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On the box

On the box

I’ll be honest. I’m not a big fan of change.

When something works, I like it to be left the way it is and for the most part, I’m not alone; television audiences are the same.

Once a program has a winning format, it can continue for as long as people will watch it – A Country Practice, Home & Away and more recently MasterChef and The Block spring to mind straight away. These programs have sustained, devoted followings throughout their history (despite their sometimes-questionable quality) by winning a dedicated fan base.  

That said, there was little insight into Network Ten’s decision to cut its long-running Late News format (and end Sandra Sully’s 16-year run at the helm) late last year at the time of its demise.

Until now.

Ten’s Late News mysteriously re-appeared last month in a “re-booted” format.

There are now two new, younger and fresher anchors who spend time strategically placed at different points of the newsroom, constantly crossing to one-another, inducing a kind of seasickness in the viewer. Instead of the straight-forward style that made the old format popular (and watchable) this newer, flashier Late News program features multiple cutaways to giant view-screens, showcasing a more dynamic and fresh way to represent the Newspoll ratings.

The largest and most infuriating change comes with the addition of a nightly musical guest who not only performs but also stays on for a brief and painful panel discussion.

This fresh take on the news is nothing new for Network Ten and it is no secret that this is an effort to jazz-up the format to mimic its other news/entertainment hybrid The Project.

One key reason that this falls short lies solely with the fact that the hosts aren’t comedians and so the arrangement is still sterile and bland despite the shiny new presentation.

The news side of things is exactly the same and there is no effort to add humour or discussion and this is one of the only redeeming factors of the new format.­­

Another notable highlight is that Brad McEwan returns to present sport and add personality to an otherwise inexperienced and beige panel.  

Ten’s Late News worked perfectly as straightforward news program. Adding things like tricky camera angles and a musical performance by a low-end musician (Shannon Noll was on last week) just makes the overall product confusing and downright annoying to watch. 

The news doesn’t have to masquerade as anything but the news – and Ten’s Late News is a clear example of what happens when you try to please too many people.

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