Melbourne is feeling just a tad snubbed by television networks declining to broadcast the city’s fireworks tonight, instead opting for the Sydney spectacle.
Traditionally both are screened, on alternative networks.
Nine spokeswoman Michelle Stamper has told the Herald Sun, “With costs as they are, we are going with national coverage of one of the world’s most famous fireworks shows, from Sydney Harbour.”
Two years ago while TEN screened the Sydney fireworks nationally, both Seven and Nine aired fireworks over the Yarra and Federation Square. This year Seven is airing The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
It’s the same story in other capital cities where Seven’s movie will also take precedence and TEN has its Shaun Micallef’s New Year’s Rave special.
Most networks however will likely source footage from other cities for their News services tomorrow.
While costs are being cited as part of the decision, maybe Programmers also got a heads up from the Weather Bureau. It’s a stinker in Melbourne today, expected to pass 35, with a possible electrical storm due after 10pm, which could cancel the city’s planned fireworks in any case.
Nine’s Sydney fireworks will air in two instalments with New Year’s Eve 2009 Family Fireworks from 8:40 – 9:10, and New Year’s Eve 2009 from 11:40 – 12:10 ….pity for those who aren’t on AEDT. You’ll have to put up with it on delay anyway…
Source: Herald Sun
Yes i think Sydney has the best fireworks around , coz they have the best place to display them from.. Melbourne is a lovely place to very nice people there, ive never seen NYE fireworks there yet maybe 1 day , i have in Sydney many times i will be there this year again..
I have moved to perth 5 years ago and really miss the Sydney NYE fireworks.. Perth really needs NYE fireworks, coz there is nothing here at all, so depressing they need to catch up the the rest of the world and no how to entertain it’s residence properly…….. Communist State ..Needs many changes……
I attended the Sydney NYE fireworks on the Cahill Expressway viewing platform and I found them bitterly disappointing. Be grateful they look so good on television!! Except for the last 60 second ‘money shot’ they were just ordinary fireworks over the same gorgeous harbour you view every other night. Totally overhyped and overrated. Next year I will not be standing around with 1 million brain dead people doing Groundhog New Years Eve and staring at the sky. I will find a decent party assuming there is anything else to do in Sydney other than gawking at fireworks. Maybe I’ll head down to Melbourne where the fireworks are ordinary – but at least the people know how to party hard.
Anyway, the ratings were quite good (even in Melbourne).
I couldn’t agree more about the comments regarding the coverage on Nine last night.How many ads did they put in during the early fireworks at 9pm.Was i also right in hearing them a couple of times saying “the fireworks in Sydney will be the first as the world welcomes in the new year”.(or words to that effect) What Sydney is the centre of the world and the first to see the New Year??.They had better look at the map and see that New Zealand is east of Australia and will see the new year before us.Or was NZ towed to the other side of the date line for the night??
Over all a pathetic attempt by 9 and shows how much out of touch they are with the average person who watches TV.
I don’t understand why the networks don’t show the local fireworks to each state,
then later show Sydney.
Just my 2 cents worth
Happy New Year to Everyone
It’s just fireworks! WGAF?!
Nine’s coverage just proves how badly they handle big events. I think they will completely destroy the Olympic Games. We thought Seven were doing a bad job, in fact i thought they cover them quite well but wait until Nine show them. Just look at how badly they did the Aussie Commonwealth Games. That in itself was poor.
As for Nine the ads are very cheesy and sickening to watch. All last night was about for Channel 9 was all the shows coming soon to their network. Well Nine i wont be watching a single show on your main channel. Welcome Home? I think not. Thats just pathetic and an extremely low act to try and say we are #1 and thanks for coming home to us. Well its not going to happen. Seven will retain the #1 position this year. I think Seven have the strongest lineup and just looking at the final few weeks when Seven finally got 7TWO they crushed the opposition like a twig.
