Channel 9 Today host, Karl Stefanovic, says WA has been under-represented when it comes to news coverage.
In Perth in late March to launch a new WA news segment for the Today Show, Karl and Sydney-based reporter Lara Vella were excited to launch the new service.
Since Easter, the new local Perth segment during the Today Show, which runs from 5.30am to 9am every morning, features a new local Perth insert at 7am, adding to the WA news breaks at 6.30am, 7.30am, and 8.30am.
“Lara and I have always felt that WA deserved more, and the Nine Network’s doing that now, investing, time and money into expanding the service over here,” Karl says.
“It’s going to be fantastic, Lara does an incredible job with that bulletin, and so do our reporters, so we’re excited about growing the market over here.”
Lara joined Nine’s Sydney newsroom in 2014 as a producer for the flagship 6pm bulletin, became a regular fill‑in newsreader on Nine’s Early Morning News and a reporter on Weekend Today before moving into the high-visibility role of Sydney reporter for the Today Show in 2016, She works extensively with the Perth news team.
“There’s so many fantastic stories that we want to share, and often our reporters are first on the scene for breaking news. We’ve really been warmly embraced by West Aussie audiences so far, which is a wonderful thing to see,” Lara says.
“In our newsroom and those bulletins, as soon as you turn on the television in the morning, you’re getting all of the fresh news from overnight.
“The good thing is that it comes at a time when people want up-to-date information, and it’s a very turbulent time, as we all know, with what’s going on overseas, but also with fuel prices right now.
Karl, who has hosted Today for 21 years and appears on 60 Minutes, winning him a Gold Logie, says the increased local news content for WA gives Today the opportunity to present WA angles on national stories.
Lara agrees with him. “Any time we can have those opportunities to hit those talking points that West Aussies are really passionate about, we always make sure that we’re doing that alongside those breaking news opportunities.
“I think at the moment, like Karl said, cost of living, that’s a huge one, not only for West Aussies but all Australians.
“Any of those big issues that matter to all of Australians, they also matter to local audiences too. But we love shining a light on some of the remarkable stories from those pockets of Western Australia.”
Lara quotes an example of the opportunity she had to go down to Bremer Bay to go out and see the orcas, where she worked with a family who have been running trips since the 1980s.
“They are on a boat every single day, seven days a week, alongside the dog. They go out on a charter. They talk to tourists and they are so passionate about what they do,” she says.
“Any time we can shine a light on those ordinary West Australians doing extraordinary things, it is such a wonderful thing for us to show people. And I think the themes can be at a macro level.”
West Australians pet peeve about eastern states reporters getting the pronunciation of place names wrong also strikes a chord with the pair.
“Lara doesn’t make mistakes. I do, but she doesn’t,” Karl says.
“I’ve had to learn though,” says Lara.
She points to differences in the way Mossman and Mosman are pronounced and the difference in the way Coogee is spoken.
“But it’s been amazing really learning the lingo and learning all the things that really make West Aussies tick. It’s just been a wonderful thing to deep dive into as well.”
Karl says part of the secret is in being honest with viewers.
“You get what you get with me. I guess what people wouldn’t see is the work that gets done before you go on air. And whilst there is a light side of what we do, the seriousness of it is not lost on me, and there’s a lot of work that gets done.
“I take it very seriously how I convey messaging. And I think information is key. The right information is key.
“So along with the laughs, you’re going to get messaging that’s accurate. And that’s what drives me. I’ve been doing it a long time, but my energy for getting people the right information quickly has not waned one single bit.
“I still love it. And I think audiences are really receptive to authenticity. I think they can smell someone if you’re not being genuine, if you’re not being yourself,” said Karl.
Lara says having worked with Karl for a decade she has seen the amount of work he puts in behind the scenes.
“Every single story he shoots, every single interview he does when he sits down with people, but also the fact that he has a remarkable ability to have a sense of what people are thinking and be able to articulate that in a way that really resonates with people, which is wonderful,” Lara says.
“And I feel like I’ve been able to learn from Karl over the years, and that’s made not just myself but the entire team, lifted up and brought together. I think that’s what really resonates with our audience with the Today Show as well.”
