Wake Up! WA
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| Wake Up! WA | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Wake Up Perth! |
| Genre | |
| Running time | 60 minutes including commercials |
| Original release | |
| Network | Access 31 |
| Release | September 2005 – 6 August 2008 |
Wake Up! WA was a breakfast television show broadcast in Western Australia. It was broadcast on Access 31 from 2005 until the station's demise in 2008.
Overview
Wake Up! WA was a forum for Western Australians to discuss the latest matters affecting West Australian life. Guests often represented local charities, community or sporting organisations. The show updated viewers on local news, sport, weather, fuel prices and current affairs. With the success of Wake Up! WA, many opportunities became available for new talent to have real world experience in live television production that would otherwise be impossible.
Jason Weeks, host of the show since its inception, interviewed more than 2,000 prominent politicians, business people, charitable bodies, sporting groups and community organisations. Demelza Goudie, a Western Australian music buff and community radio announcer took over from
History
Previously known as Wake Up Perth!, the show began broadcasting in September 2005. The show's presenters were chosen through a reality TV show called Your Big Break. This involved auditioning over 300 people for the available roles, through a weekend workshop to test contestants' ability to think fast, react to a changing environment, and not take themselves seriously. The original cast members were Jason Weeks and Lisa Cooney as hosts, Jo Newman on news and Alisa presenting sport and weather.
Originally intended as a 12-week program, the popularity of the show ensured its future. With its growing popularity in 2006, Wake Up WA began rebroadcasting the live show each day (7-8 am) in a later time slot (10.30-11.30 am) to allow more viewers to watch the program. In less than a year, by mid-2006, the show had reached 300 original episodes, joining only a few locally produced shows that had ever reached this mark so soon.
In early 2006, Wake Up Perth! was nominated for four Antenna Awards, winning the award for Best New Producer. In 2008, the show won Antenna Awards for Best News and Current Affairs Program.
On August 6, 2008, Access 31 ceased transmission. At the time, Wake Up! WA had an estimated audience of 45,000 viewers for the live show, with another 25-30,000 tuning in for the daily rebroadcast. Over 500 episodes of the show had been produced. The producers had weighed up alternative broadcast options at the time, but nothing has yet come of it.[1]
Regular guests
- Peter Fitzpatrick - Motor Trade Association
- Allan Stiles - Grand Cinemas
- Kylie Mathieson - Emerge One
- Marnie Giroud - Wild Things
- Grant Girdwood - Motoring
- Peter Dingle - Murdoch University
- Former Lord Mayor of Perth
- Mathias Cormann - Senator for Western Australia
References
- ^ Access 31 shuts doors in shock move Archived July 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine