Mark Ferguson looks set to be ousted as weekday evening newsreader at Channel Seven amid a number of high-profile resignations at the beleaguered network.
Inside sources have suggested the veteran news anchor, 58, could be replaced by the network’s weekend team Michael Usher and Angela Cox.
He Daily Telegraph has reported that Seven’s news bosses have become “excited” about the idea of replacing the newsreader with a duo.
Sources claim the weekend news team has been training since 2021 to take over the weeknight bulletin.
TV insiders also report that this change was suggested late last year, but former news director Craig McPherson rejected the idea.
Mark Ferguson looks set to be ousted as weekday evening newsreader at Channel Seven amid a number of high-profile resignations at the beleaguered network. In the photo
Talk among insiders suggests the veteran news anchor, 58, could be replaced by the network’s weekend team, Michael Usher and Angela Cox. Both in the photo
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Seven.
The rumored nightly news shake-up comes as the bloodbath continues at Channel Seven in the wake of Bruce Lehrmann’s sex and drugs allegations that hit the network’s flagship current affairs show Spotlight.
Seven confirmed last month that McPherson, partner of Dancing With The Stars host Sonia Kruger, had suddenly left his role as the network’s director of news and public affairs after nine years in the role.
He will be replaced by Anthony De Ceglie, who currently works as editor-in-chief of News Corp’s Western Australian mastheads.
Sources claim the weekend news team has been training since 2021 to take over the weeknight bulletin.
He is the fourth executive to leave the network in April following the scandal over Spotlight’s lucrative deal with Lehrmann, who was found by the Federal Court to have raped Brittany Higgins on a civil scale.
Spotlight secured two exclusive interviews with Lehrmann last year in exchange for a year’s rent on a luxury unit, valued at about $105,000, ahead of her defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson in the Federal Court.
In the month of April alone, the network lost Mr. McPherson, CEO James Warburton, business director Bruce McWilliam and Spotlight executive producer Mark Llewellyn.
The nightly news shake-up comes as the bloodbath continues at Channel Seven in the wake of Bruce Lehrmann’s sex and drugs allegations that hit the network’s flagship current affairs program Spotlight (Lehrman appears on Spotlight last year). .
Seven also became the subject of a defamation case when Benjamin Cohen was wrongly named in Sunrise as the Bondi Junction killer.
The network settled the case out of court in April for an undisclosed sum.
In a press release last month, Seven West Media CEO and CEO Jeff Howard praised Mr De Ceglie.
Seven confirmed last month that Craig McPherson (pictured), partner of Dancing With The Stars presenter Sonia Kruger, had suddenly left his role as the network’s director of news and public affairs after nine years in the role.
“Anthony brings a compelling vision to the role of Director of News and Current Affairs and Editor-in-Chief of Seven West Media,” said SWM’s newly appointed CEO and CEO Jeff Howard.
“His absolute focus on newsgathering and storytelling will underpin his approach, while his digital savvy and innovative mindset will be just what SWM needs as we continue to build a better media business.”
Of Mr McPherson he said: “Craig has been one of Australia’s most distinguished news leaders and we wish him all the best for the future.”
McPherson said he will take time off to spend time with his family.