Big Mob Brekky: “How has it taken this long?”

On Monday NITV makes TV history with the first all-Indigenous breakfast show, Big Mob Brekky.

Screening 7:30am – 8:30am Monday to Friday as part of NAIDOC Week, the show is hosted by NITV reporters Shahni Wellington and Ryan Liddle and encompass news, entertainment, wellness, comedy, cooking, sport, community call outs and live performances.

Ryan Liddle tells TV Tonight, “You’ll still be able to get your weather and everything else that you get at those other places, but with an Indigenous perspective.

“We never see this sort of representation on morning telly”

“We never see this sort of representation on morning telly, and between Shahni and we’ll hope to get everyone up on their seat, ready to attack the day. And we just really want to bring a black sense of humour as well.”

Indeed while Indigenous on-camera staff on other morning TV shows is improving, it is still limited: Brooke Boney (Today), Narelda Jacobs (Studio 10), Michael Rennie (News Breakfast). Recent diversity report Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories found more than 75% of TV news and current affairs presenters, commentators and reporters have an Anglo-Celtic background, while only 6 percent have an Indigenous or non-European background.

Liddle says even within NITV some are surprised there has not been an Indigenous breakfast show until not.

“How has it taken this long to get it done? But I think it’s probably come at the right time. In 2020 we want to see more Indigenous representation in the mainstream sector and certainly Big Mob Brekky hopes to be a good example of that.

“This is a fresh, new take on things”

“It’s primarily for an Indigenous audience, but we want to appeal to a wider audience, with an Indigenous perspective. So we will be targeting the same audience as those other large and well-known platforms, but with a different perspective. This is a fresh, new take on things, so we’re hoping that we can really get people going in the morning, and start their day off with a smile, but also a bit of education as well.”

The show will broadcast Live from Taronga Zoo, drawing upon Sydney as its backdrop with live crosses to First Nations Media Australia partners across the country.

Both Liddle and Wellington have hosted The Point for NITV and presented a Black Lives Matter special earlier this year. Liddle hopes if things go well it could lead to more, but first he has to ready for what Live TV will throw at him.

“With Live TV, there’s always something that can and ultimately does go wrong. I’ve been doing Live TV for a while and that’s part of the excitement. You have to always expect the unexpected,” he admits.

“I think there’s certainly scope for a more permanent presence in that space”

“I’d like to think there’s an opportunity to have a more permanent presence in that space. This is a bit of an exhibition, I guess but depending on public response and how things are received, I think there’s certainly scope for a more permanent presence in that space.

“Certainly I won’t be won’t be complaining if that’s the case.”

Big Mob Brekky 7:30am Monday – Friday November 9 – 13.