NBN News should use the same theme music that Nine News uses…when the metropolitan network finally updates their theme.
Until then, I say let Newcastle continue using their 2014 theme music because forcing them to switch to theme music which is now more than 10 years old would not be a positive step in the right direction for the bulletin IMO.
A new version of the Nine News theme with elements of the NBN theme blended in would be an interesting idea. Kind of like the 2010 ABC News theme that apparently mixed the 2005 theme with hints of the classic theme.
I like how they “retrofitted” the old style OTS. Looks good 
they used the new Exclusive bug on one of the stories too - small inconsistencies that they really need to adjust
Here’s some caps of the new look from the Central Coast bulletin last night … looks like they took the Newcastle local window live, but had some local Central Coast items in sport.
And it looks like the opener intro has changed, with Natasha now introduced first:
Having watched the montage, it looks like the NBN team may have recreated the supers themselves? The way they animate is different, and some parts look ever-so-slightly different from the Nine News look.
Once again, abesty has delivered the goods. Thanks for the caps & montage! 
If I’m not mistaken, NBN News has for years routinely rotated between the Opening voiceovers (and indeed, the co-presenter who gets to read the lead story) with Paul introduced first on some nights and Natasha on others.
As for the updated elements, having seen the video I like how there’s some subtle animation with the OTS graphics. A few tweaks could be made (like updated “Exclusive” coverup supers and a new graphic for the Closer) but overall, the On-Air Presentation of NBN News has improved/become more consistent with these changes.
Seven News Perth used to do the same. Most of the times Sue would be introduced first, although sometimes Rick is introduced first.
I doubt NBN would have recreated the gfx themselves, rather modified by Nine so that the updated gfx could be used with whatever NBN is using
Admittedly there are some variances including heavy shadowing on some text and a glitch where the NBN News logo is swept over when showing names (0:48 on @Abesty’s cap)
Another boring observation would be the fact that the NBN News transparent watermark has kept the ‘.com.au’ at the bottom, which 9NEWS hasn’t since each market had their gfx updates back in 2016
From the Channel Nine 2019 news release:
This year, NBN News at 6.00pm is once again the most watched bulletin in Northern NSW and the Gold Coast. And in 2019, your local NBN News bulletin will continue to be the one you can rely upon to provide the most accurate and up-to-date news service.
Thanks largely to the sheer size of its heritage Newcastle market. If this region only had the same number of people as the North West Slopes, it may well be a different overall result.
I get the figures daily, NBN sometimes wins up there too. It’s changeable, especially the Northern Rivers. Last night, Nine won all regions.
That’s interesting, and I wonder why so much variation from night to night?
Mind you they have grown there audience across the parts of the footprint where Prime has Local News & this is Due to the fact Prime now make it in Canberra & there’s more & more stories leaking into Prime Local News from Dubbo, Orange & Wagga making NBN’s Newcastle content a tad more local than some of the Southern NSW stuff.
One could also imagine NBN News’ relatively stable presenter lineup helping their ratings. Now while I personally think weekend/fill-ins Jane Goldsmith, Sam Djodan and Kate Haberfield are more “weeknight quality” presenters than Paul, Tash & Mitch, I will give credit to NBN News’ lead presenters where it’s due: Natasha has been co-reading the news for over a decade, Gavin Morris on weather for almost 10 years, Paul Lobb having been in his current position since succeeding Ray Dinneen and the same deal with Mitchell Hughes who’s been the main sports presenter since Mike Rabbitt retired.
Now compare that to Prime7 Local News who’ve seemed to chop and change at least every six months or thereabouts it seems since production of the Northern NSW bulletins moved to Canberra. Including notable fill-in presenters I think the North West/Coast editions of Prime7 Local News have had something like six newsreaders and up to seven weather presenters at various points over in the last three and a half years.
And yes there are various reasons why Prime7’s news bulletins have been something of a revolving door presenter wise, but still that isn’t great for viewer continuity. If a capital city news service had that level of presenter turnover we’d probably have gossip columnists speculating about what’s going in on the newsroom! 
It seems like the early afternoon updates no longer have news headlines in the super:
Used to be like this:
Tash and Paul in Tamworth and will be manning the phones for the Hay Mate telethon tonight.
They had a couple of crosses during the news where they were ad-libbing and were really, really good and not wooden and dull like they are behind the desk.
