Melissa Downes
Melissa Downes | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 September 1973 |
| Education | University of Queensland |
| Occupation | News presenter |
| Employer | Nine Network |
| Television | Nine News |
| Spouse | DJ Wendt |
| Children | 2 |
Melissa Downes (born 17 September 1973)[1][2] is an Australian broadcast journalist. She is currently a presenter of Nine News Queensland.
Career
[edit]Downes began her career at the Seven Network in Brisbane as an intern during her final year of university. Following her internship, she was offered a position and took on multiple roles, including reporter, fill-in presenter, and co-host of a live 5:00 p.m. local magazine show.[3] She spent nearly seven years with the network.
In 2001, Downes joined the Nine Network in Brisbane as a reporter, later taking on the role of fill-in weekend news presenter. By 2006, she assumed the position of full-time weekend presenter. During her time at Nine, she also contributed to the local magazine show Saturday Extra and served as a presenter for QTQ-9's Nine Gold Coast News bulletin.
In November 2008, Downes replaced Heather Foord as co-anchor of Nine News Queensland's weeknight bulletin, initially alongside Bruce Paige, and from June 2009, with Andrew Lofthouse.[4] Her appointment coincided with a period of declining ratings for the bulletin, which had lost its dominance in the Brisbane market, finishing behind Seven News Brisbane for the second consecutive year in 2008. Despite these challenges, Nine News Queensland managed to reclaim its lead in subsequent years, winning 21 out of 40 ratings weeks in 2013.[5]
Personal life
[edit]Early life
[edit]Born and raised in Brisbane, Downes graduated from Somerville House in 1988.[6] She moved to Sydney to model for two years before returning to Brisbane to complete an Arts Journalism degree at the University of Queensland.[7]
Family
[edit]Downes is married to DJ Wendt, owner of music group The Ten Tenors. The couple have two daughters.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Melissa Downes". The Who's Who of News. National Nine News. Archived from the original on 5 October 2006. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
- ^ "Thank you for the all the birthday wishes and thanks to this woman Carole Haddad Corcorz Hair who's about to hide the evidence of how old I really am!!!". Facebook. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
- ^ "Nine News' Melissa Downes on her landmark year ahead - Mediaweek". www.mediaweek.com.au. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ Shearer, Geoff (17 June 2009). "Broom sweeps through Channel Nine as Bruce Paige quits". news.com.au. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (19 November 2013). "Nail biter in Brisbane news battle". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 May 2017.
- ^ "Melissa Downes, Presenter Brisbane News Team - 9News". www.9news.com.au. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Melissa Downes, Presenter Brisbane News Team - 9News". www.9news.com.au. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ "Melissa Downes, Presenter Brisbane News Team - 9News". www.9news.com.au. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
External links
[edit]
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