Bill McDonald leaves Channel 7 newsroom with a one-finger salute

IF A picture is really worth a thousand words, it looks like Bill McDonald had a few choice ones for Channel 7.

Bill McDonald and the one-finger salute drawing, inset, which was left on his last day fronting the nightly news bulletin.

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IF A picture is really worth a ­thousand words, it looks like Bill McDonald had a few choice ones for Channel 7.

The former anchor, who presented his final news bulletin for the Brisbane bureau last week after being dumped by the network, left a crude drawing of a hand with the middle finger raised on the network’s “farewell wall” at the Mount Coot-tha studio.

Both Seven and McDonald, who was this week replaced by colleague Max Futcher on the Monday to ­Friday 6pm news alongside Sharyn Ghidella, maintain they parted ways amicably after six months of contract negotiations.

Bill McDonald and Sharyn Ghidella.

The “Bye from Bill” graffiti.

However, a photograph of the graffiti obtained by The Courier-Mail depicts a hand “flipping the bird” and was signed “Bye from Bill” and dated Friday, March 9 — his last day on the desk.

A Seven spokesperson said the drawing was done in jest.

“To appreciate the humour in Bill’s cartoon, it needs to be viewed in context,” they said.

“Bill’s cartoon joined over 30 years’ worth of sketches from staff left for each other’s entertainment in this private space.”

Seven news and current affairs boss Craig McPherson confirmed McDonald would still be part of their Commonwealth Games coverage in April before leaving the company.

“It (the sketch) was probably a bit of humour on Bill’s behalf,” he said.

It comes as multiple industry sources claim the network plans to axe its 4pm weekday news bulletin fronted by Kendall Gilding after the Gold Coast sporting event. Mr McPherson said the persistent rumours were “100 per cent not true”.

Seven has denied the 4pm weekday news bulletin, fronted by Kendall Gilding, will be axed. Picture: Jamie Hanson

“The 4pm news is going terrifically and there will be no change at all,” he said.

“Anything you’re hearing is just scuttlebutt, for whatever reason.”

However, one insider said the locally produced and presented program was facing the chopping block due to cost-cutting rather than ratings issues, revealing the network stood to save “millions” each year.

Mr McPherson last week acknowledged the decision not to renew McDonald’s contract stemmed from issues including finances and ratings.

“The media landscape is changing dramatically, particularly in an economic sense ... all decisions we make now are based on ratings impact and cost, and sadly not always in that order. But it’s just the way it is and we have to be realistic.”