Melissa Stokes: New 6pm bulletin anchor shares her thoughts ahead of tonight's first show

A new era begins for TVNZ’s 6pm bulletin tonight. 

After almost 20 years in the 6pm chair, Simon Dallow read his last bulletin on Friday. His replacement starts tonight, with Melissa Stokes promoted to the 6pm duties. 

Stokes told Francesca Rudkin that she is nervous but prepared for the step up.

'I fill in for Simon when he's been away, so it is the same team that I'm going into, the same desk, the same login, the same password, the same news tonight.'

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
A new era begins the TVNZ's six pm bulletin tonight.
After almost twenty years in the six pm chair, Simon
Dello read his last bulletin on Friday. His replacement starts
tonight with Melissa Stokes. Prompted to this promoted to the
six pm duties, Melissa is with us now.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Good morning, Carolede, good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Thanks for having me so tonight you start your new job,
but you have been the weekend reader for a while now.
So does going into work feel different tonight?

Speaker 3 (00:39):
Ah? I didn't think it would, but now I feel
like there's you know a lot of people have been,
you know, giving me good lack for tonight or break
a leg, and I suddenly have started maybe over fixing
things a little. Until now, I was very much like,
you know, it's business as usual, as you've said, I've done.
You know, I've been on the weekends for a week
while I fill in for Simon when he's been away.

(01:02):
So it is the same team that I'm going into
the same desk, the same log in, the same password,
the same news tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Is it a big shift for you professionally and personally?

Speaker 3 (01:15):
Professionally, yes, it is in both aspects because you know,
obviously it is stepping in and stepping in and up
and you know, i'd like to take and I think
I have been taking more of a step kind of
into the leadership and I enjoy to talk about with
the bulletin and all that kind of thing, and personally
it will be a big change. I've got two boys,

(01:37):
ones about to be fourteen and one's about to be twelve,
and you know, I've really relished the time I've been
able to have with them after school and taking them
to sports and things like that. So I was thinking
the other day I need to find, you know, kind
of more easy dinner ideas and maybe some freezable kind
of recipes. Maybe your listeners can send me some that

(02:00):
you know that I can have ready for after because
you know, finishing at seven every night is very different.

Speaker 2 (02:06):
Can I recommend Melissa Nagi the Australian sheaf Great, It's
really simple, really easy, get them in the freezer. You'll
be sortied and.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
Actually speaker chicken love. Yeah, yes, and.

Speaker 2 (02:17):
The kids could almost start making them for you.

Speaker 3 (02:19):
I think so too. They've got to start maybe doing
one night except what I think too.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
Are you approaching this differently to the weekend role, No,
I'm not.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
In short, I think yeah, it's just very much business
as usual. I don't yet anticipate my presenting style for change.
I'd like to be doing more reporting, and I think
I will start doing that. I already do like a
little series for Saturday nights that I think we're going
to keep going on, kind of talking to the various
newsmakers of Times gone by. I think we kicked that

(02:53):
off with Kitty to kind of work a couple of
years ago, and we're still doing that, so I think
i'd also, Yeah, i'd like to do more reporting. I
think that's on the cards. I'd like to see us
take you know, the show. I think we might do
try and get out and about a bit more, but
that's all still to be discussed with my bosses.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
I like the way you're just making plan I like
this you're making plans. It's good. What do you see
as the newsreader's role, because it is quite different to
other presenting roles, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (03:22):
Yeah? It is. I mean, firstly, it's to get across
the information in as clear and way as possible so
everybody can understand it. It's just to inform. It's to
be there to be a conduit I guess between the
stories and kind of a cohesive way to keep us
all together. So yeah, I mean a newsreader's job is

(03:44):
very different. It's there to yeah, just kind of men
guide you through the bulletin as best as possible.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Between linear TV and the streaming. The numbers reach over
a million? Is that daunting? Do you ever think about that?

Speaker 3 (04:00):
No? I don't really think about that that often. I think,
you know, it's a real testament to our I mean
I do think about it, but not in a not
in a oh my goodness, that's you know, that's.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
A few people.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
Yeah, but I mean it's a real testament get to
the work that the Wider one news team does. So yeah,
I hope everybody sticks with us.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
And look, it's an iconic role. There's been some huge
names who have have read the news at Sex. Among
those former readers, is there one that you particularly look
up to?

Speaker 3 (04:33):
Uh? Well, I started in the TVNZ newsroom and moved
up to Auckland when Judy and Bailey and Richard long
was still reading. So I guess they were the ones
that I were very impressionable on me when I first started,
and I grew up with them as a family watching
the news, and we're both very amazing and gentle people,

(04:58):
you know, mentoring people or talking to people in the
news room. I mean, the first day I saw Judy
Bailey in real life really quite a thing from me.
I remember bringing Mum to tell her. And but I've
worked really closely with Simon and Wendy as well, and
I've also always been extremely generous with their time and

(05:19):
things like that. So I think those are the three
or the four that really have made an impact on
my work in the newsroom.

Speaker 2 (05:26):
Has Simon left you with any words of advice.

Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yeah, We've had a couple of really lovely chats about
the job, and he I think his parting words to
me on Friday, where you know that I've got a
he hopes that this would give me my confidence, because
I think I've often gone to with a bit of
the self doubt. So no, he was very very lovely
about it and about the role, and obviously, my goodness,

(05:54):
you know, he did it for such a long time
to such a high level that that is quite daunting
to think about carrying on his amazing work. Simon is
extremely you know, he makes sure everything is correct and
you know he's quite a master of the craft, so
following him, as you know, it is quite daunting.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
Melissa. You mentioned your two boys just before. Are they
proud of you and what you've achieved? Or do they
not really even registered what you do?

Speaker 3 (06:20):
Oh, they're too boys friends just because they don't care.
But they are. I think in their own ways they are.
I think they're reaching that age when people, you know,
maybe like their eyes wide and maybe we but when
they find out who their mum is. But you know,
I just I just carry on. I don't anticipate that
they will feel any real effects of it. They I

(06:44):
mentioned to somebody the other day that one of my friends,
one of my son's friends, said that they had googled me.
But I think that was just all for a laugh really,
So no, I think they don't really understand.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
Melissa. Congratulations on the job. Just keep doing what you do.
You're going to be great.

Speaker 3 (07:01):
Oh, thank you so much, and Namahini, thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
For more from this Monday session with Francesca Rodkin, listen
live to News Talks at B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio