Network 10 has officially revealed the program replacing The Project in its 6pm timeslot: a new premium news and current affairs offering titled 10 News+, launching Monday 30 June on 10 and 10 Play.
Following months of speculation about what would fill the high-visibility half-hour previously occupied by The Project’s early edition, 10 News+ marks a strategic pivot for the network, away from panel-style commentary and towards long-form, deeply reported journalism.
Airing immediately after 10’s 5pm local bulletins, the new show will focus on extended context, exclusive investigations and in-depth analysis of the day’s biggest stories, tailored for a digitally-savvy, news-hungry audience.
A signal shift in editorial strategy
With 10 News+, Network 10 is betting that viewers want more substance at the end of the day, less opinion, more reporting.
The program will be anchored Sunday to Thursday by Denham Hitchcock and Amelia Brace, while on Fridays, respected news anchor Ursula Heger and National Affairs Editor Hugh Riminton will take the reins.
The program aims to offer a national perspective on critical local and global issues, without filler or fluff.
Martin White, Vice President of News at Paramount Australia, said the network wanted to use the hour to “do something completely different” from what other commercial news services offer at that time.
“We’re going to do what we do best, put the truth first, our audience first, and tell important stories well,” said White. “No filler. No opinion. Just the facts.”
Built for multiplatform engagement
In line with broader industry trends, 10 News+ has been designed from the ground up as a multiplatform offering.
In addition to its 6pm broadcast on 10, the show will be available on 10 Play and YouTube, extending its reach beyond linear television and into digital environments where younger and on-the-go viewers increasingly consume news.
This format gives Network 10 new scope for commercial partnerships, native integrations and high-impact digital inventory, especially for brands seeking adjacency to trusted, values-driven content.
For advertisers, the show represents a fresh format in an established timeslot, backed by high-profile journalists and the reach of Paramount’s ecosystem.
The opportunity to align with serious, solutions-focused storytelling could appeal to clients looking for brand-safe environments with engaged audiences.
Veteran journalists lead the charge
At the helm are Denham Hitchcock, known for frontline reporting from Iraq, Syria, and the US, and Walkley Award-winning journalist Amelia Brace, whose international reporting and political coverage includes the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests and a testimony before a US Congressional committee.
“This is a rare opportunity to be at the ground level of an exciting new program,” said Hitchcock.
“We’ll be here to ask the real questions that get to the heart of it, and mix it with the main players when it comes to the big news events that capture the nation’s attention.”
Brace added: “Denham and I are not just presenters, we’re journalists. Between us, there’s little we haven’t covered. We’re aiming to share not just facts, but the context and background that helps people understand the news more deeply.”
The reporting team includes Political Editor Ashleigh Raper, Bill Hogan, Samantha Butler, Brianna Parkins, Claudia Vrdoljak, and Carrie-Anne Greenbank.
Veteran entertainment reporter Angela Bishop will contribute entertainment coverage, including exclusive celebrity interviews and red-carpet access.
Editorial ambitions with a commercial lens
Executive Producer Daniel Sutton, who previously served as Network 10’s US Correspondent, will lead the program.
With nearly two decades of field reporting under his belt, Sutton said 10 News+ will focus on telling stories with “heart, compassion and integrity.”
“The team we’ve assembled is exceptional, journalists driven by truth and powered by experience,” he said. “We’re going beyond headlines to create meaningful storytelling that resonates with Australians.”