NBN TV celebrates 60 years of broadcasting

Day one was March 4, 1962, with Murray Finlay reading the news on what was then "Channel 3".

While the station produced many local programs and shows over the decades, there is little doubt its nightly news has been the most valuable to the community.

"NBN has seen many changes in the television industry over 60 years of broadcast and we continue to move forward in this fast-paced digital and social media era," NBN general manager Jenny Weber says.

"Today, we are proud to retain our number one position as the highest rating television station in Northern NSW for 29 consecutive years and continue to present the region's only one-hour local nightly news bulletin."

Last year the station moved from its long-time headquarters in Mosbri Crescent in the city to a Honeysuckle office building, with a major technology update coming with the change of scenery.

NBN will broadcast a half-hour in-house documentary, 60 Years of NBN Television ... the characters, the stories, on Saturday (March 5) at 5.30pm to mark the milestone. It will be available for viewing on 9Now after the telecast.

The program includes voices past and present, from Jane Goldsmith to Mike Rabbitt, Mitch Hughes to Ray Dinneen, Kate Haberfield to Barry Nancarrow, Nat Jeffery and Miss Kim (Kim Anthony).

There is footage of many programs and news events, from the 1970 Newcastle Rugby League grand final to Art Ryan and Beat Hill in Beating Around the Bush.

From Romper Room to Today Extra, from Breakfast Club with Poppa Ryan to Sports Centre 3.

And a significant date is noted: the move to colour broadcasting in 1975.

There is the Queen's visit for the Bicentenary, and Paul Harragon scoring a try for Lakes in the local rugby league grand final.

Mattara parades, the Star Hotel riot, and, of course, the 1997 Knights grand final celebration. And coverage of the Pasha Bulker storm not that long ago.

So many faces flash by - such as David Fordham, Leigh Maughan, Des Hart, Jodi McKay, Scott Bevan, Paul Lobb.

The documentary is full of people and places, moments big and small, all over the Hunter Region and wider expanses.

"It starts the conversation all over again," NBN head of programming, publicity and promotions Kellie Hampton says of the memories stirred by the documentary.

NBN employs about 100 staff across northern NSW - half of them are with the news team, including 25 reporters.

The station produces a one-hour bulletin live from Newcastle every night from 6pm, with local news, sport and weather "windows" (stories) in the markets of the Central Coast, Port Macquarie/Taree, Coffs Harbour, Lismore/Gold Coast and Tamworth/North West NSW. NBN's potential reach is more than 2.2 million households across its entire footprint.

News anchor Natasha Beyersdorf is one of those constants on the station, beaming into homes in northern NSW every weeknight for the past 16 years with the news (she's been with station for almost 20 years).

This week is indicative of just where NBN sits in our lives.

"Literally, it's all happening," Beyersdorf says in a phone interview on Wednesday morning. With the omnipresent story of COVID underpinning everything, recent news spikes of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and severe flooding across northern NSW have kept everyone on the hop.

On Tuesday afternoon the NBN team in the newsroom was thinking they were on top of the news. "We've got it in hand, this is happening, this is happening, and then we look at the balcony at Honeysuckle and see that fire at Wickham," Beyersdorf says. "What is going on? It's so much!"

But she wouldn't have it any other way.

A mum of two and married to former newsman Brett Lavaring, she's been in the news business for almost 30 years. Raised in Armidale, and getting her first start at Tamworth radio station 2TM, she came to Newcastle to work for Prime TV, before joining NBN a few years later (the second time they asked her to join).

"I never take it for granted," she says of presenting the news to the NBN audience every night.

"I think it's really important to be aware. I'm such a news junky. I'm up early, listening to news, listening to the radio, reading the newspaper, going online, it's one of those things that's in your blood and it has to be."

Technology has changed immensely for everyone, the media is no exception.

"When I started, before NBN, we were using typewriters," she says. "Now, everything is pretty hi-tech, especially in our new studios. I think keeping up to date with those changes is exciting, and really part of it."

The younger reporters have adapted quickly, she says.

"At the moment, our reporters, with going-live capacity improved since we moved stations, it's kind of thrown them in the deep end a bit, but they they are swimming," she says. "The experience they are getting is really terrific. You see them improve all the time."

"It feels feel like we're hitting our strides now," she says. "Everything has sparked up."

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