Today Tonight
| Company type | Television program |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television broadcasting |
| Founded | January 1995 |
| Defunct | November 2019 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
Area served | Australia (Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne) |
| Parent | Seven Network |
Today Tonight was an Australian current affairs television show produced by the Seven Network. It broadcast from January 1995 until November 2019 in the cities of Adelaide and Perth.[1] Editions serving Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne continued until their cancellation in February 2014.[2]
History
After the conclusion of Real Life, hosted by Stan Grant in late 1994, Today Tonight premiered in January 1995 as its successor, featuring distinct editions tailored for each major metropolitan area (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth).
During the summer months, a unified edition aired across the east coast, merging the Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane markets.
Today Tonight was the final recipient of the Logie for Most Popular Public Affairs Program before the category was discontinued.
South Australia
The South Australian version was anchored by Rosanna Mangiarelli.
From its debut in 1995 through to 2007, Leigh McClusky served as the lead presenter of the South Australian edition. During her maternity leave periods, John Riddell and Rosanna Mangiarelli acted as substitutes. Although initially trailing rival A Current Affair by approximately 100,000 viewers, Today Tonight gradually gained audience share, overtaking its competitor in 2001 and sustaining a four-year run at the top.
McClusky announced on 6 February 2007 that she would be leaving to give birth to twins and did not return thereafter, delivering her final broadcast on 17 August 2007. Following this, Mangiarelli assumed the role of presenter starting 20 August 2007 after having previously served as a fill-in host.
On 1 October 2007, the South Australian edition extended its reach into regional markets due to WIN Television switching its affiliation from Nine Network to Seven Network. Mangiarelli took maternity leave from January to March 2009; during this interval, Paul Makin hosted the program.
The show was not broadcast on Seven Network affiliate Southern Cross Television within the Spencer Gulf or Broken Hill regions, where a now-defunct local news bulletin occupied the timeslot.
The Adelaide edition recorded an unprecedented streak of 700 consecutive weeks leading its timeslot from March 2001 until September 2018—the longest such run since OzTAM ratings commenced.
On 26 November 2019, Seven announced that both Adelaide and Perth editions would be discontinued and replaced with a one-hour Seven News bulletin. The final Adelaide episode aired on 28 November 2019.
Western Australia
The Western Australian edition was presented by Monika Kos, who took over from original host Yvette Mooney in 1997. Kos remained at the helm until the program's cancellation in November 2019. Substitute hosts included Tina Altieri and Andrea Burns. The last Perth broadcast occurred on 29 November 2019.
New South Wales & Victoria
Between 1995 and 2001, the New South Wales edition featured several presenters beginning with Neil Mercer and later Helen Wellings (from 1996). The Victorian edition initially had Jill Singer as host until January 1997; she was succeeded by Naomi Robson and Peter Luck (1997–1998). Stan Grant returned in 1999 after Luck's departure but was dismissed in 2000 amid controversy and replaced by Melissa Doyle.
During Doyle’s maternity leave in 2001, Robson’s Victorian edition was broadcast into Sydney and outperformed the local NSW version. Consequently, Seven Network discontinued the New South Wales edition in favor of an east coast combined version. Doyle returned for the summer edition in late 2002.
Robson continued hosting until December 2006 when Anna Coren took over and relocated production from Melbourne to Sydney’s Martin Place studio. Coren resigned in September 2008 to join CNN Hong Kong but left earlier than planned; Matt White succeeded her until November 2012.
In February 2013, Helen Kapalos became host as production moved back to Melbourne. She stepped down in January 2014 to join Sunday Night as senior correspondent. Kylie Gillies and Nick Etchells acted as interim hosts until the east coast edition of Today Tonight ended on 21 February 2014, replaced by a one-hour Seven News bulletin.
Queensland
The Queensland version, distinct from the earlier 1979–1985 series broadcast on QTQ, featured three different hosts throughout its approximately 7 to 8-year duration, including Lexy Hamilton-Smith and Michelle Reiken following Carolyn Tucker. On 9 December 2002, during the summer non-ratings period, Reiken commenced maternity leave, leading to the Melbourne/Sydney edition being aired in Brisbane. When the 2003 ratings period started, Seven Brisbane (BTQ-7) continued to broadcast this Melbourne/Sydney edition rather than reinstating a local program. Although the Seven Network initially indicated that a local Queensland edition would return after Reiken's absence, this plan was never realized. By May 2003, Seven Brisbane officially terminated its local production.
In 2013, the Queensland edition was revived with Sharyn Ghidella as the presenter. Nevertheless, on 3 February 2014, the Seven Network announced another cancellation in favor of a consolidated one-hour Seven News bulletin.
Criticism
Today Tonight developed a reputation for sensationalist journalism and a tabloid-style emphasis on contentious subjects such as fad diets, miracle cures, welfare recipients, unethical builders, negligent medical practitioners, mismanaged enterprises, and corrupt officials. The program frequently violated Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) regulations regarding privacy infringements and inaccurate reporting of facts.
Christopher Skase controversy
In November 1996, Media Watch revealed that Today Tonight had fabricated a segment concerning disgraced businessman and former Seven Network proprietor Christopher Skase. Producer Chris Adams and reporter David Richardson pursued Skase, who claimed ill health prevented his trial attendance. Richardson asserted he collaborated with Majorcan authorities to establish police checkpoints to confiscate footage demonstrating Skase's good health. However, Media Watch exposed that this footage was actually filmed in Barcelona, where the "police" were merely traffic officers managing urban traffic flow—not Majorcan law enforcement—thereby undermining Richardson's assertions.
