Seven news boss Craig McPherson quits after network engulfed by controversies
The head of news and current affairs at Seven, Craig McPherson, has left the network after weeks of negative press including the network’s “grave mistake” of naming the wrong man as the Bondi Junction killer.
McPherson, who joined Seven in 2015, said it was a decision he had been considering for a while and that “now is a good time for all to have a fresh start”.
Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media, which operates the Seven Network and West Australian newspaper, has been entangled in several controversies, including allegations made during a defamation trial that the network reimbursed Bruce Lehrmann for money spent on cocaine and sex workers. Seven has denied the claims.
On Friday, Sydney university student Benjamin Cohen – who was wrongly named by Seven as the Bondi Junction killer – reached a confidential settlement with the network.
Jeff Howard, the managing director and CEO of Seven who took over from James Warburton a week ago, said the identification “was a grave mistake and that these assertions were entirely false and without basis”.
On the Sunday morning after the Bondi stabbings, Weekend Sunrise and its YouTube channel named Cohen as the perpetrator without confirmation from the police.
The departure of McPherson has opened the door for the elevation of the West Australian newspaper chief, Anthony De Ceglie, who has been appointed to the new role of director of news and current affairs and editor-in-chief of Seven West Media.
De Ceglie’s move from Perth to Sydney has made way for Chris Dore’s return to newspaper editing. Dore, the former editor-in-chief of the Australian, lost his job after an incident at a Wall Street Journal event in Laguna Beach, California in 2022.
Dore has been appointed acting editor of the West Australian and other West Australian newspaper titles. He will continue as political editor of the newly launched digital newspaper The Nightly.
McPherson, a former executive producer of Today Tonight in an earlier stint at Seven, leaves a week after Howard took over from Warburton.
“Anthony brings a compelling vision to the director of news and current affairs and editor-in-chief of Seven West Media role,” Howard said.
“His absolute focus on news gathering and storytelling will underpin his approach, while his knowledge of digital and his innovative mindset will be just what SWM needs as we continue to build a better media business.”
De Ceglie will be responsible for Seven News, Sunrise, The Morning Show and Spotlight, as well as 7news.com.au.
“It’s an absolute privilege and honour to step into one of the most important roles in news in the country, and to do such at such a pivotal and important time for our industry,” De Ceglie said.
“I can’t wait to work with the many brilliant creative people across the network who put all our products to air.”
