After more than three decades, TVNZ’s Tonight bulletin is signing off for the final time.
Through different guises, the late news bulletins have been keeping night owls across the country up to date on the latest news and has been a staple of the New Zealand media landscape.
It’s broadcast the big moments, both across Aotearoa and abroad.
Former presenter Eric Young said: “Because it was the late news, the rest of the world was just waking up and some of our biggest active stories when we were on air, were actually on the other side of the world. Things like the Beslan school massacre in 2004, things like the boxing day tsunami.”
Reflecting on other moments, TVNZ presenter Wendy Petrie recalled the night she was filling in on the show when the 2005 London bombings occurred.
“That was a really big serious night, and all sorts of things were happening, really really fast.
“We didn’t really know what was going on but we went live and we kept going live.”
It delivered those big moments with some of Aotearoa’s most trusted faces.
Former presenters included Simon Dallow, Linda Clark, and the late Greg Boyed, who is one of the longest-serving late news presenters.
The show allowed for a bit more fun with the late time slot, and served as a training ground for aspiring reporters, producers, presenters and crew.
In March 2024, TVNZ announced it would be cancelling Tonight, among other news and current affairs shows.
Both Fair Go and Sunday are set to end in the coming days, and Midday signed off for the final time on May 3.
On the closure of Tonight, Petrie added: “I can’t believe it’s ending and is a loss we’re all feeling … and nobody wants to see news go.”
1News presenter Simon Dallow began his career at TVNZ in the mid-90s working on what was then called the Late Evening News, which was a 10 minute news bulletin broadcast at 11.40pm.
Dallow said during his seven years working on the late news programme, it went through different timeslots, changing from the 11.40pm broadcast, to a full show which aired at 9.30pm, and then to a broadcast at 10.30pm.
In his last year working on the show, Dallow recalled the events of 9/11.
“I had a six-month old son … he was crying and I got up and I thought I’d console him and turn the TV on to put in the background and I saw the second plane hit the second tower.
“I thought it was some sort of movie and that stayed with me. I came into work here at about 3am/4am in the morning and the place was already full.
“[It] always happens when there’s a major story or a major disaster, everyone just comes to work and wants to get into it.”
On what he enjoyed about working on the show, Dallow said there was a “very strong relationship” with the viewers.
“You also know the people watching the show are often shift workers, elderly who can’t sleep, insomniacs … it’s an honour to be able to present to them, but it’s also a responsibility to get it right.”
The final Tonight bulletin will be broadcast at 10.45pm this evening.
To tune in, viewers can head to TVNZ+, channel one or watch the livestream on the 1News.co.nz homepage.
