Early days but has it boosted the Queensland audience at all?
Ultimately ratings will determine if it continues. If there is an uplift I suspect they’ll continue with them come April. If not, they’ll drop them (probably before April) and won’t return to them next year.
I’d say 3% of the potential audience knows the local content even exists.
This type of change needs relentless promo and marketing to be known for audiences to know it even exists - then to act on that knowledge.
I would say you’re looking for a 6 month change.
As an outsider looking in, and this doesn’t just apply to Sunrise but across the board, I feel Australian news organisations have become extremely lazy throughout covid. Covid and covid related stories have fed the news agenda for far too long. People are over it.
Provide a point of difference and I have no doubt it will be welcomed by the audience. Gladys had the right idea when she cut the daily presser.
I’d go so far as to promote the fact you’re cutting down on covid news.
Not sure where you are posting from but you have to remember Australia is having its worst outbreak ever right now. Half the country has been in total lockdown for 4 months
Unlike the US/EU - covid news is at its peak right now - because covid is impacting people’s lives more than ever right now
5-7am, perhaps. Format it like the US with clockface weather, traffic, and headline segments.
No:
You say it’s early days but maybe more of an up-hill battle. There is going to be no exposure than it received in the lead-up to its launch- promotions were on TV, radio and in print. So, you’d think if viewers wanted to sample it, they would have this week. As I suspected, six months is an ideal time frame:
However, I agree with you, that if it doesn’t make a difference in the next few months, I can see them resting it over summer and not returning it in the new year.
Agree, but it has been the case for months now. And even with no Covid 7 News Brisbane considers no cases breaking news every day. Viewers are fatigued. Reporting the same story every day is boring and tiresome.
How do you know this, given you’re currently over in Europe?
Because I’m Australian, I talk to Australians every day. I lived through a similar lockdown. And I can still see what’s making news in Australia through the wonders of the internet.
It’s not rocket science 
Tell me, do you believe viewers actually love seeing the same story regurgitated 100 different ways night after night?
Not sure I agree with that. News ratings are still higher than they were pre-covid. That would suggest the appetite is there.
Also - there are fairly serious restrictions still on people’s lives, ie being unable to leave the country without an exemption or travel between states. I don’t think you can blame news outlets for continuing to relentlessly cover a story they’d impacting on every single viewer’s life on some way.
This.
We can’t just cover our ears and not pretend it’s not happening.
Also @Andrew you may have lived one “similar” but try being in lockdown for almost 300 days. Not comparable Europe and Australia are different in May ways as I’m sure you are aware.
The impact and how wide spread this goes differs greatly between the two countries/ continents. It needs to be covered and reported wherever restrictions reside in Australia.
Also you use that Rocket Science line a lot. It concerns me.
Bottom line, sure there is over saturation but that will change
Let’s not start this if your not from Melbourne you don’t know what it’s like thing again. Covid has impacted everyone one way or another in different ways.
I agree, regardless you can’t compare the serverity of Europe restrictions and Australian ones. NSW and Victoria (not just Melbourne) have had it the worst here.
Of course everyone has been impacted. But Australian networks can’t just stop reporting on what is happening in these states
I’m not saying it shouldn’t be covered. Just the extent to which it is covered needs a rethink. When there is something that has significantly changed the course then sure it should be comprehensively reported.
But there were cases yesterday, there will be cases today, as there will be tomorrow.
Just as the weather is reported after the news updates… perhaps covid can take a regular spot. You know when it will be on if you need it, and if you tune in at other times you’ll get other news.
That should be something to aspire to… and hopefully it happens sooner rather than later.
Come on mate… try living here in the dead of winter with 60,000 cases a day and over 1000 deaths a day. Walking past a wall with 130,000 hearts representing each person that has died. Almost all of your friends actually getting covid.
Don’t even attempt to compare how bad you’ve had it because I can guarantee you it has been worse here.
I’m not referring to deaths. I’m referring to the impact it has has on the total community within these states. Industries shut down, no social interaction, people too scared to attend important health appointments because of COVID risks. Basically everyone in isolation for months and months on end… over two years. It’s not just about the impact this has had based off deaths from COVID. Depression, livelihoods lost, children with anxiety disorders, industries and local business decimated. It goes a lot wider than just case numbers and deaths.
Both situations are horrible, but because we haven’t had that height of cases and death doesn’t mean it’s been an easy ride. That’s pretty horrible to say.
At the end of the day, yes there is over saturation in COVID coverage here, yes it needs to be reported differently. This will happen when vaccination is at the national plan levels. The narrative will change to hospitalisations for the unvaccinated and not COVID cases. It’s still a big thing here and will continue to be for some time. That’s my point
Yeah and we’ve had restrictions in place from March last year to July this year, full lockdowns for at least half of that time. Heavily restricted the rest of the time. I’m still working from home after 18 months. Even now with freedoms we have 30k+ cases a day. The length of time and impact is pretty comparable. You’re preaching to the choir here mate… I know what it’s like.
And let me tell you being in a seemingly endless lockdown with death and sickness all around you makes it particularly easy to be depressed, for livelihoods to be lost, children to have anxiety disorders, industries and local business decimated.
I’m not advocating news in Australia ignores what is going on. I’m saying they can and should tone it down, reduce the number of stories. The hysteria of the media in Australia has no doubt contributed to the anxiety of some.
I think the audience will be relieved and grateful for a change of pace. It’s overdue and I bet the journalists reporting on other news may even be thankful to do something non-covid.
This is a really stupid take, Europe has had it fucking hard with lockdowns, deaths and a crumbling economy. Don’t be so insurlar.
So… Sunrise. Loosing its shine?
Well if I were Pell I’d cut the covid coverage right back ASAP. Get Shaun White to do a covid update once every half hour - here’s what you need to know today. And let the rest of the team focus on other news.
Sure extend your coverage on freedom day. But other than that, keep it restrained.