The channel 9 coverage was so horrible.. it was all about their programes which i will not now watch except for maybe Hey Hey and see how that goes. Does chanbel 9 think we are stupid we left them to wacth other chaneels cause they were demanding and telling us what we had to watch not allowing us to control wat we watch. Channel 9 will not be in my home
After seeing Melb’s fireworks it is little wonder they did not hesitate to show Sydneys.Give up while your behind Melb…..this is a one horse race.
Nines coverage was woeful…….certainly no “entertainment ” to be seen anywhere.
Any way happy new year tvtonight bloggers but can anyone tell me how the fireworks in Melbourne went. I just want to know if the two guys with sparklers on the Yarra were fun, LOL !
Why do Australian cities have to put their logos over everything? I didn’t like the Sydney logo last night. I didn’t like the Melbourne logo at the MCG test last week & I hate the Melbourne logo pasted all over the tennis courts at the Australian Open.
Fireworks Great! Channel 9 Not! Bad camera angles, annoying television promos of their show and stupid and constant Fatblaster ads. Channel 10′s coverage last year was superb, it showed live performances and didnt base the whole entire show on their new shows. Either way, Sydney knows how to celebrate new year but please, channel 10 next year!
Channel nine’s coverage was one big add for their TV shows for 2010. And the highlight of the night. Interviewing the chk chk boom girl announcing her new show. Pleeease. Thanks channel 9. I think that is enough to make me avoid your channel this year. Thanks also for snubbing Tim Campbell last year, you wouldn’t know talent if it bit you on the a***.
Did anyone else struggle to see the fireworks on tv last night? I barely caught a glimpse between the oversized Sydney.com logo and the nine olymipcs logo. What a disgrace, nine should lose the privilage of broadcasting the fireworks in the future.
Well last night’s coverage on Ch 9 yet again proves that no matter who does the fireworks, they do a terrible job. It is purely an opportunity to plug thier own shows for 30 minutes – in both sets of fireworks, only 5-10 minutes of fireworks, the rest was just ads. Why not show the other things happening on the harbour like the pylons, the boats etc? Channel 9 took the cake last night interviewing the “chk boom” girl. Mind you, the actual camera views of the action were poor too – they always miss the best parts, zoom into something irrelevant or pan right back too often. But without doubt the worst part……….the huge Sydney logo all through the coverage. No doubt paid for by the NSW Government to try and get publicity to the international viewers. It was too big, distracting and just embarassing.
RE: Pete says:
December 31, 2009 at 7:19 am
It’s almost 2010 and programmers haven’t heard of split screen?! For shame!
Hey Pete, I’ve heard of split screen. It’s on TSO. Oh, you mean TV programmers, not computer programmers.
As one who saw the harbour fireworks last night all I can say is – Sydney Rocks!
They were spectacular. The night was spectacular. The crowd was spectacular. Anyone who has never seen them will never be able to appreciate just how magnificent the display is. I’ve seen the NY Eve displays in many cities (including woeful ones in Melbournes CBD a few years ago) and Nothing loks like this.
There is no Mel-Syd rivalry here cause Sydney wins without a question.
Gee what ever happened to the concept of “Global Warming”.
Happy New Year!
Bugger what a bitter lot you are but Happy New Year anyway……
Let Sydney have its day. It is the city that sells this country like no other city in the world can. With an international viewing audience of approx 700 million why would you show any other city. Sorry for anyone not from Sydney but your cities allthough great places are a little generic. You have the rest of the year to bag Sydney but last night was Sydneys for the rest of the world to see…..
And becareful Melbourne rumours are that F1 bosses like Homebush better than Albert Park, shhhhhhhhhhhh !
I can see why Sydney have monopolised this. There is a giant Sydney logo on it. I wonder how much it cost because any international news outlet that shows “NYE around the world” will see Australia’s with a giant Sydney logo. Great for tourism, crappy for the rest of the country.
