Today, the final work of the ABC’s Adelaide television production unit goes to air, a piece of Adelaide radio history is demolished, and InDaily announces its new business editor.
Last hurrah for ABC’s Adelaide production unit
One of the last pieces of work for the ABC’s Adelaide television production house has gone to air.
The unit was one of the most substantial victims of ABC management’s response to budget cuts late last year.
It was staffed until the middle of this year, mostly to finish the series Restoration Australia, which started its run on Tuesday.
The gently engaging and beautifully filmed series highlights the efforts of Australians to restore historic homes.
The team, led by ABC veteran producer Margot Phillipson, has done an excellent job – and viewers seem to agree.
The show pulled respectable ratings for its first episode on the reconstruction of a gold rush-era stone home in country Victoria. It finished just out of the top 10 free-to-air shows for the night, with 756,000 viewers across the key metropolitan markets.
In some potential good news for the local industry, the ABC has told InDaily that it is in serious discussions with producers across Australia – including South Australia – about a range of future TV projects.
In addition, two films co-produced by the ABC and SA independent production houses will go to air in 2016.
InDaily’s new business editor
InDaily has appointed an experienced business editor to cover local companies and continue to build our independent coverage of the South Australian economy.
Leanne Nicholson, who has been a journalist for more than 20 years, starts with us on Monday.
She comes to us from a leadership position in Fairfax Media’s Perth operations where she was deputy editor of the news website, WA Today.
As well as being a skilled editor, she’s also a news-breaking reporter.
Comfortable in chaos
An 11-part documentary on the history of the elite Australian SAS was officially launched yesterday.
The series, by filmmaker Bruce Horsfield, includes input from South Australian Cabinet member Martin Hamilton-Smith, a former member of the SAS who appears at about the three-minute mark of this video extract.
The description of the SAS members’s qualities also offer some possible insights into Hamilton-Smith’s attraction to a political career.
Our crack troops are, apparently, “comfortable in chaos”!
Piece of Adelaide radio history demolished
It was never a great architectural achievement, but there is sadness at the demolition of the original home of Adelaide radio station SAFM.
The Greenhill Road studios hosted Southern Cross Austereo’s Adelaide operations for more than 30 years before they moved into new digs in Franklin Street early this year.
Former SAFM announcer Andrew “Cosi” Costello took to Facebook this week to mark the end of the studios – but also to lament the end of the SAFM brand, which was rebadged “hit107” last year.
“Very sad to drive along Greenhill Road and see the old SAFM building demolished,” he wrote. “I had 13 amazing years working on air in that building… SAFM ruled Adelaide back then, it smashed everyone in the ratings and Amanda (Blair) and James (Bradshaw) rated more than four times what SAFM brekky currently rate.
“It was the pulse of the city. It was Black Thunders and Sky Show’s and promotions that gripped the city… For me SAFM wasn’t just a radio station… I fell in love with it the minute I started working there, albeit prior to that I was working in a piggery so I guess I would have fallen in love with any job!!
“…When it changed names to HIT I was devastated, how could you ever lose the SAFM brand which was once, like the building at 128 Greenhill Road.. such a giant??
“…. So to the old SAFM building thats now a pile of rubble I hold aloft my icy cold can of coke and say ‘cheers’.”
The partially demolished SAFM building. Photo courtesy Andrew Costello
Naughty corner
In the flurry of coverage about the fire off Hindley Street this week, one piece of reportage stands above all others – The Advertiser’s page seven story on Wednesday congratulating themselves on attracting readers to their own coverage of the fire.
They can do as they choose with their once precious page space, but it was all a bit Sally Field.
Top of the class
In light of the previously mentioned blow to in local TV production, it is very pleasing to see that the Magarey Medal presentation will be back on air next week for the first time since 2007.
Seven Mate will broadcast the medal presentation and the SA Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Monday at 9pm, live from the Magarey Room at Adelaide Oval.
It will be the first time since the 1980s that Seven has broadcast the Magarey Medal.
With the slide of production to the eastern states, it’s good to see a quintessentially South Australian occasion getting a spot on free-to-air TV.
Media Week is published on Fridays.
