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Networks snub interstate fireworks

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

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. Nine’s coverage just proves how badly they handle big events. I think they will completely destroy the Olympic Games. We thought Seven were doing a bad job, in fact i thought they cover them quite well but wait until Nine show them. Just look at how badly they did the Aussie Commonwealth Games. That in itself was poor.

    As for Nine the ads are very cheesy and sickening to watch. All last night was about for Channel 9 was all the shows coming soon to their network. Well Nine i wont be watching a single show on your main channel. Welcome Home? I think not. Thats just pathetic and an extremely low act to try and say we are #1 and thanks for coming home to us. Well its not going to happen. Seven will retain the #1 position this year. I think Seven have the strongest lineup and just looking at the final few weeks when Seven finally got 7TWO they crushed the opposition like a twig.

  2. The channel 9 coverage was so horrible.. it was all about their programes which i will not now watch except for maybe Hey Hey and see how that goes. Does chanbel 9 think we are stupid we left them to wacth other chaneels cause they were demanding and telling us what we had to watch not allowing us to control wat we watch. Channel 9 will not be in my home

  3. After seeing Melb’s fireworks it is little wonder they did not hesitate to show Sydneys.Give up while your behind Melb…..this is a one horse race.

    Nines coverage was woeful…….certainly no “entertainment ” to be seen anywhere.

  4. Any way happy new year tvtonight bloggers but can anyone tell me how the fireworks in Melbourne went. I just want to know if the two guys with sparklers on the Yarra were fun, LOL !

  5. Why do Australian cities have to put their logos over everything? I didn’t like the Sydney logo last night. I didn’t like the Melbourne logo at the MCG test last week & I hate the Melbourne logo pasted all over the tennis courts at the Australian Open.

  6. Fireworks Great! Channel 9 Not! Bad camera angles, annoying television promos of their show and stupid and constant Fatblaster ads. Channel 10’s coverage last year was superb, it showed live performances and didnt base the whole entire show on their new shows. Either way, Sydney knows how to celebrate new year but please, channel 10 next year!

  7. Channel nine’s coverage was one big add for their TV shows for 2010. And the highlight of the night. Interviewing the chk chk boom girl announcing her new show. Pleeease. Thanks channel 9. I think that is enough to make me avoid your channel this year. Thanks also for snubbing Tim Campbell last year, you wouldn’t know talent if it bit you on the a***.

  8. Did anyone else struggle to see the fireworks on tv last night? I barely caught a glimpse between the oversized Sydney.com logo and the nine olymipcs logo. What a disgrace, nine should lose the privilage of broadcasting the fireworks in the future.

  9. Well last night’s coverage on Ch 9 yet again proves that no matter who does the fireworks, they do a terrible job. It is purely an opportunity to plug thier own shows for 30 minutes – in both sets of fireworks, only 5-10 minutes of fireworks, the rest was just ads. Why not show the other things happening on the harbour like the pylons, the boats etc? Channel 9 took the cake last night interviewing the “chk boom” girl. Mind you, the actual camera views of the action were poor too – they always miss the best parts, zoom into something irrelevant or pan right back too often. But without doubt the worst part……….the huge Sydney logo all through the coverage. No doubt paid for by the NSW Government to try and get publicity to the international viewers. It was too big, distracting and just embarassing.

  10. RE: Pete says:
    December 31, 2009 at 7:19 am
    It’s almost 2010 and programmers haven’t heard of split screen?! For shame!

    Hey Pete, I’ve heard of split screen. It’s on TSO. Oh, you mean TV programmers, not computer programmers.

  11. As one who saw the harbour fireworks last night all I can say is – Sydney Rocks!

    They were spectacular. The night was spectacular. The crowd was spectacular. Anyone who has never seen them will never be able to appreciate just how magnificent the display is. I’ve seen the NY Eve displays in many cities (including woeful ones in Melbournes CBD a few years ago) and Nothing loks like this.

    There is no Mel-Syd rivalry here cause Sydney wins without a question.

  12. Bugger what a bitter lot you are but Happy New Year anyway……

    Let Sydney have its day. It is the city that sells this country like no other city in the world can. With an international viewing audience of approx 700 million why would you show any other city. Sorry for anyone not from Sydney but your cities allthough great places are a little generic. You have the rest of the year to bag Sydney but last night was Sydneys for the rest of the world to see…..

    And becareful Melbourne rumours are that F1 bosses like Homebush better than Albert Park, shhhhhhhhhhhh !

  13. I can see why Sydney have monopolised this. There is a giant Sydney logo on it. I wonder how much it cost because any international news outlet that shows “NYE around the world” will see Australia’s with a giant Sydney logo. Great for tourism, crappy for the rest of the country.

  14. If channel 7 & 10 are so cheap. Maybe Melbournian’s should support them by watching their shows. Like come on, Melbourne is the best city in oz. Yeh Sydney’s nice but nothing even compares to Melbourne. Channel 7 and 10 have made a big mistake. I don’t even want to mention those networks names anymore.

    PS- If your as angry about this as me. Post something on any site. We Melbournian’s need to get our message across to these networks. Im embarrassed to even call channel 7 and 10 Australian networks.

  15. The size and quantity of fireworks are limited by the amount of water you have – the more water, the bigger you can go without risk of starting fires. So like it or not, fair or not, when it comes to fireworks, Sydney has a huge advantage.

  16. All those wondering about not seeing any Perth NYE fireworks, its because we haven’t got any!!

    They don’t have them on Swan River, claiming its ‘too close to the Australia Day Skyshow’, and the only other City venue that had fireworks on NYE, Gloucester Park Trots, has scrapped them due to ‘Police pressure’ about underage drinking.

    The Nanny State reinforces its ‘Dullsville’ tag. 🙁

  17. i’m just upset that it doesn’t look like we are getting ch7’s 2010 launch that they have aired at about 00:15 on NYD for the last few years. that was great i wonder if it will move to a new place this year.

    movies on NYE is not an entirely bad idea, it’s something different to what the competition is offering. but surely 7 could have shown a more family friendly movie that would finish by midnight.

  18. I think Dave Gyng’s bonus for FY09/10 is a little more important than the public at lagres enjoyment of fireworks. No brainer dudes. Lelila also needs some major facial surgery so another valid reason for cutbacks.

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