PRIME7 is facing a programming nightmare after Channel Seven’s decision yesterday to extend its national news service to a one-hour bulletin.
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The station’s local news went to air in its regular time slot of 6pm last night.
But the one-hour Channel Seven bulletin was cut short to allow for the soapie Home and Away to remain in its traditional 7pm spot.
Station management will be bracing for a barrage of criticism today after Home and Away took precedence over the regular and highly popular sport and weather segments.
The creation of the one-hour national news service was made possible by the axing of current affairs program Today Tonight in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Local implications of a decision made at a national level have caught out Prime7 management based in Canberra.
They couldn’t be contacted for comment yesterday.
The local and national news services and Home and Away are among the station’s most watched and highest rating regular programs.
Prime7 is the ratings leader locally, but changes to the current line-up could reduce its stranglehold.
Rival WIN has already reacted to the creation of a one-hour national news bulletin by its national affiliate, Channel Nine.
It means WIN’s local news has been pushed back 30 minutes to 7pm, so it is up against Home and Away.
Prime7 local news from the Border moved from 5.30pm to 6pm in 2011 when Daniel Gibson began presenting it from Canberra.
Channel Seven news was bumped to 6.30pm and Today Tonight dumped in those changes.
The only way the station can run the two news services and Home and Away in their entirety is by moving the local news back to 5.30pm.
Prime7 local news was the last live-to-air program to come from the Union Road studios.
Staff have been told they would be relocated to a still-to-be-confirmed location in central Albury.
Its former studios will be sold as part of rationalisation of station assets.
