Network Seven's director of news and current affairs, Craig McPherson, has resigned after a turbulent few weeks for the media company.
McPherson's departure comes just days after Seven settled a defamation case brought by a 20-year-old Sydney university student whom the network wrongly named as the Bondi Junction attacker. The network has also been grappling with claims that its Spotlight program reimbursed Bruce Lehrmann for money spent on drugs and sex workers before he signed on to give an exclusive sit-down interview.
In an email to staff, Seven West Media CEO Jeff Howard said McPherson had decided to step down after 25 years with the network. "He has been one of Australia's preeminent news leaders and we wish him all the best for the future," he said.
The email hinted at further changes to come in the network's near future. "We need to think differently to make sure we remain successful and relevant to our viewers and advertisers," it said.
As the new director, Anthony De Ceglie will oversee programs like 7NEWS, Sunrise, The Morning Show and 7NEWS Spotlight. De Ceglie is currently the editor-in-chief of The West Australian, The Sunday Times, PerthNow and 19 regional newspapers. Before that, he spent more than 11 years in various roles at News Corp.
McPherson said he had been considering standing aside for a while. "I believe now is a good time for all to have a fresh start," he said. "As for me, I'll be taking a long break to spend time with all my family and wish everyone at the network continued success.