ABC Local Radio’s new bulletin schedule came into operation this week, dumping the 0745 News due to budget cuts.
While there was little mention of the change on-air on Monday, the very last 0745 bulletin aired on Sunday morning during Macca’s Australia All Over program, ending with a tribute to some of the voices of that bulletin heard by listeners during the past 80 years.
An extended report, prepared by Michelle Brown and Adam Story used archive material to remember the bulletin’s impact.
The 0745 news bulletin was introduced in a time before the ABC’s Current Affairs department was founded and before the extended current affiars shows AM, The World Today and PM were created, so the longer bulletin in its early days, was important to allow for more in-depth reporting. As Gaven Morris told radioinfo in July, the bulletin needed more resources because of its longer format and the need for extended versions of news reports.
The last 0745 bulletin was presented by Jamelle Wells, who has told radioinfo:
“I read a full script about the new format and played a tribute to the history of the bulletin that the staff put together and management approved… We are proud of the tribute we put together.”
Listen to the report below.
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A few discrete points.
While the 0745 news bulletin is no longer, let's not forget ABC News Radio with updates every quarter hour. In recent months this jewel of a news service has improved in its presentation including news bulletins featuring "Majestic Fanfare" on the hour and half hour during the day.
For those who hate the ABC, the commercial stations' news bulletins especially those on 2GB have declined in coverage since the late 1980s. No more 10 minute bulletins at breakfast, no half hour news bulletins at midday and 1700 and no more 10 minute bulletins at 2200. Even the last 10 minute news bulletin at 1200 on 2GB disappeared with the retirement of Jim Angel (RIP) in 2001. It is an economic reality. As a result 2GB could not be called a news talk station because it ceases to have comprehensive coverage of the news. Again it's an economic reality.
But just because it is an economic reality does not mean that the ABC should 'sympathetically' reduce its news services. News is a public good and all Australians deserve. What else do we have when news coverage on commercial radio and TV is reducing. Having a reduced ABC news service means Australians will not be informed. We cannot rely on social media to deliver news because we don't know whether the news is genuine, fake or part of a misinformation campaign.
The montage presented by Ms Jamelle Wells brought back memories. I remember when Ms Wells presented the late evening news on 2GB. She also made pre-recorded bulletins for the 0100 & 0300, and the 0200 and 0400 times. I knew that the 2GB bulletins were pre-recorded because the bulletins suddenly were aired at their non-scheduled times. I also remember Mr Bruce Menzies reading the news and as a toddler watching him co-host a children's program featuring a koala up a gum tree with the song at the end of the show "....Bill's asleep, Bill's asleep, mmmmmmmm....Bill's asleep, Bill's asleep......" Moreover after hearing Ms Deborah Rice in the montage reading the bulletin, I remember going to the same piano teacher in Strathfield and she was two to three pupils ahead of me.
Thank you,
Anthony of non-forgetting Belfield