Seven News
Seven News is the television news service of the Seven Network and, as of 2021, the highest-rated show in Australia.
National bulletins are presented from Seven's high definition studios in South Eveleigh, Sydney, while its flagship 6pm statewide bulletins are produced in studios based in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Tasmania. The network also produces weeknight local news bulletins for regional markets in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.
It draws upon the resources of ITN, NBC, CBC, CNN, APTN and Reuters for select international coverage.
History
Seven News — previously known as ATVN News, Channel Seven News, Seven Eyewitness News, Seven National News and Seven Nightly News — is one of Australia's longest-running television news services, founded in 1958, along with Nine News on the rival Nine Network.In 2003, former Nine Network news and current affairs chief Peter Meakin was appointed to Seven News, tasked with lifting ratings in the struggling east coast markets by including more local content in those bulletins.
Seven News has been the top rating news service nationally for all but three years since 2005, partly attributed to the success of television game show Deal or No Deal, which provided the flagship 6pm bulletin with a significant lead-in audience.
In recent years, under the guidance of former longtime National Nine News chief Peter Meakin, Seven's news and current affairs division has produced more locally focused content, which has been lifting ratings for key markets such as Sydney and Melbourne. Since February 2005, the ratings of Deal or No Deal, Seven News and Today Tonight have gradually increased. Seven News was the highest-rating news service nationally in both the 2005 and 2006 ratings seasons. A key aspect of Seven's recent ratings dominance in news and current affairs has been attributed to Deal or No Deal's top rating audience, which provides Seven News with a large lead-in audience. Between 2007 and 2010 inclusive, Seven News completed a clean sweep across the five capital cities in terms of being the most watched 6 pm news bulletin. On 5 July 2008, Channel Seven introduced a watermark on news and current affairs programmes.
In 2007, Seven News beat National Nine News and Ten News in ratings for the first time in the Melbourne market. During the year, they ranked highest twenty weeks compared to Nine's nineteen weeks, while one week was tied. Previously, in 2006, Seven had ranked on top 16 weeks in while Nine had 24 weeks on top in Melbourne.
During 2008, from weeknight to weeknight, Seven and Nine had similar ratings, often changing the most popular show from night to night. As of 2013, Nine News retains a national lead, although Seven still has a tight grip on the Adelaide and Perth bulletins. In November 2012, Peter Meakin resigned as director of news and current affairs of the Seven Network after nine years in the role, with Rob Raschke named as his successor.
In October 2013, it was announced that the Saturday 6pm bulletins would be extended to one hour, likely as a reaction to Nine News regaining its national lead in 2013.
On Monday 20 January 2014, the news theme was overhauled with the traditional The Mission piece removed after two decades, however, due to viewer backlash, The Mission was reinstated on Friday 24 January 2014.
In February 2014, Today Tonight was axed in the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane markets and the news bulletins were extended to one hour. The Adelaide and Perth bulletins remained at 30 minutes with Today Tonight being retained in only those two markets.
In 2015, Seven News suffered its worst ratings year for over a decade, with all three of its east coast bulletins, as well as its regional Queensland bulletins, languishing behind Nine News and its Adelaide bulletin also starting to lose to Nine on weeknights. However, Seven News soon reclaimed the lead nationally the following year, aided by the new game show lead-in The Chase Australia, which helped to increase numbers in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as a narrow 3,000 viewer loss to Nine in Brisbane.
In July 2016, a new locally focused bulletin for the Gold Coast was introduced, airing at 5.30pm every evening from the network's Surfers Paradise studios. The debut bulletin won its timeslot with 49,000, compared to the rival Nine Gold Coast News which drew 34,000 viewers. Although the Seven bulletin became the ratings leader in 2019, the rival service from Nine went onto regain its lead
In November 2019, the Adelaide and Perth editions of Today Tonight were axed, finally bringing their nightly news shows to an hour edition in line with the east coast.
In 2023, Seven News in Sydney began to vacate its previous Martin Place studios, with all national and state-based operations for New South Wales transferred to Seven's news facility in South Eveleigh. From 26 June 2023, it began broadcasting from a purpose-built studio at the Australian Technology Park. The new 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 are located on a second entire floor.