If channel 7 & 10 are so cheap. Maybe Melbournian’s should support them by watching their shows. Like come on, Melbourne is the best city in oz. Yeh Sydney’s nice but nothing even compares to Melbourne. Channel 7 and 10 have made a big mistake. I don’t even want to mention those networks names anymore.
PS- If your as angry about this as me. Post something on any site. We Melbournian’s need to get our message across to these networks. Im embarrassed to even call channel 7 and 10 Australian networks.
welcome home what a load of crap. the home of sydney’s ch9 not t?he rest of country does the sun only shine in syndey
The size and quantity of fireworks are limited by the amount of water you have – the more water, the bigger you can go without risk of starting fires. So like it or not, fair or not, when it comes to fireworks, Sydney has a huge advantage.
All those wondering about not seeing any Perth NYE fireworks, its because we haven’t got any!!
They don’t have them on Swan River, claiming its ‘too close to the Australia Day Skyshow’, and the only other City venue that had fireworks on NYE, Gloucester Park Trots, has scrapped them due to ‘Police pressure’ about underage drinking.
The Nanny State reinforces its ‘Dullsville’ tag.
@ CC hmmm calm down a bit it seems you seem to have a problem
Boo Hoo Melbourne, Sydney has a beautiful harbour and international appeal you can’t compete so get over yourself.
@ CC,
Have a New Year’s drink & settle yourself down. You’re taking it all too seriously.
That sure was a quick NYE contract for Channel 10..
i’m just upset that it doesn’t look like we are getting ch7′s 2010 launch that they have aired at about 00:15 on NYD for the last few years. that was great i wonder if it will move to a new place this year.
movies on NYE is not an entirely bad idea, it’s something different to what the competition is offering. but surely 7 could have shown a more family friendly movie that would finish by midnight.
I think Dave Gyng’s bonus for FY09/10 is a little more important than the public at lagres enjoyment of fireworks. No brainer dudes. Lelila also needs some major facial surgery so another valid reason for cutbacks.
Me I will be watching LoTR Return of the King and will probably switch to 9 at 1155pm and possibly click on to CNN after that just to see what they’re covering??
All that I have to say is “Happy New Year David and everyone and in the words of Ritchie B, “Know when to Declare”
They should Usteam these displays so millions can watch, around the world, via smartphones etc. Most people in Austarlia are not even near a TV a midnight…I guess in Australia we are a few years behind for that.
Typical of how the Australian media is run through the narrow minded prism of Sydney centrica. Brisbane fireworks never get broadcast on Brisbane tv and no reason is ever stated why. Believe it or not there are a lot of Australians who dont really care what happens on Sydney harbour on new years eve. The networks dont really seem to care about all the other non Sydney Australians who dont give a rats about the totally overrated Sydney fireworks. And guys Sydney is no longer the centre of power in Australia – we have a PM and a Fed Treasurer both from Qld. The Australian economy is powered by Qld and WA. So Sydney get over yourself. And to those who state that why would you want anything other Sydney fireworks – well it wont be too long until we dont get to see those when Ozzie media gets taken over by the USA and China and the fireworks we see are from Times Square and Beijing – why would you want to see second rate Australian fireworks.
Who cares Who cares Who cares
Things are to busy these days in town and cares about a bunch of coloured lights on the tv
a good horror movie and a drink at home
pleasure
who cares
I’ll be out partying !
I’m wondering if the broadcast on 9HD will actually be in HD? Iif it is then it could look pretty spectacular….though I doubt it will be. Either way I’ll IQ it on 9HD and see how they look.
I don’t get the concept of fireworks on telly either – weird. Go and see your local fireworks if you’re that interested. The excitement of fireworks is being there.
Personally I’m rapt to have more Micallef, even if it is 2 months old. Who cares? What will we miss out on, more blah blah about Abbott and Tiger Woods? No thanks, I just want Shaun being surreal.
