NBN News

I’m pretty sure viewers in central and gold coasts are well
Aware they get two feeds of channel nine. It’s been that way for decades. I think they know one is Sydney and one is Newcastle. So when they see two different news’ services it’s not that much of a leap
To get your mind around

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The first step would be to devise something appropriate for the graphics similar the GC local news, even if it was NBN. I did a very quick mock to give an idea - it’s supposed to be a map of N-NSW :slight_smile: I’m sure someone with local knowledge can suggest some better graphic options.

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why not just add 9 News Central Coast

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I doubt that Nine would care too much as to which Nine News people are watching, just as long as it’s one or the other.

The main reason to keep the NBN brand is for local advertising. Management needs to make it as easy as possible for the sales team to get the local butcher and Nissan dealership to pay a premium for news spots.

As noted, a huge number of viewers in the NBN market can pick up TCN or QTQ, so keeping that difference makes it clearer and a bit easier for the sales team to sell. You’d be amazed how confused some viewers can be. I heard a lot of people in Canberra thought the new Nine bulletin was just a new host on WIN.

As a side note, CTC Canberra had all the local reporters back announce stories as “Ten News” to match the network. Even though for five years the local bulletin was “Capital Eyewitness News”.

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Don’t disagree - but why would it be harder for ad sales to sell ads in “9 News” than “NBN News”?

Ad rates are set do to ratings -and presuming those don’t change under a rebrand (why would they)

Also presume clients understand it is local news. SO not sure how it would affect ad sales?

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Have you ever walked into a butcher or local hair dresser to explain that? Local advertisers are just not that savvy.

Years ago I worked in country radio making ads, the clients would come in and listen to the final product. Then they’d say, things like:

  • “Great, put it on the air now, I want to hear it”
    “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until your paid slot madam”
  • “will this go on during John Laws? or have I booked the FM kids station?”
    “You’ve booked run of station sir, for next month, so I have no f-ing idea”
  • “I hate that woman who comes on in the afternoons, I don’t want my ad to come on then!”
    “I think that’s the ABC your talking about, we don’t have female announcers in the afternoon at the moment”
    “Well, whenever she’s on, I don’t want my ad there!”
    “I can guarantee your ad won’t air on the ABC”

I’m not saying 9 would be harder to sell, it’s just a clearer distinction as NBN. By that I mean an easily recognisable live and local product. At least in Newcastle.

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Fair enough. I’m not sure local advertisers in Newcastle are less savvy than those in Sydney or Perth. But anyway…

Also presume, NBN told both local and national advertisers about the rebrand to Channel 9 - and presume they are aware and understand.

I’m sure there is a plan in place - just taking their sweet ass time

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They sure are taking their time!

But then when Nine bought NBN back in 2007, 9 years was long enough as it was for the inevitable rebrand to take place (given when Nine bought Channel 8 Darwin, their rebrand happened the following year).

They should follow SCAs lead and launch it as “9 News Newcastle” with Paul Lobb and Natasha Beyersdorf.

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As someone who worked in a small business, bosses just don’t have the time to deal with TV and radio. They’re trying to make ends meet.

This is why Facebook is really easy and I’ve seen lots of small businesses skip straight to it from having no advertising at all. Just set up your own page, post once or twice a week and then pay a small amount a week to push your business up the feeds.

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No, they’re not less savvy in Newcastle. And I’d be saying exactly the same thing if Nine Sydney was about to change their 6pm broadcast to “TCN News”

But TCN is basically a completely unknown brand to consumers. 9 News is not.

Wow, mate, it was a hypothetical. I only ever speak from my own experience. I outlined the only clear benefit of retaining the NBN brand in the news. It may not be the reason the Exec team has kept it, but it would be helpful to the sales team, believe me.

The NBN brand is nearly 60 years old, and has a good halo. It’s a lot to throw away.

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I see the benefits of keeping the NBN News brand. I also see the benefits of moving to the 9 News brand
I’m just not seeing how it would hit ad sales in a negative way. But I agree the are other benefits to having it - and on the flip side there are benefits to moving to 9 News brand.

That said - there would also be benefits in keeping the station as NBN and not Channel 9 - but that change happened almost a year ago now - and we have seen basically zero negative impact. It seems to have gone completely unnoticed by viewers, advertisers an the industry.

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You don’t think anyone in Newcastle noticed NBN disappearing? Seriously?

You don’t think sales reps would have to explain at all that even though NBN News is now Nine news, it’s still local and still worth paying a premium for?

Your either misinterpreting my comments or determined to not to see another point of view.

I never said there would be an overall negative impact on advertising revenue. I simply said it would make the job of reps harder.

There would have to be a lot of reassurance the news is still local and not coming from Sydney.

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Indeed.
Given the branding of the station is now Nine they may as well go ahead and rebrand the news, but with lots of new promos & radio ads, etc. emphasising that only the name has changed, but it’s still the same product.

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I completely agree that if there was ever to be a name change from NBN News to Nine News, the network would have to a lot of emphasis on only the name changing and nothing else. Infact, Nine could probably spin the change as something which will strengthen the Northern NSW service (eg, local stories content on 9News.com.au along with the current state, national & international news) if they were clever.

The move to new Newcastle studios will probably be the best time to pull the trigger, signalling the end of the NBN News era for good and the start of a new chapter in the news service’s history as Nine News Northern NSW (well knowing Nine’s regional strategy elsewhere, the actual bulletins themselves would probably be titled locally as Nine News Newcastle, Nine News North West, Nine News Mid North Coast and so on).

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Should be with Chris White and Jane Goldsmith but anyway.

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Ad idea:

Here at NBN News, our dedicated news team has been delivering the news that matters to you for over [x] years. As we move to our new studios at [x], a new era of local news begins. Welcome to Nine News [localised region subline]. Your full hour of news by the top news service in [Local region name] will now be supported by Australia’s best local and national news network; available on air, online, and everywhere in between.

See it first, on Nine News [localised region subline].


Yes, Nine may not be the top-rating service in all of Australia, but NBN News is the top-rating bulletin in NNSW, and it’s not like networks have never BS’d their position in the ratings to appeal to the viewer.

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I would much prefer if NBN News used Cool Hand Luke as the theme if they ever make the transition to the Nine News Brand but of course it’s good thinking!

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