Sky News Australia is counting down to its rebrand as News24, with the name change occurring on Monday. The Murdoch-owned TV arm will adopt new livery after its 10-year deal with UK Sky News expires in December, losing the rights to the name.
New Name, Same Approach
Host Peter Stefanovic said in a promo: "It's a continuation of what we've already been doing really. It's presenting and delivery of the news in a calm, truthful and accurate way." The description contrasts with Sky After Dark's lineup of rightwing commentators including Andrew Bolt, Peta Credlin, Chris Kenny and Rita Panahi.
Broadcast Centre Launch
In February, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns opened News24's new broadcast centre at Surry Hills headquarters, featuring eight studios and six control rooms. Lachlan Murdoch, Sky's biggest champion, was absent due to his mother's death.
News Corp bosses are anxious about losing the recognisable Sky News brand, especially as News24 was previously the ABC News channel's name, which many still use. The ABC dropped the name in 2017 but still refers to its rolling news platform as "ABC News 24" in some contexts due to its channel 24 location.
Marketing Push
News Corp's newspapers are assisting in marketing the new name. The Australian ran a profile of Panahi, described as hosting "one of the nation's most wildly successful social media segments." Panahi told reporter Steve Jackson: "The left give us so much to mock. There is such rich, abundant material and I think so many are fed up with the lunacy of the modern left." Tabloids also ran full-page countdown ads portraying Sky hosts like Hollywood stars.
Controversial Interview
Before the rebrand, Sky News Australia ran a feature on the Tasmanian town of Richmond for its Bush Summit series. Host Jaynie Seal interviewed locals, including a woman discussing cost of living. The program did not disclose that the woman was Pauline Hanson's daughter, Lee Hanson, a senior adviser to NSW Senator Sean Bell in a taxpayer-funded role worth up to $180,000 a year. The interview was spotted by trade publication MediaWeek.
