ABBA reuniting? But why, Mr. Harvey?
Nine News files a flimsy story on talk of a possible ABBA reunion that is more history lesson than entertainment news.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
For some time now I’ve been bothered by an increase in stories in our nightly News that don’t seem to pass the test of being News at all.
We’re being subjected to an increase in stories about celebrity, fashion launches, and various topics that were once the domain of current affairs shows. Even Executive Producers have spoken to me about the frustration of their domain being quietly hijacked by New Directors.
Last night Peter Harvey filed a story on Nine News about a possible ABBA Reunion. Fair enough. In a quiet summer season I have no qualms that this qualifies as Entertainment news.
As I watched the story, Harvey told me there was some talk of a possible Reunion by Sweden’s most successful band. It had been as far back as the early 80s that they last performed together, he reminded me. There was an old clip of Bjorn talking about Australia’s enduring “love affair” with the group; a mention of them once turning down $1B to reunite; a song from a cover band (who didn’t even sport a beard on ‘Benny’) and a quote from Promoter Michael Chugg saying an ABBA tour would surely be the world’s biggest tour.
But wait.
Where was the news? Where was the part about Agnetha Fältskog, who for years has rejected talk of a Reunion, this week floating the idea of a one-off concert for charity? Isn’t that the actual “news” we should have heard? I read about that on Monday (that’s two days earlier, Mr. Harvey).
Instead we got a history lesson with a few pretty pictures.
Reporting on Agnetha and her reclusive issues could have also put into perspective what a long shot any actual Reunion might be (let alone ridiculous talk of a World Tour).
Thankfully Paul Cashmere on The 7PM Project, which also tackled the topic last night, did note it was a passing comment by Agnetha and that bookmakers are already taking punts on the notion.
On this occasion Peter Harvey, who has a very good history of covering Australian politics, seemed content to simply narrate a few clips of a band we once loved, leaving the actual “news” on the cutting room floor. A News Director should really have whipped that into shape before letting it go to air.
Yep. Must be the silly season.
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- Tagged with Nine News, The 7pm Project
39 Responses
I think you will find the ad for 7PM was just as misleading, I think Charlie said something along the lines of ‘So ABBA have finally agreed to a reunion.’
They are just as bad as 7 & 9 and they use news.com.au as a ‘credible’ news source. ’nuff said.
A one-off, unplugged concert is the most we will ever get, and even that is still a very slim chance … even though Agnetha has definitely said for the first time that she would do it for the right charity .
The story I saw on 7 Sunrise this morning was all about the other groups that reformed recently, but they were all motivated by losses of investment income due to the recession … there will Never be any such motivation for the ABBA members …
Agnetha also expalins in her recent Swedish magazine interview that she is not a recluse like the press portrays her … she just enjoys her quiet life in the suburbs!
@ Secret Squïrrel ….I gave up on commercial news a long time ago….
Use to love Ten News…but then they ‘reitred’ Ron Wilson’ with a big fanfare…and hid him away in the mornings….
Seven is not a lot better and Nine is just plain awfull….
If, and that is a big If….I want news now….
Apart from my regular fix in here….
I just go to ABC24…any time of the day…or online…..
I found it interesting that we dont even know where they heard it from? They said the biggest hint yet but what hint?
Folks, quite a few of you who are complaining about this, or the dire state of 7 & 9 “news” in general, still seem to be actually watching the news programs in question. If they are so awful (and they are) why wouldn’t you at least try some of the alternatives on either Ten or, God forbid, a non-commercial station?
If a TV program is bad I simply don’t watch it.
could not agree more- i am sick to death of both 7 and nine news now – can not stand the cr@p stories – fee good rubish …claims of first etc etc- if i watch news now it is ABC-
If you’re watching the news on the commercial channels then you’re getting the news you deserve.
Aside from Mr Harvey seemingly missing the actual ‘news’ relating to this story, how is it that Peter Harvey is doing fluff pieces on ABBA on the first place? Surely that is something to be delegated to a junior reporter not someone who is more adept at reporting politics or news of a much heavier nature.
