I liked the helicopter intro which was used in Perth until 2010
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I would love to see them upload a full 4:30 News bulletin with David Johnston from this era.
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The Morning News was coming out of Melbourne at this time with David Johnson. This was over the Olympics. Chris Bath was the regular presenter though and production returned around September from the Glass windows.
From memory all national programming was temporarily coming out of Melbourne (August 2004) as ATN were moving into Martin Place.
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While we’re on the subject, here’s some caps of Sunrise’s first show at Martin Place.
Opener:
Views of the set and some outside shots:
Live crosses:
Even the police seem to be interested in what’s going on!
A cross to Melbourne at the desk where the afternoon news was being presented from. The 6pm news at the time was being presented behind that ugly blue backdrop, and then with an image (or what looks like a painting!) of Melbourne.
Some graphics elements that would be used for seven news, and the weather:
And probably the last Seven News promo produced in the old graphics.
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An era of true class at Seven. I want to see a return to that level of professionalism and class in Seven News/Sunrise today but guess it will never happen again.
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Sunrise aired from Athens on the week of 2-6 August 2004 then during the Olympics from the Melbourne studios as the move to Martin Place was underway.
It was also the first time they did a live studio audience. Any caps of the old Epping studios?
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That first night at Martin Place banter between Roscoe & Matt White was so good, it was later used in a generic 15 Second Radio Promo. Couldn’t imagine banter between Fergo & McLauglin being used as a selling point nowadays, that’s for sure!
Let’s be honest, the quality of Seven News’ On-Air Presentation has if anything regressed since the mid-2000s. Sure, there have been several major (and important) technological advances made in the field of television news since the first Martin Place bulletin in 2004 but even though it really should be, Seven News’ current On-Air Presentation isn’t their best ever IMO.
By contrast, their 2004 look is one that would probably still work on modern TV - with a few minor tweaks for today’s broadcast infrastructure/High Definition, of course.
Personally I hope the move from Martin Place to Eveleigh will signal a new era of innovation for the Seven Network’s News & Current Affairs department.
But realistically, unless something completely unprecedented happens I’d probably expect Nine to continue leading the way (from a Sydney perspective at least) while Seven play catch-up.
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David Johnson on the 4.30 News from the twisted metal set?
I didn’t think Melbourne got that until 2006, Johnson retired in 2005.
And it doesn’t look like Sydney, as the big red/blue 7 is not seen in the shot.
More than happy to be corrected on anything.
Also, does anyone have a cap of the Sunrise set up in Melbourne during the 2004 Olympics?
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Melbourne got it in July 2005 IIRC.
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DJ’s final bulletin was facing the newsroom, so they must have been flipping the cameras around and using both sets at once for a bit.
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Nope. He was on the twisted metal set as above for his retirement send off.
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Let me know if you guys want more of this stuff. I’ve got hundreds of them across all networks. And they’re pretty decent quality.
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So great to see this stuff again. Seems like only yesterday it was fresh and we were seeing it for the first time. (Yes I’ve been around here a long time 
)
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No… the 4.30 news came from Melbourne’s twisted metal set from July 2005 to July 2006, prior to production moving to Sydney. DJs final send off was from the twisted metal set.
Sydney kept on using the Melbourne newsroom background on their metal set for another 6 months with Mike Amor, before then moving to The Morning News backdrop which was actually Melbourne’s control room (many referred to this as the pokies backdrop at the time).
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Highlights of 7 News Sydney from 20 July 2004. Last few weeks in the Epping studios
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My bad, it was the projection of the newsroom.
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Here’s something particularly ‘rare’. Mike Amor’s short-lived stint hosting 4.30 news with the Sydney newsroom as the backdrop.
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Mike Amor returned to the US until 2018 before being the weekend Melbourne evening news anchor.
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