The Late Report
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Richard Stubbs, John Safran, Michael Veitch, Marg Downey, Tony Wilson, Emma Tom |
| Parent | Seven Network |
The Late Report was a brief satirical news program broadcast on Australia's Seven Network in 1999. Scheduled for Tuesdays at 10:30pm, it followed the parody news series The Big News and included segments such as interviews, trivia, and humorous commentary on contemporary culture and current affairs.
The show featured a rotating roster of hosts, with Richard Stubbs as the primary presenter, alongside John Safran, Michael Veitch, Marg Downey, Tony Wilson, and Emma Tom. Originally planned for a 14-week run, it concluded after only 10 episodes.
Background
The Late Report was introduced during a period of declining viewership at Seven Network, with the goal of appealing to a younger audience. Tony Wilson characterized its style as "Simon Townsend's Wonder World for grown-ups."
Notable segments
Among John Safran's memorable contributions was an attempt to provoke cricketer Shane Warne into violating a no-smoking sponsorship agreement by deploying a remote-controlled seagull carrying a cigarette at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which resulted in legal repercussions. Another segment involved Safran dressing as Ronald McDonald to prank a McDonald's outlet; this led to police involvement after store management reportedly filed a false complaint. Seven Network chose not to broadcast this segment, which later aired on Channel 4's Disinformation in the United Kingdom.
Reception and cancellation
From its inception, The Late Report encountered significant difficulties. After the poor reception of The Big News, a journalist from the Sydney Morning Herald likened The Late Report to "handcuffing [the show] to a slaughtered goat and throwing it into shark-infested waters." Initial critiques were unfavorable; Tony Wilson observed that some viewers felt the use of multiple hosts disrupted the program's continuity.
Executives at Seven Network expressed unease about the show's biting satire, especially its focus on the Liberal Party. Some critics argued it "bordered uncomfortably on acceptable satire" and appeared akin to "a Labor Party propaganda vehicle." Although rumors circulated that then-Prime Minister John Howard's office lodged complaints regarding the portrayal, representatives from Seven Network denied these claims.
Following the cancellation of The Big News, both programs were combined into a single hour-long show. This strategy failed to improve ratings, leading to Seven Network's decision to cancel The Late Report on 9 April 1999 due to unsatisfactory commercial results. The network did not introduce another comparable series until The Chat Room premiered in 2003.