Today launching Sunday edition
Leila McKinnon and Cameron Williams will host a Sunday edition of Today, set to take on Weekend Sunrise.
- Published by David Knox
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Channel Nine’s Today show will take on Weekend Sunrise when it launches a new Sunday edition in February.
To be hosted by Leila McKinnon and Cameron Williams, the show is reported to resemble the weekday edition by Karl Stefanovic and Lisa Wilkinson with slight changes.
“The fact it’s on a Sunday, it will have a slightly different vibe, but will be similar to the Today show in if there’s something happening we’ll be across it,” McKinnnon told the Sunday Telegraph.
“But you don’t have to grab people in the 15 minutes between when they’re in the shower and work.
“Hopefully people will watch it over a casual Sunday breakfast.”
The show will effectively take the place of Sunday which was axed by Nine mid 2008. At the time Ray Martin criticised the decision saying it sent out a message that Nine “doesn’t do news anymore.”
Veteran reporter Laurie Oakes will continue to present political interviews, along with former Australian cricketer Michael Slater to present sport and news read by up-and-comer Amber Higlett.
McKinnon, wife to CEO David Gyngell, has also been touted as a possible host of a new “magazine style” show for Nine’s 5:30pm weekday slot.
Nine yesterday launched a new on-air promotion for its 6pm news bulletin, using the slogan “Change Back”, an acknowledgement many of its national viewers had switched to Seven’s bulletin. Melbourne remains Nine’s most competitive market in weeknight News.
Source: Sunday Telegraph
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- Tagged with Nine News, Seven News, Sunday, Sunrise, Today
58 Responses
sorry but you’ll never match that stunning country girl Sammantha Armytage. “dreams” what a gal!!!! LOL
Geez, How much work does Michael Slater want to do. Will he still be doing the Big Sports Breakfast This year (Radio)??
Alex – Sunrise has just finished year number five as Australia’s number one breakfast show. In fact, they haven’t lost a single day nationally over that period. Today Show climbed 6.2% this year off a remarkably low base. Sunrise dropped 4.8% off a remarkably high base. Given that, I strongly suspect Sunrise is about to enter its sixth consecutive year of leadership – no matter what happens in Melbourne or on Sunday mornings.
Dont like either of them – but I wouldn’t watch it anyway. Gotta be good being the boss’ wife though lol.
the today show pass sunrise easily this year. but the only thing they have to change is. get rid of steven jacobs and the show will be better. jacobs is way past his used by date on tv that is for sure. sunrise needs to look at a different direction imo. the fanfare is wearing off
Same s**t, different smell.
it was shows like sunday that made 9 the #1 network and deservedly so. all their programs were so well thought out and high quality. . . . but that was then.
now they have effectively replaced sunday with fluff today. a microcosm of the whole network.
and as if it’s not bad enough this idea isn’t even original, atleast keep the kids happy and show their shows.
in a rating sense i assume that sunday today will lose to sunday sunrise in the same proportion that it does on weekdays. why don’t they do something that they can win?
So nine’s key message is that people are leaving them, and want them back – hence the “change back” and “choose nine in 09”. Why not have a “why us” or “we’ll sue” while they’re at it. Good luck with that.
well i guess this makes a “swap” in the copying department. 7 with sunday night and 9 with sunday today.
in our family were not too fussed about which one we watch. but we have noticed that anything that is on sunrise ends up in some form on today in a few days. one being that sunrise had a free pink concert, 2 weeks later today had a free andre rieu concert steve jacobs even said “this will be the most expensive background music to the weather ever” exactly what was said at the pink concert.
@alex 50k isn’t much in primetime but when only 300k eyes are on the screen 50k (its usually more) is a big diff.
they will have a lot of ground to make up. sunrise has been in the top 20 shows the last few weeks.
so the 9 copied list is now: dancing on ice, everyday heroes, random acts of kindness, missing pieces, animal emergency, rescue squad, deadly surf, and weekend today.
What time will this be scheduled? Weekend Sunrise airs between 7.30 and 10, but if Nine has Today airing up until 10 then it’ll mean changes to their Sunday sports programming (WWoS, Sunday Footy Show, Sunday Roast).
Golly gosh “gerrard”, you really must work in publicity dept for Nine as hinted by many in previous thread about Nine’s programing for this year.
Your post there was ..
“# Gerrard on December 31st, 2008 12:56 pm
Wow! So many people have commented on this article. Channel Nine have also released promos of their 2009 line up on the internet. Just search ‘Choose 9 in 09.’ They’re pretty good!
Choose Nine in 09!!”
Little wonder, I and others think you appear to be like knoxoverstreet (Nine plant)
Ah Nick – you do realize Sunrise isn’t thumping Today? They’re within 50K viewers of each other and Today wins everyday in Melbourne.
@Craig, do you actually think Andrew O’Keefe is polished enough to be a main anchor for weekend Sunrise?
It seems like an interesting bunch of presenters I’ll definitely be tuning in to see what they offer.
Yey! Finally Channel Nine are doing something to compete against Weekend Sunrise. I’ll definitely watch the Weekend Today Show instead of Weekend Sunrise, simply because I hate Andrew O Keefe.
You might say that Channel Nine are copying Channel 7, but really, channel 7 are copying NINE with ‘Sunday Night.’
Not a huge fan of Leila, but I like the rest. Who knows, this may also lead into a Satday Today Show, followed by Kids’ WB!
You should search the internet for “Choose Nine In 09”. There are some great promos on the internet.
agree with Craig.
Leila seems like she got leg up as being wife of the boss and just does not resonate with viewers.And as for Cameron well, even Nine’s own in house survey (that keeps leaking out) says he rates lowere than low with credibility factor and viewers.
Nice idea of programme but choice of hosts lack foresight.
One name keeps sticking out for Nine and she deservesbigger role – Stephanie Brantz. Steph was talent and held her own on SBS, yet Nine treat her like token female.
Those hosts are a turn off in themselves.
@ Chris…Today was the first to broadcast on weekends actually. Today on Saturday was hosted by Tracy. But now its Today on Sunday.
so now the today show can get thumped by sunrise on a sunday as well. oh well, whatever suits.
I guess Sunday was too high brow for whoever was leftover that wasn’t watching Insiders/Inside Business/Offsiders. But Today on Sunday? Geez, they should really provide a point of difference to Weekend Sunrise.
Maybe a show like the old ABC show Recovery on a Sunday morning would get the ratings. It would drag the younger people from Weekend Sunrise and the older people from Video Hits.
Why do current and former sport players have to read the sport “news”? Cant we get intelligent people who understand the word pronounciation and have half a brain? I guess it is all about aiming for the lowest common denominator.
is nine capable of making an original program
woohoo, it’s a long time coming. Nine in 09.
Finally!! Us Today fans have been waiting a while for this.
Should be good, I like both Cam and Leila.
I’m also relieved their putting the political interview in there.
Good idea but crap choice of hosts, I know shes the CEO’s wife but it has been demonstrated time and time again the viewers dont like Leila McKinnon, ACA’s ratings tumble whenever she hosts, as for Cameron Williams, i dont think hes polished enough to be a main anchor
The Sunday morning timeslot is the least of Nine’s worries. How about focusing on ways to take on Seven where it matters?