KEY POINTS:
Sky TV launched its local nightly news programme Sky News NZ Evening News yesterday but failed to impress media experts.
Jim Tully, head of the University of Canterbury political science and communication school, described the 7pm bulletin as "shoestring" and said it appeared to be cobbled together by taking advantage of the network's international connections.
"I don't think you could call it a serious New Zealand news programme."
Sky Television announced the new programme on Friday.
The station said it would give New Zealanders "even more choice as to when they can watch television news. While other services are downsizing, we are expanding".
But New Zealand Broadcasting School head Paul Norris said important domestic stories were missing from the line-up.
He said it was obvious the show - fronted by Eric Young, who reads for the pay-TV company's free-to-air arm Prime TV - did not have the news resources of TV One and TV3 but it had "made a little go a long way".
Mr Norris, a former TVNZ head of news, said One News and 3 News last night led on the renewed commitment of NZ troops to Afghanistan. Prime's 5.30pm bulletin did not lead on the item, but by 7pm Sky News did.
Mr Norris said, however, the item was "thin" with a voice over and a clip of Prime Minister Helen Clark.
"Then they climaxed the piece with a phone interview with the ZB political editor Barry Soper," said Mr Norris. "That looks very much like the poor relation if you have to do that for your lead story."
Mr Norris said Sky TV was a clever competitor and the move was probably planned as a spoiler for TVNZ's proposed 24-hour news channel.
Sky TV director of communications Tony O'Brien said the show was part of a well-signalled expansion of its local news.
The programme drew on Sky News' 24-hour service, supported by the Prime news team, he said.
The half-hour bulletin broadcasts from Prime's Albany studio.
A repackaged version of the bulletin screens at 8.30pm and 9pm, offering the chance to follow developing stories throughout the evening, he said.
