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Nine Melbourne to trial Tony Jones as News anchor

EXCLUSIVE: Nine sports presenter Tony Jones will front Nine News Melbourne for 2 weeks when Peter Hitchener takes a break -raising questions about the future for Jo Hall.

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EXCLUSIVE: Nine News Melbourne will move Sports Presenter Tony Jones into the hosting chair for two weeks when Peter Hitchener takes holidays later this month.

Jones will front the News at a time when Hitchener’s network contract is believed to be due for renewal.

But the move potentially overshadows longtime Presenter Jo Hall who has always been highly regarded as Hitchener’s weekend counterpart -particularly if the network begins to view Jones as Hitchener’s eventual successor.

Hall fronts the weeknight news during summer non-ratings and traditionally assumes the chair in Hitchener’s absence, with her weekend role having been assumed by Brett McLeod, James Talia, Alicia Gorey or Tim McMillan.

A Nine spokesperson said Tony Jones would be afforded a similar opportunity, timed to coincide with Seven News Presenter Peter Mitchell taking a break.

A Seven spokesperson could not confirm the dates of a break for Mitchell, but acknowledged one was due.

This year’s Easter non ratings, when rival Nine and Seven presenters traditionally take breaks, fell early in the calendar year. TEN News Presenter Mal Walden is also on leave for 3 weeks.

Jones is well regarded within Nine, frequently filing news stories outside the domain of Sport. Already working a full ratings year as Sports Presenter, Nine has opted not to wait until summer to trial him in the host chair.

However, it raises questions over where Nine sees Jo Hall amid industry stories on the visiblity of senior women on television and the network trying to shake off a longtime “boy’s club” image.

Michael Venus, Director of News at GTV told TV Tonight, “Jo has nothing to prove. She is our weekend presenter and will continue in that role. She’s one of the best in the business, but given the extraordinary depth of talent in this newsroom, it’s only natural that Tony would be given a go. He’s been with us now for 25 years and we see this as a great opportunity for him.”

The two weeks with Jones during ratings survey will give Nine a better understanding of its options should Hitchener’s contract not be renewed.

But such machinations must be handled delicately in television.

Last year Nine News in Sydney got a stinging lesson from the audience after the clumsy changing of the guard from Mark Ferguson to Peter Overton, with the network lagging behind Seven News for the remainder of the year. Since then Seven News Sydney Presenter Chris Bath has become the only solo female to front a 6pm weeknight bulletin, after being promoted from weekend presenter to weeknight presenter following the retirement of Ian Ross.

Unlike other states, in the competitive Melbourne market Nine News and Seven News regularly take turns vying for the nightly #1.

37 Responses

  1. And there was I thinking Lateline would be looking for a new host on Wednesday and Thursday.

    Er – I’ll be as diplomatic as I can here – but if the image above is accurate, I suspect 9 would be looking for a fresher (female) face – ahem.

  2. He’s a really good presenter. Jo for weekends. Tony for weekdays. Hitch can hang up his mic or whatever newsreaders do….

    Not that any of this matters to me – i cannot stand Nine’s news content, at all…. It’s all so freaking wrong.

    Nightline, however, is a killer news program and should be shifted to an earlier timeslot [read: 6PM].

  3. If reading the ratings from tvtonight is correct. Mr Peter Hitchener is the top rating news reader the 9 network has. Would be stupid 2 change anything!!

  4. Personally I couldn’t give a rat’s, but if it’s such a viewer-sensitive decision, why not make a gameshow of it? Put up two or three suitable candidates and let the viewers vote for who they want to read the news-veneer.

    News-veneer n. Something which has the initial appearance of news but usually isn’t.

  5. Channel Nine is really treating Jo Hall badly she has always replaced Peter whenever his on holidays or away.Jo Hall is very talented newsreader and it is wrong choice to get Tony Jones to replace Peter while his on holidays.Jo has given many years of service to Nine and is one of the best newsreaders,and you would think the network would reward her service with Peters job if he was to retire or contract wasnt renewed,Tonys cheeky grin and look about him would have me watching another channel if he ever did replace Peter.

  6. Tony took a bit of a hit a few years ago when he was dumped as host from the Sunday Footy Show. Apparently he was pretty p*ssed off with the decision at the time.

    I was only thinking last night how easy a gig sports presenting is when you are only on air for 5 mins a night during the week and only introduce 3 or 4 stories.

    TJ has done some sports reporting for big events and even some general news so there’s no doubt he can do the job – it’s just a case of style rather than substance for commercial TV news.

  8. Has anyone considered that Jo Hall doesn’t want to do weeknights?? Everyone keeps going on about where this move leaves Jo Hall, but perhaps she’s entirely happy with Tony taking over if Hitch were ever to leave – Jo has three kids who are in their early teens I believe so the weekend position is perfectly suited for her working as well as being a mother.

    And Nine wouldn’t risk dumping Hitch – he rates and Melbourne loves him. There is really nobody with his gravitas to take over once he retires so it’s good to trial Tony.

    I think people are making a big story out of this when really there isn’t one.

  9. Give the job to Tim Mcmillan, there was a time last year where 9 news melbourne had about 6 different anchors in 6 weeks and Tim was definatley the best. Hitchener is great, i’d bekeeping him as long as possible above everyone else. James Talia i thought was awful, way to try-hard, Brett is ok, bit lacking in warmth and emotion though, Tim the most professional and talented, i would still prefer Jo over Tony though.

  12. I’m not a huge fan of Jo Hall but I think she’s done more than the hard yards (30+ years) and should Peter Hitchener ever move on or retire I think she should be the best choice for a replacement.

  13. The news director at channel 9 must have rocks in his head. Bring on Hitchener and Hall, both credible, believable and read with warmth. Not Jones!

  14. From what i have heard, read online and seen (on screen), Tony does have his supporters…. but he also his detractors. There were rumours swirling around the end of 2008, as to whether he would still be employed at GTV the following year based on his attitude towards his co-workers (on screen and behind the scenes). Clearly they were unfounded, but he had changed radio stations.

    On the Jo Hall subject, i do somewhat agree with finding a “replacement” of sorts, although it would smell dirty much like many other decisions in the past (across all networks). I think they would want to plan for the future, and not put someone in the main chair who may not be in it for very long themselves.

  15. Not good signs for the very talented Jo Hall. Seven Sydney have proved a woman is very capable of presenting a weeknight bulletin, Nine should have tried her over Tony Jones.

  19. What rubbish!! Leave Tony Jones as sports presenter. He’s not a newsreader!! Our family will not be watching until Peter Hitchener comes back!!

  22. “Since then Seven News Sydney Presenter Chris Bath has become the only solo female to front a 6pm weeknight bulletin” I don’t think so, the last time I checked Georgie Gardner was still considered female by all standards!

    Although the “weeknight” can be qualified since GG presents Fridays and Saturdays rather than full weekend i.e. Sats and Sundays.

    If Tony has stayed with GTV for the last 25 years then it’s just fair to give him a go in doing the 6pm bulletin.

  23. I would be suprised if Peter Hitchiner’s contract did not get renewed. There are a lot of Peter’s: Peter Hitchener, Peter Mitchell, Peter Overton…

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