Behind the News turns 50!
Australia's third longest-running TV show reaches a golden milestone.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News, Top Stories
Richard Morecroft, Tania Nugent, Paul Higgins
Behind The News began on June 5th 1968 hosted by Peter Sumner looking at current affairs for children.
It ran on ABC until 2004 when it was briefly axed, before returning in 2005.
The series is now the third longest-running TV show in Australia behind Four Corners (57 years) and Play School (53 years).
Presenters have included Paul Higgins, Richard Morecroft, Tania Nugent, amongst others.
BtN finds fun and engaging ways to explain complex news stories to children. The content is linked to key learning areas in the Australian National Curriculum and teaching resources are provided with each episode.
Amelia Mosely is the show’s current host, having replaced Nathan Bazley after 10 years. Reporters include Jack Evans, Ruby Cornish & Matt Holbrook.
Behind the News in the 1970s
Paul Higgins
To mark this milestone ABC is having a “kids takeover” with each ABC metropolitan newsroom to host a BTN rookie reporter, featured on the ABC News website, and during 7pm News bulletins.
BTN is also hosting a party at ABC Adelaide, where children, the BTN team and alumni, and other ABC faces will mark this milestone. For online audiences, there will be special features showcasing BTN’s archive, as well as a series of short-form video features to mark the anniversary.
Tuesday June 5
10am ABC ME Tuesday June 5 BTN anniversary edition
4:30pm ABC ME Tuesday June 5 Q&A kids edition hosted by BTN’s Amelia Moseley
6pm ABC BTN 50th anniversary documentary
6:30pm ABC Q&A kids edition repeat
7pm ABC ME BTN very first edition
Nathan Bazley
BtN team
Amelia Mosely
Today I was interviewed about a petition I started when I was 12, collecting signatures 2 bring back @BehindTheNews when it was axed in 2003. Amazingly the show was brought back 2 air! Nice lil’ reminder that ur never too small 2 make a difference 📝 @Amelia__Moseley @viscounted pic.twitter.com/Y5nkZPAgz6
— Georgia Germein (@GeorgiaGermein) May 2, 2018
Photos: ABC
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- Tagged with Behind the News, Four Corners, Play School
5 Responses
I remember we had to watch this show when I was in 6th grade in 1971. At the time the media was full of the Springbok rugby tour of Australia and debate about Apartheid. I remember watching BTN expecting them to cover it but they said nothing. Even as an 11 year old kid I knew that this show was biased and dishing up a sanitised version of the news.
Just looked at that first photo more carefully. The photographer is standing on a chair that most likely has wheels!!!
I came to BTN as an adult …and loved it.
I remember watching this in Primary School in the 1970’s. The school had just the one black and white TV. All the classes would come together and we’d sit cross legged on the floor and watch the show live. Video machines weren’t around then. The ABC used to put up a shot of a clock that would count down to the show starting. All of us kids sitting on the floor would call out loudly the countdown 10,9,8,7 etc. It was considered a real treat by us kids back then to be able to watch a TV show as part of class.
I remember watching when I was in primary school in the ’80s and being neverendingly perplexed by the gorilla wars in South America… Happy birthday, BTN!!