No worries Mike…. it’s a slow news day. I think both HSUN and TVT scrounging for relevant NYE TV stories!
For those asking about Brisbane, NYE up here has been playing the “poor cousin” to Riverfire for the last few years. Riverfire this year, had six large fireworks barges (on both the City reach and South Bank reach of the Brisbane River), fireworks off the rooftops of nine buildings and from three bridges, while NYE only has two barges off South Bank (with no bridge or building effects).
I was just being a smart arse. I don’t expect anywhere else around Australia to have their fireworks telecast when they are up against Sydney. I did find it funny that Melbourne would be sour over this though.
Quote: “It’s the same story in other capital cities…”
Did Brissy / Ade / Per drop their coverage last year?
I love how ‘interstate’ equals ‘just Melbourne’. Where was this article last year when Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth’s fireworks weren’t telecast? Welcome to living anywhere else but Sydney.
The networks just aren’t interested in New Years Eve anymore. Even the Shaun Micallef’s New Years Rave was pre-recorded a couple of months ago which totally diminishes a great deal of novelty that the program had going for it. Considering it is the end of the decade and the heralding of a new decade, the new years programming is rather dull. I recall some of the more average new years celebrations with better programming. It’s certainly more incentive to go out and party than to see Richard “Jeff Goldblum is dead” Wilkins bring in the new year for another year.
How come Ten’s not hosting the fireworks anymore? I like it when the big stuff are on Ten.
Hasn’t Melbourne realised yet no one cares about them???
It’s odd Seven puts a movie on, a movie scheduled to finish at 12.30. They could put something else on for New Years, even a countdown of the years biggest songs or something.
Sometimes I’m amazed at the immaturity of some Melburnians!!
A 4 hour movie is lame programming from Seven for NYE. Not to mention the fact that they still have infomercials from 1am like every other night.
Surely it would not be too hard to do something for NYE?
On 3AW this morning, Melb Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said that 9 came to him and said they wanted $100,000 to show the Melbourne fireworks Live, which I find a bit strange.
But then again I am pretty sure Record Companies fork out around the same amount for their artists to appear on shows like Idol/Rove/DWTS etc, which I think is why we got the Divinyls perform twice during the massive screwup on the Idol finale a couple of years ago, but I am sure someone in the know can confirm this.
Are you serious? Why would you want to watch a second rate fireworks display from Melbourne when you can have a world class spectacular from Sydney?
Big deal,you’ve seen one fireworks show you’ve seen them all.They never look that great on TV anyway.
That’s terrible, i was really looking forward to the fireworks in Melbourne.
Here’s a question why has Seven never shown the Sydney Fireworks. I thought they might have decided to fight for the television rights considering its been all over Sunrise and the News yet Seven never seem to care at the actual coverage. I just dont get it really.
And which network will air them?
It’s almost 2010 and programmers haven’t heard of split screen?! For shame!
ah, spoken like a true Melbournian David, I live in Brisbane and like Melbourne as a city but NYE is the one time of the year when I think Melbourne just has to cop playing second fiddle to Sydney on the chin. Aside from maybe Paris there is no city in the world that does fireworks like Sydney, thanks mainly to the great props the city has to launch them from.
I’ll be watching Graham Norton on ABC2. Because I have no significant life to speak of.
Perhaps the Sydney fireworks are more ‘TV network friendly’ in that 2 separate fireworks are on so that various family groups can enjoy them.
It’s a hot one in Adelaide today – 41 – with a chance of a storm later on just like in Melbourne….so I don’t think our city fireworks will be up to scratch this year either.
Just out of curiosity – where are the Brisbane/Perth fireworks usually held? I don’t think I can recall ever seeing them on TV anywhere – all i’ve mostly seen have been the Sydney/Melbourne ones.
To be honest what i’d love to happen would be what they did for the end of century one – 99/00 – where the TV networks had a 24 hr telecast of the many world-wide fireworks – that was truly memorable.