The Seven Network had hoped to delay an announcement of Ian Ross’ end of year retirement, but news of Mark Ferguson’s signing to the network yesterday threw all the attention his way.
The Weekend Australian has revealed David Leckie reluctantly agreed this week to let his star anchor go after six years reading the Sydney bulletin.
Ross, 69, has kept Seven News on top in Sydney for almost five years and now hopes to spend more time with family at his home in Queensland. The word ‘retirement’ has long been associated with him since he was encouraged back to the news desk by Seven anyway.
Seven has worked hard to keep ‘Roscoe’ happy, including giving him a four night schedule instead of five.
In 2005, Leckie rewarded Ross with a $1 million pay packet for putting Seven News ahead of rival Nine for the first time, and every year since has increased his package to entice him to stay.
But while Chris Bath has similarly been expected to take his duties, now there is talk of dual presenters, with Mark Ferguson in a co-presenter chair. There is every likelihood that his arrival at Seven from October will mean Seven has an excess of presenters until Ian Ross’ contract ends in December. Look for a lengthy Ferguson holiday in between gigs.
Ferguson switching allegiances follows his demotion from Nine’s #1 Sydney Newsreader to its #2 in January. David Gyngell wanted him to stay but Ferguson was facing a pay cut from $700,000 to $500,000 a year.
One source commented to TV Tonight that, “He’s plainly had shit on his liver since all that happened in January and would have been talking to Meakin since then. Ironic, because Meakin didn’t have big wraps on him while at Nine. Funny game this.”
Source: news.com.au
It was confirmed in todays Sunday Telegraph here in Sydney thet Chris Bath will be taking over from Roscoe oncwe he retires at the end of this year….
Here’s an idea….. Nine brings back Sunday, with Rosco as the presenter. Won’t cut into his “retirement”, and should help lift their profile as a news leader.
Love the “rubbery puppet” photo
@ Mike : Yes Ann Sanders should return to weeknights. She is a class act all the way.
Seven should return the very talented and experienced Ann Sanders to weeknight news replacing Ian.
They only read the news, thats all, they aren’t really importent, dear oh dear….
If the Nork Network really wants to lift it’s News profile and presentation, they should look no further than their Newcastle NBN news head, Ray Dinneen. A talent going to waste in such a small pond. Why, he’s been honing his craft at NBN for… well, at least 20 years now.
Im a little sad to see ross go, he was my favourite news reporter.
I do like the sound of a co-presenter news. But only aslong as chris doesn’t get the girlie pieces like modelling and what not.
Cause that is un fair. It would be different to see a co-presenter show, so we’ll see what happens.
Such a flattering picture David
I think its all talk. Seven wont do co-presenting. Bath should get Weekdays and Mark get weekends. I think its all media speculation. I dont like the idea and i think for her to not get Weekdays would be a cop out. If she doesnt get them she will walk. Thats what i think anyway.
Ian Ross is 69? Face looks a bit too shiny for that age.
“funny how everyone loves Mark Ferguson all of a sudden.” I don’t think it’s “all of a sudden”. Overton still has lower figures than Ferguson. An indication that more preferred Mark Ferguson over Peter Overton.Then again, Nine News is crap. Tonight Nine’s first two stories were baby elephant at zoo & “maybe” in crease in child care fees. Seven News was Navy sex scandal & five-car inferno on M5. Seven’s same baby elephant piece was 11 mins into bulletin, where it belonged (if at all).
@timmy Don’t forget it’s nearly mandatory to have a male, usually a former footballer, present the sport, cos he knows how to read the auto-cue in a more sports-like manner
@Chris – I agree. She must be spitting chips at the prospect of co-presenting. She certainly served her dues and has proven herself a standout newsreader. Chris weekdays, Ferguson weekends.
Dual presenters?? Please, nooooooo!!!
I don’t even understand why they need seperate people to present the sports and weather. It really only needs one presenter to do the lot. It’s ony a 30 minute bulletin, hardly a marathon event.
“funny how everyone loves Mark Ferguson all of a sudden.”
Australians love an underdog, unless it’s Channel Nine themselves, then schadenfreude takes over.
Chris Bath for 6pm News Monday to Thursday.
Fergo 6pm Fri-Sat-Sun and fill-ins when Chris takes hols.
Chris & Mike to continue with Sunday Night. (It gives Chris national exposure).
Did somone mention Ann Sanders? I was surprised to see she was still with 7 after the demotion 5 or 6 years ago.
Phew, for a second I thought you were referring to Ross Stevenson!
@gerry that’s called smiling, you can do that without botox
Bath has more than proven herself as a weekday news anchor. She was running rings around Overton earlier this year when filling in for Roscoe. I think she’ll definitely take over the weekday role, with Ferguson on weekends. I can’t see them doing a double header, why fix something which sin’t broke.
Hooray! The most boring man in television is finally going. Perhaps I’ll be able to watch Seven News now that I won’t have to listen to his soporific voice.
I refuse to call this and what they do new. It’s light entertainment with a weather bulletin presented by Barbies
I honestly think Bath will be at 7 for not much longer.
A return to dual anchoring may be the deathknell for 7′s news in Sydney.
After all, a failing dual anchor team was dumped to make way for Ross.
What a funny picture. Jeez, how much botox has he had?
After waiting all that time for Ross to retire, I wonder what Chris Bath’s reaction will be to a co-presenter situation…
funny how everyone loves Mark Ferguson all of a sudden. If he was that popular he wouldn’t have been demoted from Nine?