While Channel 10’s relationship with late night News has been somewhat on-again/off-again, this latest foray into nightly news stands to be a solid product. Hamish Macdonald is a seasoned news journalist who brings with him international reporting experience. Newsnight looks to be a great nightcap for those looking for their evening dose of news (or for those who missed earlier bulletins). From the press release:

Host Hamish Macdonald

Network Ten is pleased to announce the launch of an agenda-setting weeknight news and public affairs program, TEN Newsnight, from Monday, June 4, at 10.30pm.

Hosted by TEN’s highly acclaimed senior foreign correspondent Hamish Macdonald, TEN Newsnight will be on air from Monday to Thursday, with TEN News Updates appearing across Friday nights. Network Ten’s Head of News and Current Affairs, Anthony Flannery, said TEN Newsnight would deliver the most up-to-date news, sport, weather and financial information, as well as interviews with news makers, regular music performances and analysis of social media trends.

“TEN Newsnight will not be a traditional news bulletin,” Mr Flannery said. “It will cover the staples of news bulletins, such as headlines of the day, breaking news, sport, weather and finance. “But TEN Newsnight will also include features such as live interviews, entertainment, and segments that use social media to reveal what people are talking about and what will be the next day’s big stories,” he said.

Mr Flannery said TEN Newsnight would take a different approach to covering the key news and issues of the day. “TEN Newsnight’s news-public affairs format means it can give viewers in-depth coverage of the news and trends of the day, as well as throwing forward to tomorrow’s big stories,” he said. “It will be contemporary and at times it will be provocative. We will tackle challenging topics and issues. We will give a different perspective to big stories and big issues.”

Mr Flannery said Hamish Macdonald was the obvious choice to present TEN Newsnight. Since he joined TEN in 2010, Mr Macdonald has built a reputation as a talented and versatile news reporter and presenter, delivering groundbreaking news reports (people smuggling in Indonesia), fronting investigative documentary specials (Bikie Wars: Here and Now) and regularly co-presenting The Project. Over the past year, Mr Macdonald has secured nominations in prestigious journalism awards such as the Walkley Awards and the Quills Australian Journalist of the Year Award, a rare achievement for a commercial television network news reporter. He was also a finalist for the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Outstanding New Talent at this year’s Logie Awards.

The other members of TEN Newsnight include TEN Sports presenter Brad McEwan. With the addition of TEN Newsnight to its News line-up, TEN is the only commercial free-to-air television that provides up-to-date news and public affairs coverage from Breakfast to bedtime.