As the South-East Queensland basin continues to expand into the west it’s a smart move to set up a bureau in one of the largest communities to provide production facilities as well as integrate with the local University campus to provide opportunities for students to work with the Nine Team. In a world of shrinking budgets and teams this is a great initiative to better serve western Brisbane, Ipswich, the Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba. From the press release:
Nine News is expanding resources to the high-growth corridor west of Brisbane and opening a dedicated news-gathering bureau in the Ipswich suburb of Springfield.
The bureau will act as a “hot desk” with the ability to be operated by four staff members and enable breaking news from the region to be televised live across Nine Network Queensland and regional affiliate WIN Television.
Combined with the Gold Coast bureau, the new Springfield office will enhance the Nine Network’s ability to deliver unparalleled resources to television news gathering in Queensland.
“This bureau has been 12 months in the planning and we’re excited to be finally expanding our news service into this important region,” said Mike Dalton, Director of Nine News Queensland. When news breaks in the Ipswich or Toowoomba regions, whether it be flooding, bushfires or events of community importance, viewers will see it first on Nine, with Nine News positioned to broadcast the most immediate and comprehensive information and images direct from Springfield.”
The Nine News Springfield bureau will also actively educate and contribute to the next generation of journalists, with media students from the University of Southern Queensland’s Springfield campus having access to its resources.
Kylie Blucher, Nine Queensland Managing Director, said: “The Springfield bureau is a major part of Nine’s commitment to the people of Ipswich and our wider Queensland audience. We’re looking forward to being involved with Springfield community and a voice for the region to tell its stories. The incorporation of USQ students into the bureau also allows us to work with the university on developing the journalists of tomorrow and give them practical experience in news gathering.”
Springfield founder and city visionary Maha Sinnathamby congratulated Nine Queensland on recognising the importance of this growth corridor.
“The Springfield community is enormously excited to have Channel Nine not only on the ground here but also teaming up with the local university in a national first. To deliver this kind of hands-on experience and tuition to students is first class,” he said.
The Nine News Springfield bureau is the second major announcement by Nine Queensland this month. On June 10, the Nine Network committed resources to the Channel Nine Children’s Hospital Telethon which will aim to raise more than $10 million to assist research, medical equipment and services provided by the Children’s Hospital Foundation. The telethon was launched by Premier Campbell Newman who made a $500,000 donation on behalf of Queensland Health.
Nine News, presented by Andrew Lofthouse and Melissa Downes, is dominating the 2014 OzTAM ratings year across South East Queensland with record high numbers of viewers. Having won Mondays to Fridays in 2013, claiming 21 of a possible 40 weeks, Nine News at 6.00pm is leading 2014 with its highest margins of audience over competitors since 2012.
The Nine News Springfield bureau is located at 145 Sinnathamby Blvd, Springfield Central, and will be operational from late June 2014.
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Monday, June 16, 2014