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They’re only doing this until Charlotte Goodlet comes back from maternity leave. But then what is the point really in going back to Perth when they could just rely on their newsreaders in Sydney to fill the spot.
Surely they’re going to keep it permanent if ratings hold still or increase.
I think that our perceptions of news numbers have been significantly distorted by the COVID years. News (and everything else) numbers had been slowly falling for many years. Then they suddenly shot up to numbers that hadn’t been seen for 5 years for more. Additionally, there seem to have been more natural disasters in recent years that have also seen numbers up on normal. Numbers have been falling since, but because of the aberrations the falls look proportionally larger than they would have been if not for COVID.
10 News First Perth used to have numbers close or above 9 News Perth 6pm, that’s even before covid. They are nowhere near those numbers now.
Ten news in its entirety seems to be down this year. Most stories you watch on Ten are beaten by Nine or Seven or even regional news bulletins at times - with exclusive pictures or better information. They’ve lost too many good reporters and presenters and seem to be covering just the bare minimum at the moment. It a sad fall from grace.
Agreed. The only difference from years gone by is that there’s no return from this.
I mean what’s Ten News First’s point of difference? What can be their point of difference?
Seven and Nine have the tabloid mass market thing sown up, ABC is more serious and broadsheet, SBS has a more international focus, and the RWNJ crowd has Sky News.
In the pre-digital, pre-rolling news era, Ten News was first with its main bulletin, but with news all over the Seven and Nine schedules, and the ABC News Channel also available, having a 5pm bulletin isn’t a bonus anymore.
Going high brow costs money, and probably won’t work because the ABC lives there. They’re unwilling to be more tabloid than Seven/Nine, or veer from the centre.
At this point in time, it seems as though they’re doing news to be compliant, while trying to strike the right investment balance to keep things viable.
Trying anything radical from a presentation or scheduling perspective risks sinking the ratings even further.
Based on their promos - they put “news first” and have less tabloid fluff and filler. But, agree otherwise there isn’t a huge point of difference. Though you could also ask, what is the difference between Seven and Nine?
Three’s a crowd, that’s the issue. CBS News lags behind in the US too, it’s always a two-way competition. The only way around it is to differentiate by moving their news to primetime and stop wasting precious resources at 5pm.
But then they’ll not be Ten News First, right? 
Jokes aside, moving into primetime might be a good idea - didn’t (W)WOR in NYC tried that in the mid-80s with their News 9 Prime Time?
And I don’t understand why 5pm is the timeslot for the stations’ flagship newscasts - nobody’s back to watch them yet, back in the 80s or now! And on demand livestreams just renders the point even less.
I thought it was easily understood as to why Ten opted to move its news out of Primetime back in 1992. Its simply couldn’t compete against Seven and Nine.
Ten was very successful moving its news to 5.00pm (First @ Five) in the 90s and 2000s. It was often winning Melbourne in the mid 90s when comparing total viewers between the 4 local bulletins. And in the 80s Ten usually scheduled its bulletins at 6.00pm.
10 Perth really started to talk up the local element of the bulletin again across socials, promote initiatives and there’s even a sponsorship for a segment, some examples.
“Live from the Perth newsroom”
Promoting their AFL team, nice walk through (Optus?) stadium, they even got the Perth promo up on the big screen.
Sponsorship graphic
Shared on the main Instagram account from the 10 Perth account:
Also tiles on 10 play have been updated with Nat:
They’d have to be stupid to go back to Sydney after this.
Charlotte Goodlet might be an ok presenter but to bring it back to Sydney to evolve around her is just downright crazy.
Why can’t they have Nat weekdays and Charlotte on weekends (from Sydney). Best of all worlds. Perth gets a local bulletin and Charlotte gets to work and spend time with her kid.
My thought exactly. Nat is known in the market and a local who’s a great presenter. Charlotte is great but to people in Perth she’s probably still a “who?”
If anything they could consider reviving Queensland and have Charlotte front that instead.
Definitely what they should do. Makes perfect sense.
Did 10 ever state this was temporary or was it only reported by TVBlackbox? Just doesn’t make sense putting Charlotte Goodlet back in the chair from Sydney.
10 wouldn’t state that publicly, they want to leave a little ambiguity around the presenter status / presenting location for whatever reason.
It doesn’t make sense from a PR perspective but it’s consistent with the messaging around Narelda not moving away from the Perth bulletin again even though she hadn’t presented it from some time.
I can confirm however that official word from within 10 is that this situation is temporary with Charlotte Goodlet still on mat leave.
Whether this is what transpires, who knows with 10 but the Blackbox information is correct.
10 News First for Sydney today with Sandra Sully
And the rest of Australia from Melbourne studio with Candice Wyatt
Surprised to see Candice. Thought they’d have flown Chris or another presenter like they’ve done in the past.
Probably thought it doesn’t really matter?
