Wikipedia

Nine News Queensland

(Redirected from Choppergate controversy)

Nine News Queensland is the flagship state-based news bulletin of the Nine Network in Brisbane. It is screened across Queensland on weeknights, while on weekends it is also screened on a half-hour delay in the Northern Territory.[1] Like all Nine News bulletins, the Queensland bulletin runs for one hour, from 6PM every day.[2] It comprises local, national and international news, as well as sport, weather and finance.

Nine News Queensland
Also known as
  • Channel 9 News (1959–1969)
  • National Nine News (1969–1976, 1980–2008)
  • 9 Eyewitness News (1976–1980)
GenreNews
Presented byNews:
Andrew Lofthouse (weeknights)
Melissa Downes (weeknights)
Mia Glover (weekends)
Sport:
Jonathan Uptin (weeknights)
Dominique Loudon (weekends)
Weather:
Garry Youngberry (Sunday – Thursday)
Luke Bradnam (Friday – Saturday)
Country of originAustralia
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons54
Production
Production locationsBrisbane, Queensland
Running timeOne hour (including commercials)
Original release
NetworkNine Network
Release17 August 1959 (1959-08-17) –
present (present)

Unlike the other four metropolitan bulletins, this local edition of Nine News is addressed on-air by its state, rather than its city.

Simulcast

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The 6pm bulletin is simulcast in Brisbane on commercial radio station River 94.9, across regional Queensland on the WIN Network as well as through Nine Darwin (on weekends only) and throughout remote eastern and central Australia on Imparja Television.

History

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Bruce Paige and Heather Foord co-anchored the 6pm bulletin from 1995 until 2001, when Foord joined Mike London as a weekend presenter and Jillian Whiting replaced her on weeknights. London resigned in June 2003 after allegations emerged that he had organised a female friend to complain about the presentation of weeknight presenter Bruce Paige.[3] Foord and Whiting swapped positions in 2004 with Melissa Downes taking over as weekend presenter in 2006.

Foord resigned as weeknight presenter on 5 December 2008[4] and was replaced by Melissa Downes on weeknights with Eva Milic and former ABC news presenter Andrew Lofthouse fronting weekend bulletins. A year later, Bruce Paige stepped down from the weeknight chair (he was replaced by Lofthouse) and Heather Foord returned to present weekend bulletins solo for two years. Paige returned to full-time newsreading in January 2012, fronting Nine Gold Coast News solo until he was paired with Wendy Kingston in July 2016.

In February 2018, in a minor network reshuffle, Alison Ariotti stepped down from the Weekend role. Darren Curtis anchored the bulletin before he was replaced by then-Nine News Regional Queensland presenter Jonathan Uptin.[5][6]

In January 2023, long-serving sports presenter Wally Lewis resigned from the role, citing health concerns.[7] He was replaced by Jonathan Uptin,[8] who formerly presented the weekend news between 2018 and 2022. His position was subsequently taken over by Mia Glover.[9]

Ratings

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Throughout the 1990s, and right up until the mid-2000s, Nine News Queensland was the clear-cut ratings leader in Brisbane.[10] However, when weatherman John Schluter resigned just short of what would have been his 25th anniversary with the Nine Network towards the end of 2006 (subsequently joining the rival Seven News Brisbane),[11] sports presenter Wally Lewis took sick leave after collapsing on-air during a nightly bulletin in November of the same year,[12] and rival Seven Brisbane poached then-Today news presenter Sharyn Ghidella from Nine shortly after to read its weekend news (and later weeknights),[13] the ratings declined, and in 2007, Nine News Queensland would lose its long-standing ratings dominance in the local market to the rival Seven News Brisbane.[14][15][4][16][17] After Andrew Lofthouse and Melissa Downes took over as the chief co-presenters in mid-2009, Nine News Queensland would start to chip away at Seven's lead,[18] and by 2013 they would reclaim its mantle as the top-rating news bulletin in Brisbane.[19][20][21][22] As of 2018, Nine News Queensland has lost its ratings lead to Seven News Brisbane once again.[23]

"Choppergate" controversy

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The Nine News Queensland bulletins on 20 and 21 August 2011 included live coverage each night by reporters Melissa Mallet and Cameron Price, respectively, from the station's helicopter, which they claimed was "near Beerwah", where the remains of murdered schoolboy Daniel Morcombe had been found earlier that month. The reports were revealed to be fake when, on the second night, rival station Channel Seven recorded video of the Nine helicopter sitting on the helipad outside their studios at Mount Coot-tha at the time of the broadcast. Radar footage also revealed that, on the first night, the helicopter was actually hovering over Chapel Hill, 70 km (43 mi) away from Beerwah. Both Mallet and Price, as well as news producer Aaron Wakeley, were sacked by the Nine Network following the incident, and news director Lee Anderson accepted responsibility and resigned over the faked reports.[24] Despite the scandal, Nine experienced a spike in its 6:00 pm news ratings in the weeks that followed,[25][26] managed to win more weeks than it did in the previous three years combined (winning seven of the 32 ratings weeks up to the first week of October),[27] and recovered to reclaim its mantle as Queensland's most-watched news service by 2013.[19][22]

Current Presenters

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Current presenters
Role Bulletins
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
News Andrew Lofthouse (2009–present)
Melissa Downes (2009–present) 		Mia Glover (2023–present)
Sport Jonathan Uptin (2023–present) Dominique Loudon (2023–present)
Weather Garry Youngberry (2009–present) Luke Bradnam (2016–present) Gary Youngberry (2009–present)

Fill-in presenters

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Should Lofthouse or Downes be absent, the bulletin is presented solo.

