Mike Munro leaving Nine

Mike Munro has resigned from the Nine Network.

He will continue with the network until October 31 across all on-air roles. It is believed his reasons for retirement are amicable and unrelated to the networks staff cuts or axing of news programmes.

David Gyngell said, “I have begrudgingly accepted Mike Munro’s early retirement. All power to him! Mike will always be part of the Channel Nine family and we hope to see him back here if and when he gets bored.”

Munro has most recently been reader of Sydney’s Nine News bulletin on weekends, host of This is Your Life and narrator of Missing Persons Unit.

Munro joined 60 Minutes in 1986. He hosted A Current Affair from 1999 to 2003. His departure follows the exit earlier this year of Ray Martin, who still files occasional reports for Sixty Minutes.

Munro told The Daily Telegraph that he was taking early retirement after seeing out five tumultuous years at the former number one network.

“I’m feeling pretty good right now,” he said. “I leave the place on a day to day level, but that’s tempered by the fact I love Channel 9 as much as David Gyngell does.

“Nine is doing well and I want to go out on top,” he said.

Munro stressed he had made today’s appointment to tell Gyngell of his decision well before Nine announced it was axed news and current affairs programs last Friday.

Last week Nine axed Sunday after 27 years and Nightline after 15.

Press Release:
Channel Nine news and current affairs veteran, Mike Munro, has announced his retirement today after an outstanding 22 years at the Network.

Munro said, “It’s the perfect time for me to go because the network is in such great shape, and I’ve been thinking about doing this for a while and wanted to go at my choosing while I still felt useful. I’m still working on two national programs, (This is Your Life and MPU), and reading the New South Wales and Northern Territory weekend news. So I’ve given the network three months notice and plenty of warning because of my love for Channel 9 and my respect for the staff. David Gyngell was wonderfully understanding and made it clear that I’d be welcome back to contribute whenever I’m asked.”

Channel Nine CEO, David Gyngell said, “I have begrudgingly accepted Mike Munro’s early retirement. All power to him! Mike will always be part of the Channel Nine family and we hope to see him back here, if and when, he gets bored.”

Mike began his career as a Copy Boy at News Ltd in 1971, and never lost sight of, or the passion, of wanting to be a journalist. He joined Channel Nine in 1984, after a stint at Channel 10 News, to work on Nine current affairs show Willesee.

Over the years, Mike has worked on many of Nine’s flagship shows – including being a reporter on 60 Minutes, and A Current Affair, which he also hosted from 1999 till 2003.

While breaking news stories, Munro also found the time to host This is Your Life for the past 12 years, and Missing Persons Unit for the past 3 years.

Mike will finish up at Nine on October 31st this year. He will continue to read the weekend Nine News until that date.

Additional source: Daily Telegraph