Melissa Downes
{{Short description|Australian journalist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Melissa Downes
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1973|9|17}}
| birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland
| education = University of Queensland
| occupation = News presenter
| employer = Nine Network
| television = Nine News
| spouse = DJ Wendt
| children = 2
}}
{{Use Australian English|date=July 2015}}
Melissa Downes (born 17 September 1973){{cite web|url=http://news.ninemsn.com.au/general.aspx?id=62592 |title=Melissa Downes |access-date=17 March 2008 |work=The Who's Who of News |publisher=National Nine News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005135222/http://news.ninemsn.com.au/general.aspx?id=62592 |archive-date=5 October 2006 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/1033017500070286/photos/a.1034502696588433/1953984547973572/?type=3&__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARB7JP4yswcVBHbPdHj8Cg6qg6oRPdH_NTjhdK0-aw7dGw2kVsWJD8oyXFoxYkCAxeypkrcWKUkyA79Dc9DwvHSe5GMZjp8JM0yTCfZeOHBIHFwwzupYxMcR3hRmkdeQu5qW0qp1lfN3Kx3v6IAqf060YVmXMTwe3GL-ifvqhRX2W8Rg26Wtuw&__tn__=-R|title=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!!!|publisher=Facebook|date=17 September 2018|access-date=19 September 2018}} is an Australian broadcast journalist. She is currently a presenter of Nine News Queensland.
Career
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.{{Cite web |title=Nine News' Melissa Downes on her landmark year ahead - Mediaweek |url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/melissa-downes-nine-news-queensland/ |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=www.mediaweek.com.au}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/news/broom-sweeps-through-channel-nine-as-bruce-paige-quits/news-story/9362db9ada0e1f72b1766eb6e5d24a50|title=Broom sweeps through Channel Nine as Bruce Paige quits|publisher=news.com.au|first=Geoff|last=Shearer|date=17 June 2009|access-date=11 May 2017}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2013/11/nail-biter-in-brisbane-news-battle.html|title=Nail biter in Brisbane news battle|publisher=TV Tonight|first=David|last=Knox|date=19 November 2013|access-date=11 May 2017}}
Personal life
= Early life =
Born and raised in Brisbane, Downes graduated from Somerville House in 1988.{{Cite web|title=Melissa Downes, Presenter Brisbane News Team - 9News|url=https://www.9news.com.au/meet-the-team/brisbane/melissa-downes|access-date=2020-10-09|website=www.9news.com.au}} She moved to Sydney to model for two years before returning to Brisbane to complete an Arts Journalism degree at the University of Queensland.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-23 |title=Melissa Downes, Presenter Brisbane News Team - 9News |url=https://www.9news.com.au/meet-the-team/brisbane/melissa-downes |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=www.9news.com.au}}
= Family =
Downes is married to DJ Wendt, owner of music group The Ten Tenors. The couple have two daughters.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-23 |title=Melissa Downes, Presenter Brisbane News Team - 9News |url=https://www.9news.com.au/meet-the-team/brisbane/melissa-downes |access-date=2025-04-26 |website=www.9news.com.au}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.9news.com.au/meet-the-team/brisbane/melissa-downes 9 News]
- [https://twitter.com/9melissadownes?lang=en Twitter – Melissa Downes]
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{{s-media}}
{{succession box
| title = Nine News Queensland
Weekend presenter
| years = 2006 – December 2008
| before = Jillian Whiting
| after = Andrew Lofthouse & Eva Milic
}}
{{succession box
| title = Nine News Queensland
Weeknight presenter
with Bruce Paige/Andrew Lofthouse
| years = January 2009 – present
| before = Heather Foord
| after = Incumbent
}}
{{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Downes, Melissa}}
Category:Australian television newsreaders and news presenters
Category:University of Queensland alumni
Category:Australian women television journalists
Category:People educated at Somerville House
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