I totally agree, this would only take a few minutes and these days SAS could simply email it through and it could be tagged on to the front of the pre-recorded GTS/BKN bulletin well ahead of time! I can only imagine it’s down to the ‘bare minimum’ attitude at SC in Canberra. Most of the management there have never worked for a station that delivers quality television - SC has always been a ‘cut costs and sell spots’ business. I imagine it’s strange for the staff in Watson to suddenly be working in a business aligned with the top two networks, yet they haven’t quite caught up with the on-air presentation. It’s no wonder Nine banned the use of “Southern Cross” on air!
I’m hoping the changes in Launceston will mean good things for GTS/BKN.
Speculation my friend. I’m suspicious of SCA’s investment in Tas after they couldn’t find a buyer for the studios in Launceston - particularly as the CTC studios has its days numbered.
There were no local content requirements at all until SCB and Prime took an axe to their newsrooms in 2001. ACMA works like most peak bodies and is a responsive entity, based on changes to the environment. They don’t provide extensive regulations on scenarios that have not yet occurred (more’s the pity).
Unless I am mistaken, WIN produces “local” news updates for RTS 5a and SES 8 in lieu of the full bulletins that were merged before being axed. So in effect, WIN is fulfilling the minimum content requirements that are in place for even the largest regional markets, such as NNSW.
I cannot imagine a scenario where ACMA remains silent should SCA cancel GTS/BKN news completely. However, it would be difficult for ACMA to argue against a scenario where SCA simply replaces the bulletin with news updates - as this has been a format effectively created by the ACMA guidelines (when is was the ABA).
I do understand there is currently a business case for SCA to continue to produce the GTS/BKN news as it is a differentiator and a sales vehicle.
They currently do - but initially when they were axed there was no local news at all for several years, and I believe that’s currently the case in Mackay and Regional WA where WIN dropped their bulletin. Imparja also inconsistently produce local news - again, I think they currently do, but they’ve very recently not.
At the end of the day though, the ACMA have no mechanism for compliance, they don’t have the power to make new requirements on local content levels - that has to come from legislation.
I think the media ownership law changes included expanding local content rules to cover non-aggregated markets (it was proposed, not sure what made the final law), but those don’t impact existing owners, only once an ownership trigger event occurs do they kick in.
Indeed, it’s seems Southern Cross News are still using the same Graphics and The Old 7 News Theme since 2011 While Seven & Prime7 have updated the Graphics and Theme.
The SA bulletin uses a recreation of the 2013 graphics with their own theme. IMO they’ve aged very well for a regional bulletin, but yes, it is probably time for a refresh.
Is there any reason why Tasmania didn’t switch to the 2013-style graphics when SA did years ago? The 2011 graphics were, and still are, hideous.
What are people’s thoughts on Abbey Donaldson and Amy Stevenson, the two weather presenters for SA news? It seems they regularly rotate between the two, with Nicole sometimes popping back up.