Dole Army hoax
On 4 February 2002, both Today Tonight and A Current Affair broadcast stories alleging the existence of a "Dole Army" operating within Melbourne’s stormwater drains, purportedly recruiting individuals to fraudulently claim unemployment benefits from the Australian government. The following day, an anarchist collective admitted to fabricating this hoax, highlighting the programs’ inadequate research and bias against unemployed people.
Contempt of court allegations
In 2004, Today Tonight featured a story originally reported by Melbourne’s Sunday Herald Sun about a boy allegedly seeking to "divorce" his mother; this topic was also covered on Seven’s morning show Sunrise. In 2005, journalists and producers involved in these broadcasts faced legal action for violating the Children and Young Persons Act 1989 by revealing the child’s identity. Presenter Naomi Robson was acquitted of contempt charges due to her lack of editorial authority over the content; however, producers were penalized with fines.
The "Serial Single Mum" Incident
On 18 July 2005, Today Tonight broadcast a segment by Richardson titled "Australia's Serial Single Mum," which claimed that a Sydney woman known as "Mary-Anne" had five children with five different men and was receiving tens of thousands of dollars in welfare payments from Centrelink. Subsequently, Media Watch corrected the record, clarifying that Mary-Anne was employed full-time and had children with four fathers. The program condemned Richardson’s report as an "appalling attack" and criticized it for its offensive sensationalism.
The "Wa-Wa" Dispute
On 13 September 2006, Robson and the Today Tonight crew were detained by Indonesian officials in Papua for working as journalists while holding tourist visas. Seven Network stated that the team was reporting on Wa-Wa, a boy purportedly threatened by ritual killing from the Korowai people. Seven accused rival broadcaster Nine, which had previously aired a story about Wa-Wa, of undermining their efforts by notifying Indonesian authorities about their visa status. Nine denied these allegations and threatened to pursue legal action. Seven further claimed that a Nine reporter offered approximately $100,000 to a guide to prevent cooperation with Seven’s story. Peter Meakin, Seven's news director, asserted that evidence supported these accusations.
Defamation Case Involving Mark McGaw
On 2 November 2006, the Supreme Court of New South Wales awarded former Gladiator and rugby league player Mark McGaw A$385,000 in damages over a defamatory Today Tonight segment aired in June 2003. The court determined that the report suggested McGaw was "a man of dangerous domestic violence" who had violently assaulted his partner.
Chain Stunt Controversy
On 20 February 2007, Today Tonight featured a story about Shirley Frey, an 84-year-old resident at a nursing home in Willoughby, who was shown chained inside her room as she resisted eviction. Reporter Nicolas Boot claimed she was "refusing to budge." After the broadcast, representatives from the Department of Health and Ageing visited the facility and discovered that the chains were brought by the program’s crew and that Frey’s chaining was orchestrated by the show itself.
Presenter Anna Coren issued an on-air apology the following evening and announced that Seven had initiated an internal inquiry. Boot was suspended and later departed from the network. No information was disclosed regarding consequences for off-camera personnel. Peter Meakin described the episode as "one of the more embarrassing" incidents he had overseen.
"Vietnamese Sting" Controversy
On 8 May 2007, Today Tonight aired a report titled "Vietnamese Sting," focusing on an alleged Vietnamese-Australian welfare fraudster named Dat Van Vu. The segment provoked outrage within the Australian Vietnamese community due to its ethnic linkage to criminal behavior and for displaying the flag of Vietnam rather than the flag of South Vietnam, which many Vietnamese Australians identify with.
Mercedes Corby
In 2007, Today Tonight reported on Mercedes Corby, the sister of convicted drug trafficker Schapelle Corby. Mercedes was accused of drug trafficking by her friend, Jodi Power. Mercedes responded by suing Seven for defamation, and in May 2008, a jury in the NSW Supreme Court ruled in her favor, resulting in a confidential settlement. Prior to this, on 14 March 2007, host Coren acknowledged during an interview that a private investigator hired by Seven had falsely claimed to be an official in order to entrap Mercedes.
Karl Stefanovic's alleged drinking controversy
On 7 May 2009, Today Tonight broadcast a report alleging that Today co-host Karl Stefanovic appeared intoxicated on air during the post-Logies episode. The segment also asserted that Stefanovic was absent from the studio for more than two days following the incident. Nine Network dismissed these allegations as "desperate nonsense" and "deliberately false," clarifying that Stefanovic was fatigued rather than drunk and that his absence was due to a prior engagement with 60 Minutes. Nine described the claims as a "complete fabrication by Channel Seven."
The Facebeef Group's Cyberbully Troll
On 11 March 2013, Today Tonight aired an eight-minute segment accusing Tristan Barker of cyberbullying, labeling him "the world's nastiest man." The report featured "victim" Jasmine Frost, who accused Tristan of online harassment and alleged she received explicit images from him and his associates. Approximately four hours after the broadcast, Lewis Spears (known as "Nebz Adlay"), a member of Facebeef, uploaded a YouTube video revealing that Facebeef had orchestrated the entire story to mislead Today Tonight. Frost appeared in the video, identifying herself as a long-standing Facebeef participant and ridiculing the program for its lack of fact-checking. The following day, Today Tonight issued an apology admitting their mistake and described Frost as an "attention seeker." This incident garnered widespread media coverage across Australia.