Today Tonight, Seven Adelaide’s weekday ratings machine, has claimed a record 700th consecutive winning week of official ratings.
After being replaced along the east coast by an extra half hour of Seven News, the daily current affairs program continues successfully in the Seven schedule in Adelaide and Perth.
There are still some who feel the format should be back on air in all metro markets. In a stirring speech recently in Sydney at the Kennedy Awards, Seven reporter and producer David Richardson said the format is not dead.
Hosted in Adelaide by Rosanna Mangiarelli, Today Tonight has the longest winning streak since the introduction of the people meters ratings system in 1991 and one of the greatest winning streaks since the first night of television in Adelaide in 1959.
Today Tonight’s unbeaten run began on March 26, 2001. It has won the 6.30pm to 7pm weeknight slot every week since, totally dominating everything that has gone up against it.
Seven Adelaide director of news and public affairs Chris Salter said: “700 weeks is an incredible milestone and a stunning reflection on our superb team, past and present. Night after night, year after year, South Australians tune in to watch the stories that matter to them.”
Today Tonight premiered on January 30, 1995 with Leigh McClusky as host. Over the years Today Tonight’s hosts have also included Paul Makin, John Riddell and Mike Smithson. Rosanna Mangiarelli began her role as host in August 2007.
Slow start: Today Tonight’s success is even more remarkable considering it took 258 programs before it won its first night of ratings (May 15, 1996) and 100 weeks exactly before it won its first week of ratings (July 1997).
Source: OzTAM. Official survey weeks March 26, 2001 to September 21, 2018.
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Top Photo: Rosanna Mangiarelli