Seven News veteran Mark Ferguson weighs reduced on-air duties amid financial pressures and Nine rivalry

Seven Network’s veteran news presenter Mark Ferguson, 59, is at the center of renewed speculation that he could scale back his on-air duties as the network contends with financial pressures and intensified competition from Channel Nine. While Seven has publicly stated that no decision has been made, multiple industry sources say Ferguson could move from five nights a week to four, potentially sharing the desk with Angela Cox. The timing and exact days of any potential scheduling shift remain unclear.

A Seven spokesperson told The Daily Telegraph that no such announcement has been made to newsroom staff, and the network has not confirmed any changes to Ferguson’s workload. An industry insider suggested Ferguson may have taken a pay cut to ease pressure as advertising revenue trends downward, though there has been no official confirmation of any salary adjustments. Complicating the picture, Ferguson’s possible reduction would come as the broadcaster navigates a fiercely competitive market where Nine has sought to recapture momentum in the evening news slot.

The broader backdrop includes a year of upheaval across Australian newsrooms, marked by cost-saving measures, restructurings, and, in some cases, shock resignations. The industry has watched closely as networks recalibrate their formats and resources to respond to shifting audience habits and advertising economics. In recent days, the Bondi Beach attack dominated headlines, drawing in top presenters from Nine and rival outlets as editors weighed how best to cover a rapidly unfolding story in real time.

Nine News, in particular, faced scrutiny over how it managed live coverage of the Bondi incident. Public discussion centered on whether some presenters appeared overly cautious about going live, with later reporting challenging those characterizations while Nine asserted it had deployed substantial resources to the coverage in Bondi, across Sydney, and in its newsroom. A Nine spokesperson emphasized the network’s commitment to accuracy, timeliness, and professional integrity in what it described as a crisis year for Australian television news.

Within Nine, questions about on-air presence and leadership also drew attention. Chief anchor Peter Overton, long identified as a leading figure at the desk, was cited by insiders as appearing on air only once during a recent week, prompting speculation about scheduling decisions at the network. Some observers noted the discrepancy between high pay and visible on-screen appearances in a period of tightened budgets, while others pointed to strategic considerations about pacing and resource allocation during major breaking-news cycles.

Meanwhile, individual reporters on Nine’s roster came under scrutiny for their on-air choices during the Bondi coverage. Gold Coast journalist Luke Bradnam drew criticism for playing golf near a memorial at Burleigh Heads associated with victims, a choice that sparked public backlash. Leila McKinnon also faced online criticism after a moment in which she cut short a person attempting to name those who helped during the attack; Nine defended the coverage, noting that its newsroom aimed to deliver accurate, timely reporting under demanding conditions. The network reiterated that it had directed substantial resources to the Bondi story and to broader coverage in Sydney, asserting that journalists and producers maintained high standards of professional integrity.

Industry observers stressed that the current period reflects broader challenges facing television news in Australia. Cost-cutting pressures have forced networks to rethink salaries, hours, and staffing, while the competitive dynamic between Seven and Nine shapes decisions about on-air talent and how stories are presented to the public. The public-facing nature of these discussions has underscored the delicate balance networks must strike between delivering authoritative news and managing financial viability in an era of shifting media consumption.

In the wake of the Bondi coverage, analysts noted that both networks had to manage the expectations of audiences while maintaining credibility. The public discourse around presenters’ on-air presence and the allocation of resources illustrates the ongoing tension between prestige talent—often associated with high salaries—and the need to deploy teams efficiently during major news events. As the year winds down, executives from both networks are expected to assess strategy for 2026, weighing potential shifts in on-air lineups against the imperative to sustain robust, reliable news operations amid a challenging advertising climate.

For Ferguson, the discussion about his schedule remains unresolved publicly. Seven has not confirmed any changes to his role, and officials cautioned that negotiations or adjustments could still be in flux. If a reduction proceeds, it would align with broader industry patterns of refining prime-time lineups to optimize costs without sacrificing the reach and credibility of the network’s flagship news program. As observers continue to monitor headlines from Sydney to capital cities across Australia, the focus remains on how major broadcasters adapt to a rapidly changing media economy while continuing to serve viewers with timely and trustworthy reporting.