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Kevin Rudd joins new-look Sunrise

UPDATED: TV Tonight's exclusive on Kevin Rudd joining Sunrise for a weekly segment is picked up by the nation's media.

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EXCLUSIVE: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will appear in a weekly segment on the revamped Sunrise.

Executive Producer Adam Boland told TV Tonight, the Prime Minister would answer live viewer questions each week.

“It’s a ‘Direct Democracy’-style of segment. This has never been done before: he will be answering viewers’ questions directly but not via email or text message, but Live. We will put cameras into the homes of our viewers,” he said.

“There will be three viewers chosen every week and we’ll go to them. So if they’re in Small Business or in their homes, wherever they are, they will put their questions live and direct to the Prime Minister. They will be entitled to one follow-up question each. The question will be without notice. The Prime Minister will have no prior warning to what the questions are.”

Rudd was formerly a regular guest on Sunrise but ended his participation when he became Opposition Leader. A weekly television appearance will mirror what politicians, including John Howard, have been doing on talkback radio for years.

The Seven morning show relaunches on Monday morning with a new set, new graphics and new format. As revealed last October, the new set is being  overseen by Jim Fenhagen, from Production Design Group in New York City. His credits include The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, CBS Early Show, Anderson Cooper 360, The Martha Stewart Show and Sky News.

“Sets don’t win ratings but I’m hoping it will send a message that we have a very different show on offer in 2010,” says Boland.

“From my point of view I was very keen to re-establish a point of difference. Our opponents have very successfully copied every last frame of our show, as Karl Stefanovic happily conceded late last year on Sydney radio.

“We’re flattered but from a viewer’s point of view they deserve two very different shows for breakfast.”

This week Sunrise is broadcasting from the Australian Open, giving the Martin Place studio a week to install its new set which has been built in a warehouse for the past eight weeks.

Seven research has tracked audience trends, enabling new content changes to address shifts in viewing patterns.

Back in 2001 breakfast television viewers watched an average of 8-11 minutes.

“People were tuning in just to get their weather and the latest headlines. Fast forward to now and the average viewing time for our show is 30-40 minutes,” says Boland.

“There is more pressure than ever being placed on our producers to deliver more original content particularly same day content. We’re opening bureaus in Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide. There will be live reporters in each of those cities who will start work everyday at 4am. They’ll be expected to contribute live reports to the show every morning, so if a story is breaking there is no excuse now not to have them covered. And they will be backed up by live resources in their respective towns.”

Boland says as much as 30% of Sunrise will be programmed on the morning it goes to air.

“There will be big gaps in the rundown when we sign off the night before. That’s never been done before on our channel or any other channel. Much of the breakfast shows in this country are programmed the day before by daytime producers.”

The revamp also comes at a time when Nine’s Today show has been making significant inroads into Sunrise‘s lead. Nine’s breakfast offering regularly wins in Melbourne, where it declared another win in 2009. It is also seriously competitive in Sydney, diminishing Sunrise‘s annual share.

But an upbeat Boland says Sunrise still hasn’t lost a single week of ratings in six years.

“In order to protect that record we needed to inject new life into the show. I didn’t want to be the Today show –they simply became complacent, so when a show like Sunrise came along, they were very easy to tip over because they just kept doing the same old thing.

“We don’t believe simply because we’re in the leadership position that the show should stay the same.”

The new-look set will feature a fully wooden floor, be more selective about its use of the goldfish-bowl streetview, and give The Morning Show a new set as a result. Hosts David Koch and Melissa Doyle are expected to take a more serious presenting tone this year.

And when it launches on Monday, Boland hints at another big change.

“There is one big, big rabbit that we’re going to pull out of the hat on Monday,” he said.

“It’s an addition to our presenting line-up. He will be a stunning addition to the show and a lot of people will be very happy.”

Sunrise relaunches at 6am Monday on Seven.

UPDATED: This story has since been picked up by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian, Brisbane Times, Herald Sun and News.com.au. Particular thanks to  The Age, Crikey and Mumbrella for acknowledging this site as source.

