Astrology reports by AstroTash and comedy skits by Mark Humphries to debut on 7NEWS.
Channel 7 is standing by its decision to incorporate nightly Horoscope reports into its evening news broadcast, despite facing criticism from media commentators and competitors.
The network plans to introduce astrologer Natasha Weber, known as ‘AstroTash’, who will deliver a horoscope segment during the 6pm bulletins. This move is seen as unconventional for the typically hard-hitting news format.
This change comes alongside the network’s introduction of ‘Friday Funny Man’ comedian Mark Humphries, who will produce comedy skits for the bulletin.
It remains unclear if these new astrology and comedy segments will be aired on 7News in all states. The network is under significant ratings pressure, particularly on the East Coast, where its 6pm news bulletins is now consistently lagged behind Channel 9.
Recently appointed Director of News and Current Affairs and Seven West Media Editor-in-Chief Anthony De Ceglie addressed the new initiatives, stating his team is currently “exploring new ideas and concepts”.
De Ceglie, whom had never worked in Television prior to his appointment, who succeeded former news director Craig McPherson in April, emphasised his willingness to experiment in his new role.
“We are incredibly proud of the groundbreaking and quality journalism that 7NEWS produces every single bulletin,”
“We’re exploring new ideas and concepts to bring in new audiences so that we can showcase them this journalism.”
“We’re not going to be afraid to innovate and we’re only just getting started,” he continued. “One thing that will never change is our absolute commitment to telling the stories that matter to our viewers.”
Natasha Weber is expected to produce the astrology segment for the evening bulletins. Having previously appeared on the broadcaster’s post-breakfast program The Morning Show, Weber’s new segment will feature a brief 20-second presentation, airing after the weather forecast. The segment is designed to be largely visual, utilising an infographic.
Showbiz reporter Peter Ford commented on 6PR,
“It literally goes for 20 seconds. There’s three slides, I think there’s four star signs on each slide. You’ve got to be pretty quick to read it, actually.”
The slides will appear without an introduction after the weather segment.
Ford acknowledged the unconventional nature of the segment within the context of a news service, highlighting the pressure news executives in Melbourne and Sydney face due to tighter competition. He noted,
“It’s also very much a response to changing times in Free to Air TV. I don’t know if you saw Media Watch the other night… but they outlined just what dire straits all commercial TV networks are under at the moment, and the future doesn’t look any better.”
Ford added that Weber takes astrology seriously, stating,
“She’s deadset serious about it all.”
Former Channel 7 news director Steve Carey expressed scepticism about the move, telling 3AW,
“My firm view is brand reputation and trust are the cornerstones of news, and when you mess with that, you mess with the formula, so there’s a huge risk involved in this. On the flip side, you’ve got an hour of news, and news shouldn’t be all heavy, we’ve got so much heavy news at the moment, so sometimes putting it after weather isn’t really such a bad thing.”
“For me, personally, I’d rather have more issues-based reporting. Crime, cost of living.
So while I see where they’re going with it, I don’t know that experimenting with 6pm main line news which sets up your whole evening bulletin and viewership is the way to go.”
SOURCE: News.com.au, 3AW and 6PR
On comedy skits in news. Comedy content in the news would be more appropriate for late evening bulletins in the same way as it was done with Channel 9’s “Graham Kennedy’s Coast To Coast” and Channel 7’s late evening news presented by Clive Robertson.
The main evening bulletins should be news, sport and weather.
Personally, I would stop interruptions of the news bulletins 10 minutes into the bulletin with sports news and forthcoming sports news.
I can’t stand breaking sports news interrupting stories of world, economics and what’s happening in our state and Federal Capital.
In respect to astrology reports, in the 1970s Channel 9 weather presenter Judy Lynne had an astrology report at the end of the weather report. She’d start the sentence with “….if your birthday is today…”.
That astrology report at the end of the weather report didn’t last.
Could you imagine then when 1.5 million were watching the bulletin and out of those 1.5 million viewers who had a birthday on a particular day hearing the same forecast?
Those celebrating a birthday on that day surely wouldn’t experience the same predicted outcomes predicted by astrology.
Suppose there was a presentation of lucky numbers for all the star signs in the forthcoming Melbourne Cup. Not all star signs will win.
So much for astrological lucky numbers.
That’s the problem with generalised predictions.
One sized messages does not fit all.
Thanks
Seven is really losing the plot…..
🔮 I see a meeting with a whiteboard🔮
🔮 I see the words Brain and Storm and News and Variety 🔮
🔮 I see Peter Meakin choking on his cornflakes 🔮
That’s such a Virgo thing to ask
It’s rob sitch frontline revisited