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Axed: Nightline

Nightline has been axed by the Nine Network yet again and presenter Kellie Connolly has been offered a redundancy.

Nightline has been axed by the Nine Network yet again.

The late night news service, along with presenter Kellie Connolly, will not return because the bulletin wasn’t cost effective.

Connolly has been offered a redundancy package.

“I’ve got more money for news and current affairs, but it’s a matter of how to spend it,” Nine News chief Mark Calvert has told The Australian.

“We’re re-opening the London bureau, which is expensive. I’ve put more people on A Current Affair and Today. We’ll be spending more on this federal election than we’ve ever spent before.

“Doing all that means we have to look at what else we are doing and say: is it paying its way? And the reality is, a program that’s on at the earliest at 11.30pm is only being seen by a handful of people because most people are in bed.

“The main battle for us, with Seven, is at breakfast, and between 6pm and 7pm, not in the middle of the night.”

Nightline was dumped in July 2008 after a 15 year run. In May 2009 the network resumed a Late News service before rebranding it to Nightline in November.

But the bulletin has struggled of late with no clear starting time, and frequently the victim of last minute network amendments. It has also not aired in WIN-managed Adelaide and Perth affiliates.

Nine will now rely upon news breaks throughout the evening, hosted by rostered reporters.

SKY News is believed to be interested in Connolly’s services.

Source: The Australian

43 Responses

  1. Nine did the cost cutting in the wrong departments.Dumping Sale of the Century/Temptation after close to 30 years for a cheaper demeaning 2.5 men reruns import,The axing of Humphrey Bear after over 40 years and now Night line not to mention all those airline/airport and changing rooms kind of shows What have they come to?

  2. Nine should cut down on 2.5 men and get rid of that antiques roadshow to pay for Night Line.In the case of the latter who apart from retired old age people is home to watch it anyway

  3. Bit harsh when her husband just lost his job in the past week as well. I don’t watch today or ch9 news but at night I would flick it to nightline to have a look.

    Kellie is a very good newsreader and no doubt one of the other networks will get her. Why are they re opening the London bureau? And if you are going to put so much in this election wouldn’t you want nightline so people that missed the 6pm news can catch up at night?

  4. Another Victim of Nine doing things on the cheap.They can afford to waste money on old outdated two and a half men repeats that follow A current affair on weeknights but refuse to spend anything on a decent news bulletin for those of us who can’t always be there for the earlier evening news bulletins.shame on them really.

  5. Kellie Connolly getting booted by nine? what a joke!! One of there best on air presenters, hopefully she gets a job with Sky or one of the other FTA networks, sorry to hear of her being treated so shabilly, but not surprising.
    As for Nightline’s once again axing, major disappointment.

  6. Another epic fail by Nine. Whoever is running ‘strategy’ at Nine is obviously a knucklehead and being paid too much. Work out what you are Channel Nine then stick to it!!!

  7. Why do WIN repeat the 6pm news in Adelaide and Perth? What a waste of time. The Adelaide bulletin is often old “news” even at 6pm, let alone when it’s the “Repeat Edition”. Waste of time. I can’t wait for the launch of “ABC News 24” so I can watch the news when I want too. Having lived in an area for 2 years where I can’t get Foxtel (no cable and trees block the satellite reception (funny that, trees in the metro Adelaide Hills areas – surely a good area for cabling?!)) I’ve actually been missing Sky News!

  8. When I return to Australia in November, I hope to see Kellie again grace our screens – Nine seems outright stupid in letting her go – Kellie is real talent on Australian television – articulate, a pleasant personality, professional lady. If Sky News or Seven doesn’t pick her up I am sure CNN will – after all, CNN International is full of talented expat Aussie presenters (Rosemary Church for one). Nine is really lacking judgement!! What on this earth is the Nine Network doing???? Good luck Kellie, one expat here wishes you well….

  9. I agree when it comes to Nightline’s schedule being all over the shop being an issue for it.
    I always watch the late news, as I am often not home at 6pm – I think part of the problem was it became a repeat of the 4.30 news – whereas back years ago you used to get some more indepth stories and some more international news. If Channel Nine brought back that format for the brilliant Kellie Connolly the show would do much better for them…
    STUPID Channel Nine!!!

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