Nine News has created jobs at Dubbo and Orange as it launches a Central West bulletin for the first time.
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The Central West edition is one of 15 regional bulletin to be rolled out in the coming months as part of what the network says is one of the biggest expansions of news operations in Australia.
A Dubbo-based video-journalist is one of six jobs created ahead of the one-hour program beaming to televisions in the Central West on weeknights from next month.
Another five recruits based at Orange will cover Orange, Bathurst, Mudgee and districts.
Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) in conjunction with affiliate partner the Nine Network is bringing the new offering to Dubbo and Orange audiences.
The move makes more competition for local news viewers in the ACT, southern NSW, regional Victoria and Queensland.
Nine News Central West presenter Vanessa O’Hanlon came to Dubbo on Monday in the countdown to the February 20 launch, and will visit Orange on Tuesday.
The bulletin would have local, national and international news and sport, and local weather, she said.
“It’s really exciting to get out and tell local stories and to be able to add them not only into a local component but also to add it into the national and international news as well, plus sport and weather,” Ms O’Hanlon said.
“So we’ve got one comprehensive bulletin together, which I’m really proud of and excited to be part of.”
Ms O’Hanlon worked for many years as the ABC’s national weather presenter and prior to that worked in regional and remote areas.
Nine announced her as one of its three regional presenters late last year and as she took in the sights of Dubbo on Monday she told of her enthusiasm for the role.
“It’s a fantastic honour,” she said.
“It’s really great to get back out into the regions again.”
Ahead of the launch the experienced presenter invited Dubbo households to tune in to the new program.
“Viewers can expect a really well-structured bulletin coming from the Channel Nine branding, so that already gives you a feel of the look that we’re going for,” she said.
Nine Network regional news director Mike Dalton confirmed there would be three reporters and two camera operators/editors based in Orange, covering Orange, Bathurst, Mudgee and surrounds, and a video-journalist based at Dubbo.
“Local news-gathering staff, living and working in Dubbo and Orange, with production and editorial staff based in Sydney as part of Nine’s new regional news division, will bring Central West residents the news that matters most to them and their communities,” he said.