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Chris Bath: “I am taking over” from Ross

“When Roscoe retires I am taking over Monday to Friday, and Fergo will be doing weekends. That’s the plan,” says Chris Bath.

cbA firm Seven newsreader Chris Bath today appeared on 2UE and responded to the changing landscape in Sydney news.

Bath said she had been assured she will be taking the reins of the coveted Seven News desk when Ian Ross retires, expected to be at the end of the year.

“When Roscoe retires I am taking over Monday to Friday … and Fergo will be doing weekends. That’s the plan,” Bath told Steve Price today.

“That’s what I’ve been told. I have no reason to disbelieve David Leckie , Peter Meakin or Chris Willis.”

News boss Peter Meakin is yet to say as much publicly, quoted only as saying:

“Bathie was half expecting to do it this year and may get the gig next year. But who knows?

“We’re not sure exactly when Roscoe will go: it’s up to him and he enjoys the job.”

Media commentators have recalled that Meakin was never a big fan of Ferguson whilst he was at Nine, until Ian Ross looked set to depart. Now can he resist pitting Nine’s former newsreader against its current one, Peter Overton, at the expense of Bath? It would also leave him with a male anchor in weeknight news.

Ironically after Nine’s disruption in news this year, attention will next turn to watching how Seven handles such a transition.

If Bath doesn’t get the gig she assures us she is promised, would viewers then consider Seven as contemptuously as they did Nine’s dumping of Ferguson?

Source: news.com.au, 2UE

11 Responses

  1. I’ve been a fan of Chris Bath from when she first started reading the NBN news with Ray Denean back in the early 90’s. She has come so far and is one of the country’s best newsreaders. She thoroughly deserves the number one job and has certainly served her apprenticeship. Do the right thing by her Channel 7!

  2. I never understood why they never gave Ann Sanders a better role. I guess once women reach 40 on this channel they get pushed back to doing the morning news. How long does that leave Bath with? 6 years? 7?

  3. I see no reason at all as to why Chris Bath should not be auto piloted into the job.

    Is Ferguson or any other male news reader better than her -no.

  4. Chris Bath’s audience hold up well when she does weeknight, most times extending the lead over Nine. She’ll probably get Mon-Thurs, with “Sunday Night”, Fergo doing Thurs + weekends, plus week-night standby/fill-in. Then again, strange things happen in TV land.

  5. I think Chris is a far better reader than either Rosco or Fergo. Whilst Ian has the ability to remain absoultely unflappable, it really is at the expense of any noticeable personality from the guy- he’s a frigged as Kochie is annoyingly boisterous. Fergo seems to have taken cues from him and I think Chris brings a warmth to the role whilst maintaining her professionalism.

  6. if chris doesnt get this gig (and assuming Peter Meakin doesnt push her infront of a bus) then she will walk right over nine on the day her contract expires.

  7. With Chris now confirmed to take over 7 News Mon – Fri sooner than rather than later, I think now would be a good time to drop her from Sunday Night. Whilst I think she’s an excellent news reader, she doesn’t do general banter too well and has always looked stiff with Mike (though she has softened over the months).

    Could be a good way to give Sunday Night a nice revamp *if and when* it returns later this year. Give the SN gig to Nat Barr, she should have gotten the role from the get go.

  8. It can only be a good thing that Seven now have a respected and strong newsman in Ferguson to take the reigns should the unthinkable happen and Ms. Bath falls under a bus.

    Have you ever noticed how many buses pass by that Martin Place studio window during Sunrise and TMS?

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