3 days ago
Shock disruption boots 7News Brisbane off the air live as Sydney takes over mid-bulletin
Seven viewers in Queensland were left stunned on Monday night when their nightly bulletin was booted off the air and replaced with Sydney news.
A power failure caused 7News Brisbane to drop off, with Sydney stars Mark Ferguson and Angela Cox taking over for Queensland's Max Futcher and Katrina Blowers.
The switch followed an ad break just after 6.37pm as the Brisbane team rushed to get their anchors back on TV in time for the weather, reported TV Blackbox.
'There was a power failure on station and the team worked incredibly hard to get back on air in time for the Sunshine State's critical weather forecast,' a Seven spokesperson said.
The Sydney team covered the news bulletin right up until the weather, with sports presenter Mel McLaughlin finally acknowledging the Queensland audience when she introduced the sports headlines.
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'Welcome back, and welcome to our Brisbane viewers joining us due to a technical issue,' she said.
Futcher and Blowers returned to local screens in time for a feel-good feature about a giant slip and slide in a Colombian village.
Tony Auden then wrapped up the show with Queensland's weather forecast.
While Queensland sports presenter Steve Titmus was at the desk during the cross to weather, he was unable to present the sports headlines due to the disruption.
Futcher signed off for the night by telling the Queensland audience: 'Hope your night is going smoothly.'
The disruption comes after three senior reporters at Channel Seven jumped ship to rival Network Ten.
Seven's award-winning former foreign correspondent Amelia Brace, 7News Sydney reporter Bill Hogan and Spotlight producer-reporter Denham Hitchcock all resigned from the network last week, The Australian's Media Diary reported.
They are reportedly set to join a new investigative show set up by Channel Ten's news boss Martin White.
A power failure caused 7News Brisbane to drop off, with Sydney stars Mark Ferguson and Angela Cox taking over for Queensland's Max Futcher and Katrina Blowers. Both pictured
Brace and Hitchcock exited Seven's studio in Sydney within hours of quitting and started their new jobs at Ten on Monday morning while Hogan will begin with the network in three weeks' time.
Ten has reportedly offered Brace a $50,000 increase on the $220,000 a year she was being paid.
In a message to colleagues on Friday, she said: 'It feels off to not have an official "last day" to say goodbye, but it's best for me to just fade away for now.
'Stand up for yourselves, and each other… and think of me every time you have to find a f***ing case study.'
Meanwhile, Hitchcock departs only three months after having returned to Seven after a couple of years living on a catamaran with his young family.
'I'm back. It's time to wash some of the salt out—and get back to what I do best,' he said in an Instagram post.
'Back in 2019 the network asked me to start what would eventually become the Spotlight program with one producer and one cameraman—and as the limited shows proved successful—the team quickly grew and it would turn into the network's flagship program.
'I stepped away for a few years to go sailing with the family—and have returned to find a new EP, a new team, new reporters, a fresh energy, an abundance of stories, and some genuine excitement about the year ahead.'
He ended the message by asking followers and fans to send 'research ideas'.
The departures confirm industry whispers Ten will launch a 'news magazine show' to take on the likes of Nine's 60 Minutes, Seven's Spotlight, and the ABC's Four Corners.
The Australian reported last month a 'crack team' of producers, referred to as the 'investigations unit' was being assembled to helm the new program.
It was claimed Channel Ten reporter Dan Sutton would be the show's executive producer, with potential reporters currently being screen tested.
A Network Ten spokesperson confirmed the establishment of the investigation unit to Daily Mail Australia.
