Nine is bringing back its regional news bulletins put on pause during the pandemic, but is reducing them to half an hour, resulting in around 12 roles being axed.
In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, Nine replaced its regional TV news bulletins for Southern Cross Austereo markets with metro bulletins.
Since then, Nine’s Queensland and northern NSW managing director Kylie Blucher says audience ratings didn’t experience a “detrimental” shift compared to the same time last year.
As a result, half-hour regional bulletins will be introduced from August 10.
The local bulletins, airing Monday to Friday, will start at an earlier time of 5.30pm and then lead into the state-based metro bulletin at 6pm.
“Changes like this are never easy and I am conscious of the impact this restructure will have on individual people,” Blucher says in a note to staff.
“However, the unprecedented advertising and economic downturn has prompted a review of the functional effectiveness while ensuring our bulletins remain commercially sustainable.”
The impacted markets include Wide Bay, Capricornia, Far North Queensland, North Queensland and Sunshine Coast. Canberra, Illawarra, Central West, Wagga will also be impacted as well as Border North East, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland in Victoria.
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