Channel 9’s regional newsreader Samantha Heathwood opens up about switch to rival network

Channel 9’s shake up of regional news in Queensland left newsreader and mother of two Samantha Heathwood in limbo, until she was handed a lifeline at rival Channel 7

Outgoing Channel 9 newsreader Samantha Heathwood says she considered walking away from her career before she was offered a lifeline switch to rival network Channel 7.

In March, Nine Entertainment announced a new partnership with WIN that would see local news bulletins axed in favour of statewide bulletins, meaning Heathwood’s role as Queensland’s regional news anchor would end.

Newsreader Samantha Heathwood is shifting from Channel 9 to Channel 7. Picture: Instagram

Heathwood is a single mother to two sons and, while Channel 9 attempted to redeploy her within the network, she has since accepted a job as a reporter and backup newsreader at Seven, beginning in two weeks.

“I’ve known for three months our news was ending and my biggest concern throughout all of this was my children, and how I was going to provide for them,” Heathwood told Confidential.

“I did question whether I should even stay in media or leave and do something else, but at the end of the day, I just love it, and I would hate to leave when I feel like I’ve still got so much more to give.

Ch 9 newsreader Samantha Heathwood with her two sons James (yellow shirt) and Henry in 2018. Picture: Mark Cranitch.

“I just feel so blessed to have been offered a job at Channel 7. I’m really excited to make the switch, and get out on the road again and tell some really good stories. I’ve really missed reporting – it’s been hard sitting behind a desk during floods, cyclones and fires, and not being able to go and cover them.

“I will miss reading every night, but I feel very lucky to have been given this opportunity.”

Heathwood, who has been affiliated with Nine for 16 years, read her last regional news bulletin on Wednesday before Channel 9 made the switch to their regional programming on Thursday.

“I’m really sad to see regional news end, because we all worked so hard to provide a great news service, but I’m proud of what we achieved and the local news stories we covered,” she said.