Tonight is likely to be Wendy’s last 1 News bulletin with Simon Dallow.
All the best for the future, Wendy.
Tonight is likely to be Wendy’s last 1 News bulletin with Simon Dallow.
All the best for the future, Wendy.
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Sucks to say but they didn’t do a farewell message to Wendy on her last bulletin tonight 
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What a waste of 14 years. No send off or anything. I know Covid would’ve impacted her send off but they didn’t even acknowledge she was leaving. Pretty sad really
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Let’s also acknowledge Chris Chang who I believe has also been replaced. Nothing said about his last broadcast in the sport presenter role too
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1news, completely unbelievable not to farewell Wendy and Chris, yet Haley got her 5 minutes this morning. Hope viewership votes!
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What a kick in the guts to not be recognised. 14 years in the main gig and that’s it? I don’t care if covid dominated the news they still did sport and weather why ignore it. Poor Wendy
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I disagree guys.
It wouldn’t have been a great look if - an hour after lockdown measures were extended, affecting livelihoods across NZ - 1 News rolled out a celebratory/farewell package of a newsreader (admittedly one who has also lost her job to Covid measures). It just would not have fitted in the tone of the bulletin.
They did sport and weather because they are vital parts of a bulletin. While it’s sad Wendy didn’t get a proper send-off, these are crazy times and sometimes you don’t get to do the sentimental thing.
I’m sure they’ll make up for it at some point when appropriate, whether that be on 6pm or perhaps a segment on Seven Sharp and as I alluded to last night, I understand her days on the 6pm bulletin are not actually over just yet.
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Agree a lengthy farewell package wouldn’t have been right tonight but I don’t think anyone could take exception to a minute or even just 30 second acknowledgment from Simon at the end that it was Wendy’s last night as his co-host?
Really poor from TVNZ imo.
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Yes, fair call
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A bit premature to farewell her tonight. Back on Wednesday presenting the 6pm bulletin. Hopefully they will incorporate the farewell package when things die down a bit.
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TVNZ’s late change: Wendy Petrie staying on 6pm news during alert level three
https://nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=12356728
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Good to hear Petrie is staying on over lockdown. Hopefully TVNZ will see how much she means to Kiwis watching!
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I was just reading more into the article by NZHerald. The “red” “blue” team will come back into place for 1News at 6. Regular hosts will host Breakfast with Melissa Stokes and Anna-Burns covering for news whilst permanent is found. 1News Tonight will go off air temporarily again, as long as Level 3 is in place.
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Should be Wendy on breakfast
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If Mediaworks can keep all there News Bulletins on air then I don’t see why TVNZ has to rest Tonight surely they can manage the late bulletin as well or have the late bulletin produced outside of Auckland where its level 2. If only the Wellington or Christchurch Newsrooms had a news set to use.
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It wouldn’t matter if either of them had a news set, it’s about the staff available to produce it. Tonight has very few resources, which you’d think would make it easier to keep going, but when you are trying to put together a mirror team to keep the flagship 6pm bulletin on air (and supporting content to the daily briefings), as well as Breakfast, Midday and Seven Sharp, it becomes obvious which one to cull and where those staff can move in the interim (the logic being that if one group has a Covid case, they’ll essentially all have to go into isolation so the other team can step up).
I agree, it’s not ideal to have it off and it’s a free pass to Newshub in that slot. But, as the national broadcaster they need to ensure continuation of service. (Not saying Newshub don’t have to do that, but there is a certain responsibility that comes with being TVNZ).
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I understand the points you are making but still can’t see the rationale behind this decision. Why can’t TVNZ follow Newshubs lead, Newshub produces the same amount of news product/daily briefings as TVNZ and even airs more rolling coverage such as today’s coverage starting at 4.30pm and yet they can still air a late news bulletin. Newshub acts more like the state broadcaster with its extended coverage than TVNZ at times. I guess I should be greatful that Newshub Late will continue.
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Newshub operates with a lot less resource than TVNZ does so is probably a bit more nimble and adaptable than their colleagues “over the road” and have often done things on the smell of an oily rag. My understanding is resourcing for comparative shows is way less at Newshub than at TVNZ. It probably makes it impossible to mirror what TVNZ has done, so they are instead splitting floors etc in offices etc.
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I agree with you Leo, especially when a lot of Newshub’s rolling coverage is basically non-commercial (it’s flagged as such in their rate-cards, which probably means scheduled and paid-for ads get aired somewhere along the line, but there’ll be no freebies).
Back on topic…
It is a bit of a shame TVNZ can’t throw in some young budding journo’s and production staff and do a cut-down version of the 6pm bulletin.
Can TVNZ control that sort of thing from, say, Wellington or Christchurch, where restrictions are obviously a lot less strict?
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