First Minutes of Terror in Sydney Captured Live on ‘The Morning Show’

By Chris Ariens 

Seven Network, one of Australia’s main TV channels, was broadcasting “The Morning Show” not 50 meters from the Lindt cafe in Sydney’s Central Business District when a gunman stormed the cafe, and held dozens of people hostage for 16 hours. “The Morning Show,” which airs from 9am-Noon, as well as “Sunrise” which airs directly before it, originate from the Martin Place studios.

“Here at Channel 7, all of the staff here are being told to get away from the windows,” said host Kylie Gillies, who anchored the first minutes of coverage with Larry Emdur.

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Police eventually ordered a newsroom evacuation. The TVTonight blog reports staffers scrambled to an alternative location in Sydney while Seven’s sister stations in Melbourne and Perth anchored some coverage.

On Tuesday morning’s “Sunrise,” just hours after the siege ended, anchor Natalie Barr learned the sad news of the death of one of the two hostages while she was on the air. 38-year Katrina Dawson, a wife and mother of three, was a lawyer who worked just around the corner. Dawson’s brother Sandy, also a lawyer, has done work for Channel Seven.

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