The primary fill-in anchors are Wendy Kingston, Aislin Kriukelis and Paul Taylor. Other fill-in presenters include

  • Josh Bavas (news)
  • Dominique Loudon (sport)
  • Luke Bradnam (weather)
  • Ebony Cavallaro (weather)

Past Presenters

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Reporters

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News

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  • Peter Fegan
  • Ebony Cavallaro
  • Tim Arvier (State Political Editor)
  • Bruce Paige (Seniors Reporter)
  • Anna Rawlings (Court Reporter)
  • Josh Bavas
  • Cam Inglis
  • Jacob Chicco
  • Lily Greer
  • Meg Sydes
  • Abbey Geran
  • Jakob Funk
  • Pat Heagney
  • Kate Lambe
  • Bailey Kenzie
  • Clare Todhunter
  • Michelle Tapper
  • Emily Prain (crime reporter)

*Bold indicates the senior reporters

Sport

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  • Dominique Loudon
  • Adam Jackson
  • Ben Dobbin
  • Mark Gottlieb

Notable former reporters

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References

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  1. ^ "Nine News Darwin to no longer have standalone bulletin". Northern Territory News. 11 July 2017. Archived from the original on 12 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  2. ^ Kalina, Paul; Ellis, Scott (6 January 2014). "Nine quietly switches to hour-long news". The Age. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  3. ^ Miles, Janelle; Connolly, Steve (4 June 2003). "Newsreader quits after complaint scandal". The Age. Australian Associated Press. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  4. ^ a b Tucker-Evans, Anooska (23 November 2008). "Heather Foord moving forward after co-anchor's gaffe". The Sunday Mail. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  5. ^ Butt, Phillippa (25 February 2018). "No more Jonathan Uptin on our weekday TV". Northern Territory News. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  6. ^ Ariotti, Alison [@AlisonAriotti] (12 November 2017). "Thrilled for a change in 2018 .. Job sharing daytime news on @9NewsQueensland with my gorgeous friend @EvaMilic9 !! Thanks @Amanda9Paterson & @kblooch !! #WorkLifeBalance #lovemyjob #hoorayforweekendsagain" (Tweet). Retrieved 12 November 2017 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ McKnight, Robert (23 January 2023). "EXCLUSIVE – WALLY LEWIS steps down as sports presenter of 9NEWS Queensland – effective immediately". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  8. ^ Perry, Kevin (30 January 2023). "JONATHAN UPTIN confirmed as replacement for WALLY LEWIS on 9NEWS QUEENSLAND". TV Blackbox. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Revealed: Channel 9 shakes up weekend news bulletin". The Courier Mail. 1 February 2023. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
  10. ^ Strutt, Sam; Shearer, Geoff (27 August 2011). "Choppergate scandal began with quiet backyard barbecue". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 3 December 2016.[permanent dead link‍]
  11. ^ Sij (6 February 2007). "Schulter shafts Cummins". Australian-media.com.au. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 26 February 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. ^ "Wally Lewis on leave after on-air mishap". ABC News. 1 December 2006. Archived from the original on 1 September 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2007.
  13. ^ Butler, Dianne (15 November 2006). "Seven poaches Nine newsreader". The Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  14. ^ "SEVEN WINS THE 2009 RATINGS YEAR IN SEQ". Yahoo!7. 30 November 2009. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  15. ^ "50 Years of Brisbane TV-Part 1 Good night and Goodbye: Farewells from the newsdesk..." Kuttsywood's Couch. Blogspot. 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 18 August 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
  16. ^ Shearer, Geoff (17 June 2009). "Broom sweeps through Channel Nine as Bruce Paige quits". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  17. ^ Knox, David (28 November 2008). "Melissa for weeknights on Nine". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  18. ^ Shearer, Geoff (10 September 2011). "Choppergate victim Melissa Mallet hired by Seven Network that got her sacked from Nine". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 October 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  19. ^ a b Knox, David (19 November 2013). "Nail biter in Brisbane news battle". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 30 July 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
  20. ^ Bodey, Michael (20 July 2015). "TV ratings: Nine's the one again when it comes to news". The Australian. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  21. ^ Bennett, Howie [@HowieBennett9] (3 September 2017). "Congratulations @9NewsQueensland team winning 7 day ratings year @AlisonAriotti @DarrenCurtis9 @9MelissaDownes @Loftea #9NewsAt6" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 September 2017 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ a b Knox, David (16 September 2014). "Nine News wins battle for Brisbane". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  23. ^ McKnight, Robert (10 October 2018). "7 News Brisbane wins 2018". TV Blackbox. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  24. ^ Cooper, Nathanael (26 August 2011). "Channel 9 sacks three, news director resigns over 'Choppergate' scandal". The Courier-Mail. News.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  25. ^ Baumgart, Sean (30 August 2011). "Nine ratings rise despite choppergate". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  26. ^ Cooper, Nathanael (3 September 2011). "Nine's choppergate scandal impacts worst on network that broke story, ratings leader Seven". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 27 May 2017.[permanent dead link‍]
  27. ^ Hunter, Clare (3 October 2011). "Seven dominates Nine in TV ratings". QUT News. Queensland University of Technology. Archived from the original on 13 October 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
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Official website  

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