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Farewell New Inventors

The New Inventors takes its final leave with tonight's Grand Final, but ABC's association with inventors actually stretches back to the 1970s.

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The New Inventors takes its leave from our screens tonight with its Grand Final edition at 8pm.

The ABC recently announced the show would not be renewed.

But Producer Nicholas Searle says it isn’t the staff behind the show that will lose out most.

“I’m sorriest for the inventors because it is the inventors that are going to miss out. The guys that work on the show that’s sad – and we’ve become a really close team, but we’ll find other work, ” he tells ABC Online.

“[The show]’s done a lot of good for a lot of inventors, it’s really the only outlet that a lot of inventors at that real entry level, a guy or a girl in a workshop, knocking out a new invention – it’s really the only avenue they’ve got to get something before a broader audience.”

The ABC’s association with local inventors stretches back much further than the current incarnation.

Its predecessor, The Inventors produced by Beverly Gledhill, was an ABC mainstay during the 1970s, broadcasting hundreds of Australian inventions throughout the decade.

The Inventors was eventually shelved for more than 20 years, but was revived in 2003 as The New Inventors with James O’Loghlin.

In tonight’s Grand Final, will choose a 2011 winner based on originality, need, design, safety, manufacture and pricing, and market.

In addition to ‘Invention of the Year’, two more special prizes will be presented the Bright Spark award for the best inventor under 18 years of age, and the Les is More award, in honour of the late judge Les Miller, goes to for inventions created for the benefit of society or the environment.

9 Responses

  1. Incredible stupidity on part of ABS management.
    If a show can’t promote their leftie agenda then it has to go. They can’t even invent a good excuse!
    I had hoped that my invention which I nominated back in January would appear on the show this year, but no, and now never…..

  2. “Proud american inventors thoughts & respect for my fellow inventors”
    “keep inventing fellow american inventors”
    “where would america be if american inventors stopped inventing”
    “americas progress and a better future for america would stop”
    “rather some americans know it or not we..american inventors are what keep american dreams alive; by inventing new products, devices that help our generation, the next generation to be better, stronger & inspire americans to keep dreaming”
    “dream big do big”…..respectfully, michael v. Caldwell… proud american inventor who is always striving to be part of the solution using; americandoo attitude, common sense & respect..as my guidelines to follow at all times…

  3. A sad sign of the times in which we live. At a point in the world where we need inventive minds to help invent the machines and processes that will help towards a more sustainable world and at a time when our country needs to encourage young innovative minds to enter the science and manufacturing feilds of endeavour, we see the demise of one peice of televison that actually champions these ideals.

    Yet there are litiarally hundreds of programs being broadcasted 24/7 that have no real value what so ever except feeding the populations hunger for gossip, fashion, sensationalised “news”, crime, conflict and voyerism.

    A sad time for sure. Hopefully some TV programmer or producer with some soul will wake up and again reprise this valuable and immensly important program.

  4. I wish they would factor in the social value of the New Inventors when making the decision to axe such an educational and stimulating program. This is the kind of entertainment that can inspire young people to be the problem solvers of the future. It does not matter if there are not huge numbers of people watching it. Its the amount that do, which are dedicated followers and young people who are minds of creativity and invention, that are important.

    Its a bad decision. Bring it back revamped or the ABC is losing its soul.

  6. Thank you for a wonderful show that highlighted Australian inventiveness and inventions. Maybe one day they’ll bring it back again as I think it is an important service for the community. Thank you to everyone involved in making the show. I’ll miss it.

  7. Even Nine got in on the inventors bandwagon in 1980 with ‘What’ll They Think Of Next?’ with Geoff Stone and Lorraine Bayly.

    Not only is this axing a blow to the inventors and innovators that can’t get exposure any other way, but most importantly it is also going to devastate my folks who love The New Inventors and Spicks and Specks on a Wednesday night… their two favourite shows on a Wednesday about to vanish.

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