After being rocked with staff walkouts as top talent flees to rival networks, Seven appears to be readying for another shake-up.
Two reporters from regional channels have been relocated to a major metro centre, fuelling speculation that Seven are readying to launch a fresh news program.
Sheri Smith, who has been with the network as a journalist since last year, has taken up a spot in Melbourne, alongside Seven News reporter Phoebe Worthley.
Smith makes the move after a recent stint in Toowoomba.
The young journo also got five months experience at Seven’s Brisbane station.
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Two reporters from regional channels have been relocated, fuelling speculation that Seven are readying to launch a fresh news program. Pictured: Sheri Smith, who has been working in Toowoomba is now in Melbourne
Also relocated to Melbourne is Phoebe Worthley (pictured)
Meanwhile, Worthley comes to her new gig after working for Seven for the last two years in Albury.
‘I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as a News Reporter at Seven Network in Melbourne!’ she shared to LinkedIn on Sunday.
Worthley has also held reporter roles in Canberra and at Nine in Sydney.
Industry blog TV Tonight reported on Monday that the relocation of Worthley and Smith has led to speculation that Seven Melbourne is readying a new bulletin for the afternoon slot.
It comes after Seven suffered the loss of three top reporters last month.
Award-winning former foreign correspondent Amelia Brace, 7News Sydney reporter Bill Hogan and Spotlight producer-reporter Denham Hitchcock all resigned in early June.
All three joined 10 as part of the team behind 10 News+, which has been a ratings disappointment since it debuted in The Project’s old slot on June 30.
Hitchcock, who was announced as the face of the show alongside Amelia Brace in June, responded to two followers who left brutal comments on his Instagram page criticising the new show.
Industry blog TV Tonight reported on Monday that the relocation of Worthley and Smith has led to speculation that Seven Melbourne is readying a new bulletin for the afternoon slot
One social media user accused the presenter of sharing ‘fake news’ on the show.
However, the 48-year-old didn’t hold back, asking: ‘Which stories have you seen on this program that have been fake?’
Another troll slammed Denham for his vaccine stance, writing: ‘How are we supposed to believe you @denhamhitchcock?
‘You were vaccine injured and decided to take a payout over the truth! At a time when millions of people needed popular voices to tell the truth … you tried … then took off on your yacht,’ the person wrote.
Denham, who was hospitalised in 2021 after experiencing a rare side effect called pericarditis following his initial two Pfizer jabs, took aim at the accusation in a fiery response.
‘What payout you tool? I quit my job and went sailing to spend time with my family,’ he wrote.
He went on: ‘I am still looking into all this – I just don’t believe everything I read like you do. It takes time to prove this stuff. Not just rant. Grow up.’
Earlier this month, it was reported that 10 News+ had been savaged in the ratings following its premiere.
The current affairs program, slotted in to replace The Project after it was sensationally axed following 16 years on air, was watched by a paltry 291,000 people, according to ratings released by OzTAM.
Channel Nine and Channel Seven dominated the time slot, with 7News attracting 1.5 million viewers, and 9News following closely with 1.45 million viewers.
10News+’s figures only got worse, dropping to 244,000 by the following Tuesday and sliding further still to 205,000 by midweek.
