23 Dec 2005 - Judy Bailey's Last ONE News Bulletin - UPDATED: 2:05pm - 24th December 2005:
Friday 23rd December 2005 saw the last time New Zealanders saw their main evening television news bulletin on TV ONE presented by one of the country's favourite news presenters - Judy Bailey who has been dubbed "the mother of the nation".
In October TVNZ bosses decided in their wisdom not to renew Judy Bailey's contract after it was known the amount she was payed to present TVNZ's main 6pm News bulletin ONE NEWS was made public and debate raged throughout the country.
And so ends another era in New Zealand television. Judy Bailey has been with the State owned television network since 1971 - as a repoter in the days of the NZBC (New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation which in the mid 70's became as it is today - Television New Zealand).
In 1980 Judy co-hosted an Auckland-based regional news programme "Top Half" along with John Hawkesby, which was seen in the top half of the North Island from Northland to Taupo and then moved into co-anchoring the main TVNZ news bulletins on TV ONE in 1988 which has gone through several name changes over the years - which is now known as ONE News.
In 2004 she became sole anchor of ONE News when her colleague and ONE News co-anchor Richard Long departed TVNZ.
On Friday night Judy got through her very last bulletin with all the professionalism she shows, only breaking down right at the very end of the broadcast while she was signing off. After viewers saw a montage of Judy's work including moments during telethons, old news clips from the NZBC days and "Top Half" presenting days with John Hawkesby and even some bloopers, she was taken from the on air studio and anchor desk and walked through the gathering of TVNZ News staff who lined the corridors from throughout the newsroom which included ONE NEWS sports news presenter Neil Waka, and presenters Renee Wright & Jason Reeves from TV ONE's weekday entertainment news programme "Headliners" which also finished screening for the very last time on Friday night.
Judy was in good company with her signing off from ONE NEWS with the retirement of a long standing radio broadcaster in Dunedin - Colin Lehmann from Radio Dunedin 1305AM, NZ's oldest radio station which began life simply known by its call sign - 4XD. Check out Radio Dunedin's website here.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT TO ONE NEWS?
Starting sometime in January the weeknight 6pm bulletin on TV ONE will go back to being presented by 2 main anchors and the bulletins will be presented by Simon Dallow and Wendy Petrie. Wendy has just had a baby girl at the beginning of December (Congratulations Wendy).
To Judy Bailey: We thank you for your great service to
THE NEW ZEALAND NEWS MEDIA REPORTS OF THIS STORY:
TVNZ: ONE NEWS - End of an era for TV's golden girl (includes a video & a photo gallery). (Friday 23rd December 2005)
STUFF ONLINE - Tearful Bailey Bows Out. (Friday 23rd December 2005)
STUFF ONLINE - Hey Jude, Don't Take It Bad. (Saturday 24th December)
NEW ZEALAND HERALD - Judy out with no bang and little whimper. (Saturday 24th December 2005)
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