publicist a year or two back?

Wouldn’t be surprised if the incoming new Seven CEO reviews all of Warburton’s major changes/decisions since 2019 and reverts a lot of them, if possible, save for Stokes & Co interference (at least McWilliam is going too)

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From memory, the show lacked personality. Peter Mitchell isn’t the greatest presenter when it comes to Lifestyle programming.

In 2006 Seven was able to bring over Coxy from Nine’s Postcards and offer him his own show. That became a hit and eventually won its time slot.

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