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Negus confirmed for new 6pm slot

Updated: George Negus will joined by reporters Hugh Riminton, Max Futcher, Danielle Isdale, Emily Rice and Emma Dallimore on TEN's unnamed new show.

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George Negus will front TEN’s new 6pm news-based programme in 2011.

His confirmation follows news of his exit from SBS at the end of the year.

Negus, 68, said: “It’s a tough time slot and entrenched viewing habits for a lot of people. I hope the reappearance of my estranged, some would say ugly dial, invading people’s living rooms at that time of night will encourage them to watch, not discourage them.”

The national programme will replace The Simpsons, which moves to Eleven, as part of TEN’s early evening revamp. The network will have 2.5 hrs of news beginning with TEN News at 5pm and ending with The 7PM Project.

ABC journalist Chris Masters has signed as a part-time editorial consultant.

“Chris is a great get. He will add the substance that they’re looking for at the investigative level. There’s no one better in the country to do that.”

The show will seek to give a more in-depth look at news, with panel interviews, longer stories and allow Negus to hit the road.

UPDATED: Joining the show are Hugh Riminton, Max Futcher, Danielle Isdale, Emily Rice and Emma Dallimore, who will remain based in the United States. TEN is yet to title the new programme but it has named its 6:30 offering TEN’s Evening News.

Negus remains with Dateline on SBS until the end of the year.

Source: Sunday Telegraph.

30 Responses

  1. Does this mean we get to see George Negus in a suit? I don’t think I have ever seen him in a suit, or for that matter sit up straight. On Dateline and 7PM he is always leaning forward/slouching 🙂

  3. I may just start watch Ten news at 6 then. At the moment i watch Ten news then Seven news, but switch off at 6.30 cos TT is crap. Might as well watch Ten from 5-7.30 next year.

  5. Hmmm. They’re really going to need new graphics and set for Ten. It looks cheap. Compare it to 9’s east coast sets. The graphics on 10 now are ok, but too cold. They need to move away from the blue. They remind me of CBS – Perpetually keep getting things wrong.
    They will seriously need a big bang to get people to switch away from local news at 6. Seriously.
    I don’t know if George is the right guy, time will tell. But they’ll need a stronger line up of reporters. But it will give the local news directors a new carrot for their reporters. If you’re good enough, you’ll end up at 6. Will save them from shopping their CVs at 7 and 9.

  8. @gg…They are well known Ten reporters. Hugh is the senior political correspondent, Max is a senior network correspondent (often flies into Asian cities to report), Danielle is their very good European correspondent, Emma is their US bureau chief and Emily is their environment reporter.

    Not as nameless as you think. Cannot wait for this broadcast. Better than the crap Nine and Seven dish up during the 6pm bulletins.

    I have long rated Ten the best commercial FTA news service.

  9. Looks like 10 will be very strong next year… NCIS, NCIS: LA, The Good Wife, Masterchef, House, Glee, 2.5hrs of news which looks to have a strong team, Undercover Boss, Modern Family, Bondi Rescue, Bondi Vet, 7PM Project and hopefully Burn Notice returns as well as lots of other good shows returning and lots of new shows which appear to good like Hawaii others not so much (Don’t Stop Believing) but hey, who knows!
    Anyway they may not stay 3rd this year if they keep strong programming like this plus 11 looks a lot better than other digital channels! All they need is something in the morning to take on Sunrise & Today! and basically I won’t have to change channels all day!

  12. With Futcher given 6pm reporting duties, it rules him out of the weekend TVQ picture (which needs a male to counter the weekend solo females on 7 and 9 in Brisbane), and there also will now be a need for a male fill-in (possibly new male 5pm anchor, if Bill McDonald asks to be taken off 5pm to focus on the 6:30 evening news) once the 6pm service starts running.

  13. I would like to pitch the name “Australia Tonight” to Ten.
    I dont care much for local news, but national news mixed with the best of local from around the country and international news with an Australian perspective is certainly something I would prefer to watch over the predictable stranger danger and hard-done-by news events reported on a daily basis by 9 and 7.

  16. Agree with Nick, 7pm project won’t fit the tone of the main channel next year, it reminds me of Behind The News which was aimed at primary/high school kids doing school projects.

  18. I reckon 300,000 – 400,000. The Simpsons will do much worse on Eleven 100,000 – 200,000, so adding them together they’ll be in about the same place.

    And if Ten is skewing older, shouldn’t 7pm Project be moved to Eleven? The unbelievably patronising tone suggests it’s aimed at the kiddies.

  20. The sooner that Ten can launch 11 the better. I’m really looking forward to this new 6pm-7pm news block. It seems better than the rubbish that Nine and Seven feed us, and will be more indepth and a better time slot than ABC News.

  23. I do hate the Simpsons @ 6PM (only as I have seen every episode 10 times) and Neighbours (I just dont like) but do they really think people will watch 2.5 hours of News? I carn’t event watch the national and local news together on other networks for an hour! George Negus is a great news anchor though.

  25. What a great move, I’ll definitely be watching now and if it’s any good most likely give the news on the other channels the flick and stay with Ten. I’m glad George is fronting it and not Hugh, I think a lot of people will be switching over just for him, wouldn’t have bothered so much if it had been Hugh at the helm.

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