After 19 years broadcasting from the iconic Martin Place window in the centre of Sydney’s bustling CBD, the Seven Network’s news and public affairs division begins the move today to its new state-of-the-art newsroom and studios.
The high-tech facility, purpose-built across two floors of Seven’s head office at South Eveleigh, will be the new home of the station’s entire news operation including 7NEWS, Sunrise, The Morning Show, The Latest, 7NEWS Spotlight and 7NEWS.com.au – bringing together the network’s Sydney-based broadcast and operational staff for the first time in four decades.
Part of a major building transformation project of Seven’s headquarters over the past two years, the world-leading studio space is five-times larger than Martin Place, allows for permanent sets for all programs, with two complete control rooms and more than 40sq m of LED screens, while all newsroom operations will now be located on a second entire floor.
7NEWS Sydney anchor Mark Ferguson signed off for the final time from Martin Place on Sunday night, and the first historic broadcast from the new studio will be tonight’s edition of 7NEWS LIVE at 6.00pm, followed by The Latest at 11.00pm.
The 7NEWS team’s transition to the new studios from today is the first in the milestone relocation of Seven’s on-air operations from Martin Place, with Sunrise, Weekend Sunrise and The Morning Show to follow over the next month.
Seven West Media managing director and chief executive officer, James Warburton, said: “Today marks the beginning of a landmark chapter in Seven’s history. For the first time in over 40 years, we’re uniting our entire Sydney operation under one roof.
“Martin Place has served as an exceptional home for us but as we aim to unite even more Australians across our much-loved news and public affairs content, our transition to the purpose-built, state-of-the-art studio space in South Eveleigh is a pivotal move.
“7NEWS’s relocation to South Eveleigh marks the start of this exciting phase and we look forward to Sunrise and The Morning Show joining our cutting-edge, new location soon.”
Network Director of news and public affairs, Craig McPherson, said: “Since first turning the lights on at Martin Place on August 30, 2004, Seven’s News and Public Affairs team has broadcast a mammoth 70,000 hours of television from the Martin Place studio. Hundreds of careers started there, as did programs. Not all lasted but the constant demand for the content never wavered. It was a wonderful workplace for all of us, but it had served its time”.