64 Responses

  1. I agree with Jed, it is an opportunity to ask questions of the PM live on TV where all sorts could happen – issues might be raised that are not deemed important by the canberra press corps, who knows? If you’re fixed in your political preference then political segments are enjoyed based on how much the subject matter fits with your political affiliation. But for those of us who do not have an allegiance to either party, it’s good to hear what’s going on from both sides. Even if it’s mixed in with some hollywood gossip and cash giveaways :). In fairness equal time should be offered to the oppostion (especially with an election looming). But much like his Rolling Stone interview, if Rudd doesn’t remove the robot from his behind this will backfire on him – e.g. if it’s revealed that questions are vetted or planted, etc etc. An advantage of having the PM though means respect for the office will prevent it (hopefully) from going down the path of american political segments where you have the “left view” vs. “right view” talking heads who then proceed to yell over each other for 5 mins. No one changes their mind, no on learns anything.

  2. I’ll definitely check out his segment on the first day, but after that, it will probably be crap. For the last couple of years, now that Sunrise is the leader in the ratings, they have been trying to make it a more serious show. But this is exactly why it was so easy to beat Today six years ago, because of its serious tone. Yes, Sunrise might earn a better reputation by doing this, but when it comes to ratings, Today will probably win.

  4. Seriously people??? It’s a fairly good idea, whether you hate Sunrise and/or Rudd shouldn’t matter. An opportunity to question the PM live on tv is great for the public. Just take it for what it is. Stop thinking of how it benefits Sunrise or Rudd, and think how it benefits you. Maybe some of you could ask about the anti-siphoning list that you’re all complaining about in another thread and want answers to, well here’s an opportunity to get an answer. Stop whingeing.

  5. I bet 7 will make sure the questions don’t upset their favourite PM. Probably end up with questions from 5 year olds as they’d have to appeal to the intellect of your average Sunrise viewer.

  6. brisvegas – Tony Abbott and Julia Gillard will be resuming their former partnership on air on Today in the coming weeks. Nine confirmed that weeks ago.

  8. Perth gets shafted on breakfast shows for the majority of the year….morning news on a two or three hour delay (all channels).

    At least radio and the internet can keep us up to date….
    plus foxtel has live news channels.

  11. Sunrise was a serious news program back in the late 90’s & early 00’s when it only aired for 1 hour between 6am-7am but no one used to watch with then hosts Mark Baretta & Georgie Gardiner, and the reason why it has been so successful since 2004 is because of the shows light heartiness & I wouldn’t be surprised if people don’t like the shows new tone & start tuning into the Today Show.

  12. *Shudders*

    Is he really open for negotiation on All issues? Or will he be like the webchat he conducted whereby all the anti-censorship questions were ignored until the end, received a one small paragraph ‘getting the balance right’ BS, and exited like a coward?

  13. this mystifies me on a number of levels.

    First up,i agree – it’s lame, and is most likely an election stunt.

    Secondly – is this right? What about the today/abc2 viewiers? It’s unfair on those of us who cannot stand watching sunrise. Why are we being penalised? I understand why sunrise grabbed onto this, but if the pm wanted this kind of face-time, wouldnt it have been more fair to have a show that gives him face-time and have that show / segment running on the main networks at a specific time concurrently?

    “three viewers chosen every week…”………….who picks these people? The pm’s department, or the sunrise team? Obviously the viewers “picked” need to be screened- but the potential is there for the pm’s office to cherry pick the right people who’ll have the right questions. I cant imagine the pm having to answer a tough question “off the cuff”. This just smells of pre-apprved viewers with pre-approved questions that are in sync with whatever spin the govt wants to play that day / whatevers topical that week.

  15. He’s right – sets do not win ratings, and frankly I’m suprised when a new set is even mentioned for Sunrise, Nine News or whatever – it makes no difference if the content and format is the same – which in Sunrises case, if we are to believe Boland, it won’t be this year. Proof shall be in the pudding.

    I’m a little cynacle of the PM’s intentions for the segment given it’s an election year, but at the end of the day, he did become known to the Aussie population via Sunrise, and frankly it’s a step in the right direction if questions are without notice – always a good thing.

    I, however, will not be watching – it’s too early to be watching TV for me, but if they can take the sillyness and innane banter out, it’s for the better.

    Frankly, I think the whole mornings programs and their level of importance to the overall ratings of the channels is a little over-rated.

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