The Sky News Australia breakfast anchor Peter Stefanovic is already into his third year hosting the no-hype, no-frills news program. In that time reporting on Covid-19 has filled much of the past two years.
“Like everybody else, that has meant we have had to work in different ways,” Stefanovic told Mediaweek. That means things like keeping different parts of the newsroom separated which would limit the spread of Covid if there happened to be an outbreak.
“Sky News has managed it all very well with very little impact on the product. There was a period where I hardly saw anyone for weeks. [CEO] Paul Whittaker has done very well with how it was managed.”
Stefanovic said it was good to have other major non-Covid related stories now leading bulletins, from good news items like the return of Cleo Smith to political machinations which is Sky News’ bread and butter.
Something else that has taken the focus away from Covid are the documentaries Stefanovic has been working on. The latest is the two-part China Rising which screens on Sky News Australia on November 16 and 17 at 8pm.
Unlike some recent China-themed specials, this one doesn’t just track the origins of Covid.
“This is a comprehensive wrap of our relationship with China – where we have come from, where we are and where we are going,” explained the doco’s host.
“It’s not good where we are going,” Stefanovic added.
The program tracks Australia’s relationship with China back to the days of Gough Whitlam. Stefanovic noted although it was unpopular at the time, the former Labor leader seized an opportunity to bring the nations closer together.
Covering a period of 40+ years means there was much scope to speak to the players across the decades. “This is easily the most interviews I have ever done for a project,” said Stefanovic.
“I spoke to more than 30 people. That list includes former Prime Ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott and Foreign Ministers here and in Taiwan. We also spoke to some Uyghur Muslims, a persecuted minority, who have suffered under China’s appalling human rights record.
“We interviewed dissidents about the inner-workings of the Chinese Communist Party and what President Xi ultimately wants.”
Sky News Australia reached out to China for a point of view, with no success. “China Rising is not just anti-China. We also talk about the good things the government has done and is doing. It is to be celebrated they have been able to get about 850 million people out of poverty.
“This is certainly not just a hatchet job on China.”
Stefanovic thinks Australia is doing enough to try and engage with the country at present. “China doesn’t seem interested in dealing with us. But it is becoming more isolated with not many friends. There is not much more China can do to hurt us with tariffs etc.”
He noted this is probably the biggest split there has ever been between Australia and China since the days of Whitlam.
Covid impacted shooting plans. More than half of the interviews were done face-to-face, but when Covid really restricted movement interviews were done over Zoom with a camera at each end of the discussion.
Alex Garipoli was the producer of the series, a former Nine colleague of Stefanovic’s. “It was great to have his experience and he was an excellent quality control officer.”
Peter Stefanovic’s morning
The alarm goes off at 3.30am for the Sky News Australia breakfast TV host. “I get into work just after 4am and then do the show from 5.30am until 9am.”
Before he needs to be home to help care for his young family, Stefanovic has planning meetings about the next show and discussions about his other projects.
“We have knocked over three major documentaries this year,” he reminded Mediaweek. “In addition to China Rising we did William Tyrrell: Little Boy Lost and Australia’s Cocaine Crisis.”
Last year he hosted the compelling two-parter MH370: The Untold Story.