DANIEL Gibson has already started the transition from Prime’s “wacky weather guy” to serious newsreader with confirmation he will present the Albury bulletin from March 14.
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Prime will end nearly half a century of broadcasting news from its Union Road studios on March 11 before Gibson reads the first bulletin from Canberra three days later.
Gibson said he was acutely aware his style of presenting the weather would need to change with the switch to news.
But he said the fact he has a nine-year-old son, who suffers from a form of cerebral palsy, would help him project a more serious side to viewers.
“I am in the studio now changing over from wacky weather guy to reasonable newsreader,” Gibson said.
“There is no doubt I haven’t been everyone’s cup of tea with the way I do the weather.
“The news is a completely different kettle of fish and people are asking “can he be serious?”.
“With the family dynamic we’ve got, we’ve gone through some pretty tough trots with Cameron in particular.
“I’ve got a great empathy for families who are perhaps doing it a little tougher than others.
“I take my role and indeed the responsibilities that come with it quite seriously.”
Gibson, 38, is married to Caroline and has two children, Cameron and Eliza, 6, and has been working in the media for 15 years.
His involvement with the Seven Network’s coverage of the V8 Supercars has ended as he concentrates on the task of replacing Helen Ballard, who has presented the Albury bulletin since 2001.
Ballard will remain in Albury as a senior reporter.
The Albury bulletin becomes the third behind Wagga and Orange to be presented from Canberra, but incumbent readers Doug Hogan and Hugh Whitfield moved to the national capital to read their respective news.
“I am looking at working with the local guys on the ground to make sure the news still remains local and relevant to the viewers,” Gibson said.
“North East Victoria and the Border region is actually my favourite part of the whole area we cover.
“It is a tough market, but without diminishing the role, I am responsible for making sure people want to watch and the introduction to the local guys’ stories are having justice done to them.”
