Fired Channel 7 journalist Robert Ovadia allegedly sent a picture of a flaccid penis to a colleague before the network dropped him.
Ovadia, who has worked at the network for 23 years, revealed on Friday that management had fired him.
“Yes, I have been fired and there will be more to say about it in the appropriate forum at the appropriate time,” he said. The Australian.
She has since told the publication that she will no longer pursue a career in journalism.
The station first removed Ovadia on June 7 while the investigation was underway.
The broadcaster said: “Seven is carrying out an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior by Robert Ovadia.”
Channel Seven senior journalist Robart Ovadia (pictured) has been stood down while an allegation of inappropriate behavior on his part towards a woman was investigated. He has since been fired.
On Saturday, sources told The Australian that Ovadia allegedly Googled and then sent an image of a flaccid penis to a male colleague after he requested a “picture of his penis” while covering a court case.
A few days earlier it was reported that the allegations concerned emails exchanged between Ovadia and a former Seven colleague four years ago.
It has also been alleged that a Photoshopped image of a young female producer was at the center of the decision to fire Ovadia, the Daily Telegraph reported.
The image is believed to show an animated version of the producer, but was not done in a sexual manner.
According to Daily Telegraph sources, Ovadia was fired after ABC’s Four Corners became aware of the image and began asking about it.
It is understood that the junior producer, who no longer works at Channel 7, never officially complained about the image.
However, the image was sent to Four Corners, which is investigating newsroom cultures for an upcoming programme.
There is no indication that the allegations are proven and Ovadia has previously said they were unfounded and that he would defend himself.
It is understood that Ovadia has retained legal representation.
Channel Seven has not commented on the sacking revealed by Mr Ovadia (pictured: Seven Network headquarters in Melbourne)
Anthony De Ceglie, who recently became director of news at Channel Seven, told staff he has a “zero tolerance” approach to bad behavior in the newsroom after several senior male employees, including his predecessor Craig McPherson, will leave the network amid the fallout from the Bruce Lehrmann Spotlight scandal.
Taylor Auerbach, former senior producer at Spotlight, alleged in papers filed in the Federal Court that they took drugs and partied with sex workers, and were charged more than $10,000 to Seven, which the network has denied.
The court also heard that company expenses had been spent on expensive meals, golf trips and a year’s accommodation for Lehrmann which allegedly cost more than $100,000.
Rival broadcaster Channel 9 has also been battling a scandal after The Australian revealed former news chief Darren Wick left the station following a complaint from a female employee.
Other staff have since made allegations of bullying and sexual harassment on the network, prompting Nine to conduct its own investigation.
