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Networks snub interstate fireworks

Sydney's fireworks get coast to coast coverage again, but at the expense of other cities.

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sydMelbourne is feeling just a tad snubbed by television networks declining to broadcast the city’s fireworks tonight, instead opting for the Sydney spectacle.

Traditionally both are screened, on alternative networks.

Nine spokeswoman Michelle Stamper has told the Herald Sun, “With costs as they are, we are going with national coverage of one of the world’s most famous fireworks shows, from Sydney Harbour.”

Two years ago while TEN screened the Sydney fireworks nationally, both Seven and Nine aired fireworks over the Yarra and Federation Square. This year Seven is airing The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

It’s the same story in other capital cities where Seven’s movie will also take precedence and TEN has its Shaun Micallef’s New Year’s Rave special.

Most networks however will likely source footage from other cities for their News services tomorrow.

While costs are being cited as part of the decision, maybe Programmers also got a heads up from the Weather Bureau. It’s a stinker in Melbourne today, expected to pass 35, with a possible electrical storm due after 10pm, which could cancel the city’s planned fireworks in any case.

Nine’s Sydney fireworks will air in two instalments with New Year’s Eve 2009 Family Fireworks from 8:40 – 9:10, and New Year’s Eve 2009 from 11:40 – 12:10 ….pity for those who aren’t on AEDT. You’ll have to put up with it on delay anyway…

Source: Herald Sun

57 Responses

  1. Me I will be watching LoTR Return of the King and will probably switch to 9 at 1155pm and possibly click on to CNN after that just to see what they’re covering??

    All that I have to say is “Happy New Year David and everyone and in the words of Ritchie B, “Know when to Declare”

  2. They should Usteam these displays so millions can watch, around the world, via smartphones etc. Most people in Austarlia are not even near a TV a midnight…I guess in Australia we are a few years behind for that.

  3. Typical of how the Australian media is run through the narrow minded prism of Sydney centrica. Brisbane fireworks never get broadcast on Brisbane tv and no reason is ever stated why. Believe it or not there are a lot of Australians who dont really care what happens on Sydney harbour on new years eve. The networks dont really seem to care about all the other non Sydney Australians who dont give a rats about the totally overrated Sydney fireworks. And guys Sydney is no longer the centre of power in Australia – we have a PM and a Fed Treasurer both from Qld. The Australian economy is powered by Qld and WA. So Sydney get over yourself. And to those who state that why would you want anything other Sydney fireworks – well it wont be too long until we dont get to see those when Ozzie media gets taken over by the USA and China and the fireworks we see are from Times Square and Beijing – why would you want to see second rate Australian fireworks.

  4. Who cares Who cares Who cares
    Things are to busy these days in town and cares about a bunch of coloured lights on the tv
    a good horror movie and a drink at home
    pleasure

  6. I’m wondering if the broadcast on 9HD will actually be in HD? Iif it is then it could look pretty spectacular….though I doubt it will be. Either way I’ll IQ it on 9HD and see how they look.

  7. I don’t get the concept of fireworks on telly either – weird. Go and see your local fireworks if you’re that interested. The excitement of fireworks is being there.

    Personally I’m rapt to have more Micallef, even if it is 2 months old. Who cares? What will we miss out on, more blah blah about Abbott and Tiger Woods? No thanks, I just want Shaun being surreal.

  8. For those asking about Brisbane, NYE up here has been playing the “poor cousin” to Riverfire for the last few years. Riverfire this year, had six large fireworks barges (on both the City reach and South Bank reach of the Brisbane River), fireworks off the rooftops of nine buildings and from three bridges, while NYE only has two barges off South Bank (with no bridge or building effects).

  9. I was just being a smart arse. I don’t expect anywhere else around Australia to have their fireworks telecast when they are up against Sydney. I did find it funny that Melbourne would be sour over this though.

  10. I love how ‘interstate’ equals ‘just Melbourne’. Where was this article last year when Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth’s fireworks weren’t telecast? Welcome to living anywhere else but Sydney.

  11. The networks just aren’t interested in New Years Eve anymore. Even the Shaun Micallef’s New Years Rave was pre-recorded a couple of months ago which totally diminishes a great deal of novelty that the program had going for it. Considering it is the end of the decade and the heralding of a new decade, the new years programming is rather dull. I recall some of the more average new years celebrations with better programming. It’s certainly more incentive to go out and party than to see Richard “Jeff Goldblum is dead” Wilkins bring in the new year for another year.

  13. Hasn’t Melbourne realised yet no one cares about them???

    It’s odd Seven puts a movie on, a movie scheduled to finish at 12.30. They could put something else on for New Years, even a countdown of the years biggest songs or something.

  15. A 4 hour movie is lame programming from Seven for NYE. Not to mention the fact that they still have infomercials from 1am like every other night.

    Surely it would not be too hard to do something for NYE?

  16. On 3AW this morning, Melb Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said that 9 came to him and said they wanted $100,000 to show the Melbourne fireworks Live, which I find a bit strange.

    But then again I am pretty sure Record Companies fork out around the same amount for their artists to appear on shows like Idol/Rove/DWTS etc, which I think is why we got the Divinyls perform twice during the massive screwup on the Idol finale a couple of years ago, but I am sure someone in the know can confirm this.

  20. Here’s a question why has Seven never shown the Sydney Fireworks. I thought they might have decided to fight for the television rights considering its been all over Sunrise and the News yet Seven never seem to care at the actual coverage. I just dont get it really.

  23. ah, spoken like a true Melbournian David, I live in Brisbane and like Melbourne as a city but NYE is the one time of the year when I think Melbourne just has to cop playing second fiddle to Sydney on the chin. Aside from maybe Paris there is no city in the world that does fireworks like Sydney, thanks mainly to the great props the city has to launch them from.

  25. Perhaps the Sydney fireworks are more ‘TV network friendly’ in that 2 separate fireworks are on so that various family groups can enjoy them.

    It’s a hot one in Adelaide today – 41 – with a chance of a storm later on just like in Melbourne….so I don’t think our city fireworks will be up to scratch this year either.

    Just out of curiosity – where are the Brisbane/Perth fireworks usually held? I don’t think I can recall ever seeing them on TV anywhere – all i’ve mostly seen have been the Sydney/Melbourne ones.

    To be honest what i’d love to happen would be what they did for the end of century one – 99/00 – where the TV networks had a 24 hr telecast of the many world-wide fireworks – that was truly memorable.

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