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A Current Affair promo risks the great divide

In what must have seemed like a good idea at the time, a "Made in Melbourne" promo for ACA does a pretty good job of inadvertently trashing Sydney.

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The Great Dividing Range may separate the eastern seaboard from most of the rest of the country but A Current Affair’s latest promo has drawn a line through the Murray River.

In what must have seemed like a good idea at the time, a “Made in Melbourne” promo does a pretty good job of inadvertently trashing Sydney.

“The other 6.30pm shows all come out of Sydney – so how can they possibly understand the issues affecting us?” it purports.

That would be Today Tonight and 6:30 with George Negus, in case you’re wondering, both of which are hosted in Sydney.

Tracy Grimshaw has been hosting ACA in Melbourne for two years, now at their new Docklands studio. Before that she, and her predecessors, were also in Sydney. Nine has frequently branded Melbourne productions with the words “Made in Melbourne,” (including The Block) and while it’s fine to include an acknowledgement, the editorialing in the latest promo will backfire.

In this age of the interwebs and Twitter, it doesn’t take much for Sydney residents to hear about how their own are being given a swipe.

It’s also incorrect. Martin King says, “Our reporters, producers, researchers all live and work here.” All? The show’s executive producer lives an works in Sydney, along with several Melbourne reporters who have relocated to Sydney for the gig.

So what’s behind the move?

ACA has traditionally been strongest in Melbourne, but since the arrival of 6:30 with George Negus the numbers have begun to slip, although it still remains well ahead. It does need to retain the numbers from Nine News in Melbourne, but having a go at Sydney may not be the most effective way of doing it.

The story has made news in the Sydney press today, republished in Melbourne.

55 Responses

  2. The anti-Sydney campaign is perfect for the average ACA and TT viewer. Sydney is basically a different country. For rest of the country, Sydney represents their suburban anxieties.

    “Too many ethnic people” – check
    “Population growth and congestion problems” – check
    “Foreign problems on Australian shores” – check

  5. Sydney and Melbourne aren’t two different cities, they are two different countries. Really, they are chalk and cheese, nothing like each other. That being said, the fact that a TV show is produced in either Sydney or Melbourne means nothing, it is completely irrelevant. All this stupid promo will do is kill ACA off in Sydney.

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