10 recently announced a new one-hour news bulletin that will air at the mid-way point of the day, five days a week.
10 News First: Midday will provide an update on the latest breaking news stories from around the country and the world from 12pm – 1pm.
Hosting the new national show is 10 News First news presenter Narelda Jacobs who will commence hosting duties on Monday, January 9.
Mediaweek spoke to Jacobs ahead of her newest TV role about what viewers can expect from 10’s upcoming news program.
Jacobs has been at the forefront of the news for more than 20 years. Starting her journalism career at 10 News First in Perth, she moved to Sydney in 2020 to join Studio 10 and present News from Sydney.
“I love to sit at the news desk and deliver the news, and to be able to do a national television show is just incredible. So I’m really looking forward to it,” she said.
Network 10’s Narelda Jacobs
Jacobs’ new role will see her jump from the Studio 10 desk – which will air at the new time of 10am -12pm – straight on to the 10 News First: Midday desk at 12pm.
As part of the changes, Studio 10 will now have more of a focus on entertainment, and significant moments from around the world, while 10 News First: Midday will compact local, national and international news into a one-hour segment.
“It’s going to be compressed goodness within two hours, which is really exciting for producers to pack in all the good things – it’s two hours of feel-good TV,” Jacobs said on Studio 10’s new format.
“I’ll slide over to the news desk at 12, and it will be a traditional news format. But there’ll be some slight changes with some chat, bringing on expert analysis and expert interviews, and I might have company on the desk every now.”
With people still working from home, a midday news segment is a chance to capture the eyeballs of those having lunch at home.
“I’m looking forward to just making it look fresh. It’s going to be a midday news show, so it’s not going to be like an evening bulletin. But it’s your first time on 10 that you’ll be able to see what’s happening around the country and the world.
“Flick us on while you’re having lunch, and we’ll tell you what you need to know and see what’s going on around the world,” she added.
On the new role, Jacobs says she wants to put her own spin on it to make it her own.
“I do want to bring my lens to the bulletin and cover stories that are important,” she said. “I would love to be able to bring my own perspective to some of the things that we cover up on this division, and I really just want to put my stamp on it and make it my own.”
Jacobs is the first queer, Indigenous woman to host a national news show on the commercial channel.
“I would have loved to have seen more black and brown faces on Australian TV [growing up].
“It’s really good that there is more diversity now, but there needs to be more. So I’m happy to be playing my role, but also just sitting in my comfort zone, which is at a news desk doing what I do best, which is reading the news,” she said.
10 News First: Midday comes after 10 axed 10 News First: Breakfast and revealed that Studio 10 host Sarah Harris would leave the program to be the new co-host on The Project.
“Australians do really want to know what’s going on in the world and the country, and I would love to be able to deliver the biggest stories of the day, wherever they are – in your local suburb, around the country, or somewhere in the world.
“There’s an appetite for lunchtime – I’d love to just bring everybody along with the team and me putting this bulletin together because it’s going to be a fresh take on the news, and I cannot wait.”
10 News First: Midday airs 12 pm on weekdays from January 9, 2023.