A Current Affair (or "
ACA") is a nightly tabloid current affairs programme, broadcast on the Nine Network every week night and hosted by Tracy Grimshaw. It also airs nightly at on Sky News Australia on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Content
The program airs nationally at week nights in all capital cities, with the main version produced in the studios of TCN-9 in Sydney, and the Perth version produced in the studios of STW-9 Perth. Like its main rival broadcast on the Seven Network,
Today Tonight,
A Current Affair is often considered to use sensationalist journalism - resulting in its popularity with a large section of its target audience, but also parodies such as
Frontline. Like its rivals, it is a highly biased program. Its content frequently gives the impression of being commercial advertising under the guise of reporting. Despite its name it rarely includes current affairs, but instead offers mostly tabloid-style content.
Current Reporters
- Amanda Paterson
- Ben McCormack
- Nick Coe
- Chris Allen
- David Eccleston
- Nick Eitchells
- Mazoe Ford
- Elise Mooney
- Ben Fordham
- Kate Donnison
- Martin King
- Peter Stefanovic
- Simon Bouda
- Brady Halls
- Glen Moriarty
Hosts
- 1971-1974 Mike Willesee
- 1974-1978 Mike Minehan
- 1979-1987 Not Screened
- 1988-1992 Jana Wendt
- 1993-1994 Mike Willesee
- 1994-1998 Ray Martin
- 1999-2002 Mike Munro
- 2003-2005 Ray Martin
- 2006-Now Tracy Grimshaw
Currently Leila McKinnon is presenting while Tracy Grimshaw is on holidays.
== A Current Affair PerthHosts ==
History
A Current Affair was first broadcast on 22 November 1971 with Mike Willesee, screening week nights at . When Willesee left Nine in 1974 to move to the rival 0-10 Network, journalist Mike Minehan took over presenting the program. In addition, the comedian and actor Paul Hogan had a comedy segment during the early episodes. The program ended on 28 April 1978 following strong competition in the timeslot from
Willesee at Seven and Graham Kennedy's
Blankety Blanks on 0-10.
In 1984, Willesee returned to the Nine Network to present a mid-evening current affairs program titled
Willesee, screening Monday to Thursday nights at 9.30pm. The following year,
Willesee moved to the earlier timeslot and extended to five nights a week. In 1988, former
60 Minutes reporter Jana Wendt took over as host of the program and the title
A Current Affair was re-instated.
Jana Wendt left the program at the end of 1992, replaced by Mike Willesee. Ray Martin took over from Mike in 1994. It was during Martin's tenure that the show embarked upon its sensationalist format. Martin eshewed focus upon quality journalism pursued by his predecessors Willesee and Wendt, in an attempt to maximise ratings and the program's appeal to its target audience. Mike Munro took over the hosting role in 1999 after being a reporter for the program. Mike Munro was removed from the program in 2002 and returned to
This Is Your Life,
60 Minutes and later
National Nine News in Sydney and Darwin. Ray Martin returned in 2003 and signed off at the start of December 2005, after unimpressive ratings.
In 2002, NWS-9 in Adelaide produced a local version of the program hosted by weekend newsreader Georgina McGuinness. It carried national stories, but featured more local stories including the lead up to that year's AFL Grand Final. The program was short-lived due to the strong competition of 7's local
Today Tonight.
Over the 2005/2006 summer, ACA was rested to enable a major revamp of the program to take place.
A Current Affair had seen its ratings decline for most of 2005 against the Seven Network's rival program
Today Tonight. Tracy Grimshaw took over as host of the show on Monday 30 January 2006. During 2007, A Current Affair's ratings have sinced increased significantly, however still behind Today Tonight in network ratings.
In January 2008, ACA was made famous on the internet around the world with a clip showing Leila McKinnon's interview with australian teenager Corey Delaney, who threw a big party that got out of hand. Also in the same month, it was announced that a new local version of ACA would be produced in Western Australia in 2008, to be hosted by former newsreader Sonia Vinci. It will be the first time a separate version to the main bulletin has been made since Adelaide stopped their own version in 2002.
Karl Stefanovic is the main replacement for Tracy Grimshaw if she is sick while Leila McKinnon hosts A Current Affair in the summer period.
See also
- List of Australian television series
- List of Nine Network programs
External links
Australian nonfiction television seriesTelevision in Sydney1971 television series debutsNine Network shows
