Struggling 10 News+ cut to half an hour, but Ten insists ‘we’re not getting rid of it’

Channel Ten will trim its underperforming current affairs program, 10 News+, from one hour to 30 minutes as part of a broader overhaul of the network’s 2026 line-up

10 News+, which launched four months ago, screens six nights a week. It replaced The Project, which proved too costly for the network to keep on air, despite its higher ratings. In early October, this masthead was the first to report rumours 10 News+ would have its running time halved.

In January, Ten will launch its slimmed-down version of 10 News+, which retains its Sunday-to-Friday 6pm time slot. This will be followed by game show Deal or No Deal, presented by Grant Denyer. At 7pm, Rebecca Gibney will host a refreshed version of Millionaire Hot Seat.

The network’s one-hour, state-based news bulletins remain at 5pm.

Ten hopes its revamped schedule will attract more viewers to prime-time series such as MasterChef Australia, The Amazing Race and Survivor: Redemption. Such programs are often called “tentpoles” because their success is crucial to a network’s overall performance.

Despite the changes to 10 News+, Amelia Brace and Denham Hitchcock will continue co-hosting between Sunday and Thursday, with Ursula Heger and Hugh Riminton presenting on Fridays. A network spokeswoman confirmed there are no job losses, which will come as a relief to the program’s overworked employees.

“It will take some of the pressure off and allow them to break more stories,” says Ten’s news chief, Martin White. “It’s a lot easier to break stories if you’re not having to file every single night, so I think this will serve the team really well.”

In its first month on air, 10 News+ averaged more than 164,000 viewers; so far this month, it’s at 132,000. But these figures don’t tell the full story.

Since its launch, 10 News+ content has notched up more than 40 million views across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. On internet-connected TVs equipped with the YouTube app, where Ten’s news channel aggregates content from all its news-based programs, the number of hours viewed jumped by 135 per cent compared to last year.

Last week, the program averaged 144,000 viewers: its best result in almost two months.

‘Game shows have had a bit of a revival lately, so perhaps this is a chance for Ten to make the most of it.’

Commercial TV executive

And 10 News+ is the youngest-skewing nightly news program, with 42 per cent of viewers under 55, compared to 35 per cent on Nine* and 28 per cent on Seven. (Needless to say, the total number of younger people watching Nine and Seven is significantly larger, simply because their bulletins attract bigger audiences.)

“Obviously, we do a lot of research,” White says. “While viewers like our content, they say it could benefit from being a bit pacier. The central theme was that while viewers love the depth of our stories, they’re not always interested in a six-minute report.”

White promises not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater”. If a story deserves a longer segment – or even an entire episode – it will get it.

Of course, when people think of half-hour current affairs series on commercial television, two programs spring to mind: Nine’s A Current Affair, and Seven’s now-defunct Today Tonight. White insists 10 News+ will maintain its points of difference.

“There are two big things we’ll keep doing,” he says. “We’ll be breaking down and explaining the big stories of the day, as well as trying to lead the news cycle with original reporting. Approaching things with insight and heart is the goal.”

White admits constant rumours about the imminent demise of 10 News+ are frustrating.

“The team are regularly reading about the show being cancelled – but it’s not being cancelled,” he says. “We’re investing in the show by making it half an hour because we think it will work better. We’re not getting rid of it; we’re in this for the long haul.”

White might be surprised to learn his rivals agree.

A few months ago, one news executive from another network told this masthead that while 10 News+ had potential, “the show is far too bloody long”.

“People don’t want to sit down and watch an hour of news at 5pm, then another hour of news and current affairs at 6pm – especially on Channel Ten, which has always promoted itself as a light entertainment alternative to the other networks,” he said.

The executive believes 10 News+ launched at a particularly difficult time, with wars raging in Europe and the Middle East; mass shootings and violent protests in the US; a cost-of-living crisis in Australia; and a surge in violent attacks and home invasions, especially in Victoria.

“It’s all pretty depressing stuff,” the executive said. “Obviously, it’s important – I became a journo because I know just how important this stuff is – but sometimes, people need a break. They don’t want to be assailed with endless stories of horror while they’re cooking dinner for their kids. Game shows have had a bit of a revival lately, so perhaps this is a chance for Ten to make the most of it.”

*Nine is the owner of this masthead.

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