Annette Sharp: Is TV news rookie Anthony DeCeglie the right man to rehabilitate Seven?

Anthony DeCeglie — a middling ranked west coast newspaper man with zero TV experience — has been appointed to run Seven’s massive and reeling news division. Is he the right man for the job, asks Annette Sharp.

If we’d needed further evidence the emperor of Channel 7 Kerry Stokes has lost his clothes it surely came last week with the appointment of a middling ranked west coast newspaper man — with zero TV experience — to run Seven’s massive and reeling TV news division.

If Emperor Stokes was looking for a substantial garment to clothe himself in as he faces ongoing flak following a series of fails at Seven— his determined backing of philandering ex-CEO Tim Worner and ex-Brisbane general manager Ben Roberts-Smith, a series of internal fraud investigations relating to executives, the brewing issues within the Spotlight unit under recently departed EP Mark Llewellyn, the long-term cover-ups relating to off-the-rails stars including Andrew O’Keefe — what he reached for and found, instead of a Teflon suit, appears to be a flashy pair of nylon bike pants.

Solid enough on a cushy moulded seat but prone to fail on rough surfaces.

For the past week the media industry has been consumed with the shock departure of veteran Seven News director Craig McPherson.

Seven’s incoming news boss Anthony DeCeglie.

DeCeglie will replace Craig McPherson.

McPherson, who had been running Seven’s news division since 2015 when he replaced Rob Raschke, left the network on Monday after a decades long news career at Seven and Nine.

DeCeglie will replace Craig McPherson.

In McPherson’s place Stokes has appointed the youthful Anthony DeCeglie, editor-in-chief of The West Australian, the Perth-based publication the billionaire owns and routinely uses to influence WA’s powerbrokers.

Stokes has an unremittingly high opinion of 38-year-old DeCeglie’s abilities.

This is despite DeCeglie having never edited a newspaper on the more populous and politically and economically concentrated east coast and having never worked in television. That last point bears repeating: Having never worked in television.

While some more seasoned TV types have dubbed the appointment “madness”, the power pact-of-two seem at least convinced rookie DeCeglie’s lengthy and impressive new title –

Ex-Brisbane manager at Seven Ben Roberts-Smith. Picture: Dylan Coker

Former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach. Picture: AAP

Seven Network Director of News and Current Affairs and Editor-In-Chief Seven West Media – will inspire confidence among Seven staff.

For some at least, so far it hasn’t.

On Friday Seven’s Melbourne news director Shaun Menegola resigned, saying the decision to leave was “entirely” his.

David Koch and Natalie Barr hosting Sunrise in 2022. Picture: Getty Images

The winds of change have been blowing in Seven’s newsroom for years thanks to a shrinking TV market and growing online audience.

David Koch and Natalie Barr hosting Sunrise in 2022. Picture: Getty Images

Those close to McPherson say his departure had been coming for many months.

Pressure on McPherson is said to have intensified following the December resignation of CEO James Warburton, McPherson’s number one backer and the executive who signed off on some of McPherson’s more controversial decisions, among them the push to replace Sunrise EP Michael Pell and to hasten the departure of program host David Koch.

By the time the scandalous wheeling and dealings of Llewellyn’s Spotlight unit were made public in March and April via the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case, McPherson perhaps saw that the writing was on the wall.

McPherson couldn’t be reached for comment last week, but sources close to him maintain it was the 62-year-old’s decision to leave.

Newly appointed CEO (and chartered accountant) Jeff Howard would be right in thinking the time has come for a network clean-out.

Unfortunately for Howard, some doubt rookie DeCeglie’s ability to save the day.

McPherson with wife Sonia Kruger, one of the network’s biggest stars.

The chairman’s new favourite does, after all, seemingly have few allies in the cutthroat TV business — possibly a positive if you’ve been tasked with wielding the axe.

On the other hand, there are many on Seven’s books who owe their success to McPherson.

Menegola, who might have been DeCeglie’s right-hand had he stuck around, would have been among them.

So, too, Seven’s Director of Morning Television and Sunrise Sarah Stinson, McPherson’s mentee.

Then there’s the eternally smiling Mark Ferguson, who remains at the helm of Seven’s prime time Sydney news bulletin — despite an 11-year losing streak.

And of course presenter Matt Doran, a man who, despite his limited range and lack of magnetism, has been given unlimited second chances by McPherson.

Former Seven CEO and managing director James Warburton (left) left the company last month, making way for Jeff Howard.

And what of McPherson’s wife Sonia Kruger, one of Seven’s biggest and most highly paid stars?

McPherson is said to have played an instrumental role in poaching Kruger from rival Nine in 2019. He has denied it.

Where must her loyalties lie?

With DeCeglie under immediate pressure to appoint senior replacements for Llewellyn and Menegola, staff fear he will use his position to further rehabilitate the career of his own longtime mentor, Chris Dore, the executive who resigned from News Corp in 2022.

DeCeglie has already proved his eagerness to restore Dore to power by first bringing him out of mothballs to work on Seven’s digital offerings, and last week by inviting him to step into his own senior newspaper role in Perth last week.

DeCeglie was in obedient lock-step with Dore when he served under him as his deputy editor at The Daily Telegraph not so very long ago. It will be hard for Seven’s new news boss to look past him as a wingman.

Something Seven last week denied will happen, but nonetheless is making many at Seven nervous.

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