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Meakin’s preference for solo presenters

Seven News boss Peter Meakin says no to dual presenters for Sydney News. Which is good news for Chris Bath. Isn't it...?

Chris Bath - Seven NewsSeven’s News and Current Affairs boss Peter Meakin yesterday watered down speculation of dual presenters for Seven News, following the poaching of Mark Ferguson last week.

“No, it was never going to be a two-header,” he told the Sunday Telegraph.

“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.”

Ian Ross is widely tipped to exit at the end of the year, but it is understood he has 18 months left on his current contract. However, he is able to relinquish his role as the network’s leading newsreader at any time he chooses.

But should we be concerned about the fact Meakin says Bath “may” get the gig next year? It’s a neatly ambiguous choice of words. May get the gig if Ross goes….may get the gig if they don’t decide to put Ferguson head to head against Overton….or are there just too many conspiracy theories going on?

“Stealing good people from Channel Nine certainly gives me a buzz,” he said. “Fergo’s a very strong newsreader and we’re very happy to have him on board.”

Meanwhile, Ferguson was nowhere to be seen on Nine News in Sydney last night, with weeknight reader Peter Overton sitting in the weekend chair. This is despite an assurance that he would finish out his contract as normal.

Just what’s going on…?

Yesterday a source also told the Sunday Telegraph, “You can’t have a bloke who doesn’t want to be there walking around the building: it kills morale.

“Fergo’s destined for ‘gardening leave’, don’t you worry.”

By the way he spoke on Friday, Andrew Daddo will be expecting Fergo to front for today’s edition of THIS afternoon.

Source: Sunday Telegraph

6 Responses

  1. Evan: If Meakin knew he was running Brisbane, there would have been at least a response by 7 (i.e press attack ads) over the Extra axing.

    Seven’s lost the “touch” that made them in the 80s… What made BTQ’s news successful, in the 1980’s was the younger talent they nurtured, not how much it cost to poach someone. The only poaching 7 Brisbane did in that entire successful 1980’s run (between 1981 and the Skase purchase in mid 1987) was Glenn Taylor, from QTQ’s Today Tonight to launch, what became the original TT’s greatest rival, State Affair, and even then, it was done stealthly.

    Now, some older viewers (and younger ones, like me) are questioning the direction, what “their” Channel 7 is taking. If 7 had guts, they would launch a “Extra replacement”, a Gold Coast news service, a return to a Brisbane produced Today Tonight (that’s 1 and 1/2 hours of new local content a day) and the proper revival of the Love You Brisbane slogan.

    Queensland jobs are critical, to keeping our industry alive, and you can see the results of the “old” Channel 7, on Ten and Nine, where at least one BTQ alumni reads the news.

  2. “No, it was never going to be a two-header,”

    thats good that there is still some sanity at 7, when i heard this rumour i thought it was a terrible idea.

    best case scenario IMO:
    chris: Mon-Thur (with SN), fergz: fri-sun

    7’s sydney presenter lineup is very strong IMO also with Sam, she’s my fav.

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