But I find it hard to attribute any credibility on Nine’s or Seven’s news anymore anyway. I find The 7PM Project presents a far more credible look at the events of the day and hopefully Ten with its new 6pm/6.30 programs will rise above the mediocrity of what passes for news at Nine and Seven.
What bugs me is when networks have the gall to plug their own products and pass it off as news. Such as Nine plugging their very own Cudo website.
I get my news online where it is up to date & where I can choose what I want to see & hear ,without the stupid immature schoolboy tatics of Channels 7 & 9.
Channels 7 & 9 are pathetic,the others are really no better but 7&9 are the worst.
That’s why we watch SBS news. Commercial news is too simple – usually moronic stories about some non-event in Sydney….””And tomorrow night, we will tell you about Sydney’s water bubbler crisis”…zzzzZZZZZZZ
It;’s cheap and fills the rundown and we still watch, so its a win for ch 9. They make profit in ratings figures. Why would they spend money on real journalism, when these celebrity stories pull in the same ratings and revenue. Ch9 will only wake up when we turn to ABC or SBS.
I also saw this story last night and did anyone else notice how many abba song titles he got into that story?
I also saw this story on Ch 9 last night and was left wondering WTF, for a little while now I have been growing frustrated with the content of news across all channels, and agree that world politics and news has taken a back seat to celebrity gossip.
I’m a long time watcher of sunrise but lately cringe at the content of the show usually filled celebrity gossip, social happenings and online videos, whilst the actual news is squeezed into a 4 minute block and not usually disscussed. Hopefully CH10 can bring some respect back to Australian news, with there news block in a couple of weeks.
It’s just a symptom of modern society where passing comments are reported as fact.
Simply lazy journalism on everyone’s part – no one bothers to take the time to unearth the true facts of a story and just cobble together hearsay in a bid to create one.
I doubt ABBA will ever re-form anyway – no one needs the money and it’s usually best to let the past stay where it is.
Why single out Harvey? Channel 7 ran the same story on their news.
If Seven also left overlooked Agnetha’s possible change of heart and gave a history rehash then you should tell us. How can I react about something I didn’t see? I didn’t have a problem with the item being warranted as news, more its (belated) execution.
If Harvey’s story on ABBA was bad… Did anyone see the one he did on David Hasselhoff? Myself and Mr Beckala were actually blushing watching it – it was So so so bad!!!!!! Baywatch music, slow motion running, “genius quotes” from the Hoff. It made me angry!! So bad!!
But what do you call it when the silly ‘season’ lasts for 12 months?
Yeah Peter Harvey, go get some journalism lessons from a real reporter like Paul….um….Paul….you know…..whatshisname….
Ten News at 5pm also ran this rather non-newsworthy story
As I’ve mentioned before, Harvey must retire now! Not only I was disgusted when he read the Sydney 6pm news a couple of months ago but all he comes up now are just fluff…
That’s why Nine News is not number 1 anymore.
I agree with your comments.I have seen several “stories” reporting the same but yes you are quite right in stating that The 7pm Project gave the correct details,everything else has been half baked & thrown together.7 have just done the same on Sunrise,in fact comparing Abba to a Spice Girls reunion that for aussie fans (which i’m not) didn’t even happen.You cannot compare the two!
Abba reuniting is big news,after all they are the second biggest selling group of all time,so it is more than A Current Affair worthy if it is justified.
But agreed it was a quote Agnetha made which has been blown all out of proportion,just a thought in her mind,as she said.
Personally a one off concert with full orchestra recorded for posterity is what i would like,sadly something we never got from The Beatles.
Yeah it’s much like the regurgitation of press releases into articles and the copy and paste of other people’s work, credited or not, into new posts that is the internet
Totally agree. I happened to watched 9 news last night for the first time in ages. The lead story was on people that don’t pay road tolls. It was a really light piece that could have been filmed and/or played anytime over the last 6 months on A Current Affair. I sat there with my daughter both wandering if anything in Sydney or the world more important had happened today. And then later the Abba puff piece. I also watched 7pm Project. I feel that I get more news value from that show with a bit of a laugh along the way.