In July 2024, Seven added a horoscope segment to its nightly evening news bulletin as well as a satirical news segment titled The 6:57 News at the end of its Friday bulletin hosted by Mark Humphries. The segments were added to explore "new ideas and concepts to bring in new audiences". The horoscope segment, which was widely derided by viewers, was removed in December 2024, while The 6:57 News was also reported not to return in 2025, though Humphries will remain with the network.
In November 2024, Seven's local Gold Coast news bulletin, airing at 5.30pm on weeknights, was axed.
Following Seven West Media's acquisition of Southern Cross Austereo's Seven affiliated stations, 7 Tasmania Nightly News was rebranded as 7NEWS Tasmania on 6 October 2025 bringing the programme in line with other 7NEWS bulletins. The bulletin continued to be produced from the TNT Launceston studios with Kim Millar as main anchor.
National bulletins
''Sunrise Early News''
Sunrise Early News airs at 5am on weekdays and is presented by Edwina Bartholomew, and Monique Wright, and includes news, business, finance, sport and weather. It airs from Seven's Eveleigh studios. Fill in presenters include Shaun White, Teegan Dolling and Sally Bowrey. The bulletin is followed by Sunrise.The bulletin first aired on 14 July 2008 as Seven Early News, presented by Natalie Barr, with sport presented by Mark Beretta. Simon Reeve presented the first bulletin as Barr was guest-cohosting Sunrise at the time.
In January 2016, it was announced that Jodie Speers would replace Natalie Barr and Mark Beretta due to Sunrise starting at 5:30am. The bulletin also moved to the earlier time of 5am.
In March 2024, Jodie Speers announced her resignation from the Seven Network. The bulletin was renamed Sunrise Early News and Speers was replaced by Edwina Bartholomew.
''Seven Afternoon News'' (Summer edition)
The Summer edition of Seven Afternoon News is a national edition presented from Seven's Eveleigh studio and previously from its Martin Place studio. The bulletin airs when local editions are on break and is presented by Ann Sanders and Sally Bowrey.This bulletin is a semi-national bulletin because it airs across Australia, except in South Australia and Western Australia who have their own local 4pm News.
Fill-in presenters include Mike Amor, Alex Cullen, Angie Asimus, Hugh Whitfield, Chris Reason, Angela Cox and Blake Johnson.
Seven's national afternoon bulletin was introduced in 2003 as Target Iraq, during extensive coverage of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and presented from Sydney by David Johnston. The bulletin was retained after the initial invasion and moved production to Melbourne and was subsequently reformatted as the Seven 4.30 News. Johnston retired in September 2005 and was succeeded by Rebecca Maddern until production returned to Sydney in July 2006. Former US correspondent Mike Amor took over as anchor, but was replaced three months later by Samantha Armytage. On 3 December 2010, the bulletin was extended to 60 minutes and began to feature a sports bulletin. However, on 7 May 2012, the bulletin was truncated back to 30 minutes as The Price is Right returned to the 5:00 pm timeslot.
On 2 April 2012, a 30-minute Perth edition was launched, airing as a cutaway half-hour bulletin at 4:30pm, following the first half-hour of the national bulletin at 4pm. Regional and Remote Western Australia did not receive the 4.30 afternoon news on Seven Regional WA, rather, the network substituted it with its own local news service at 5:30pm.
In December 2012, the bulletin was renamed as Seven Afternoon News. In January 2013, the bulletin was again extended to an hour due to the axing of The Price Is Right and production moved back to the Melbourne studio with Rebecca Maddern replacing Samantha Armytage.
In August 2013, Maddern was replaced by Melissa Doyle and Matt White and the bulletin was brought forward to start at 4pm.
In April 2014, Matt White resigned from the Seven Network to return to Network Ten. Doyle continued as the solo presenter until July 2015, when she was replaced by Ann Sanders. Doyle subsequently took over as Seven News Sydney weekend presenter from Chris Bath.
Between 2015 and 2017, the national bulletin was gradually replaced by local editions presented from Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. The last incarnation of the national bulletin was broadcast from the network's Martin Place studios and was presented by Ann Sanders and Chris Reason. Sport was presented by Mel McLaughlin and Jim Wilson and weather was presented by David Brown and Amelia Mulcahy or Angie Asimus.