Amid a fragmenting world of media, the power of Nine News lies in remaining a long-trusted brand, says its chief Sydney newsreader, Peter Overton.

“The Nine News audience looks to people they can trust who have longevity with the company and with the news more broadly,” says Overton. “They are looking for informative, unbiased, simple news reporting.

“Right down from (long-time Nine newsreader) Brian Henderson, Nine News has been part of so many people’s lives over decades. Trust, leadership, authority and good journalism are the bedrock of Nine News.”

Sydney weekend newsreader Deb Knight agrees, arguing that viewers can see the brand’s commitment to quality journalism across all of Nine’s platforms.   

“We are a brand that people trust and that’s quite important,” says Knight. “It is a prestigious brand and one I’m proud to be a part of, and I think that comes across in the news we produce.

“We really care about the news we are producing, and inherently we are drawing on  decades of the Nine News experience, trying hard to make it the very best product every day. We know that will resonate with audiences.”

Overton also noted that the cross-platform world we live in means the Nine News brand is now available on any platform a consumer wants.

“In terms of digital, we have Nine’s news websites and app both going so well because as journalists we can write and also supply video,” he says.  “On their desktops, on their mobiles, wherever they are, people can access Nine News and trust what they are getting.

“Digital television and social media are two amazing platforms that we can now expand our news reporting on. Through social media the information gets to us very fast. We still have to use our journalistic skills to verify it, but it’s an important tool for gathering and also helping to distribute our news.”

While the methods of distribution have evolved, the fundamentals of journalism and quality news have stayed the same.

“I believe that trust is inherent in the Nine News brand – it’s been around for 50 years-plus,” says Overton.

“I think brands can trust Nine News because Nine News is itself a trusted brand.”