Seven News staff almost walk out after new boss urged airtime to viral craze, sources say

Sources say there was an “open revolt” in the Channel 7 newsroom last week when the recently-appointed news boss urged airtime be given to the latest viral craze.

Anthony De Ceglie is on a new mission as the director of news and current affairs and editor-in-chief at Seven West Media. Picture: Supplied

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Channel 7’s “Great Unifier” Anthony De Ceglie – who has let it be known he quite likes to be called “ADC” – is set to rest Mark Ferguson this month.

According to the network spin, the move is designed to wipe excess holiday entitlements from the books, although in reality it’s more about Seven’s capitulation to Nine during the Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, De Ceglie almost had a walkout on his hands on Wednesday when he urged his newsrooms to give airtime to the latest (and some might say obscene) viral craze, the Hawk Tuah Girl.

For those unfamiliar with the craze, the girl, real name Hailey Welch, recently found prominence after being randomly vox popped and asked: “What’s one move in bed that makes a man go crazy?” Her laughing response: “You gotta give ‘em that hawk (hoc) tuah and spit on that thang” — is a reference to a sex act.

Mark Ferguson has been benched for a month. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Hawk Tuah girl, accidental viral video star. A push to run her story on Seven News raised eyebrows.

De Ceglie’s suggestion, this column is told, went down like a lead balloon in the newsroom, where many wondered who might be advising the rookie news boss.

Seven’s Sydney team didn’t follow the directive, although we hear Seven’s US reporter Mylee Hogan did obediently package up a story, which may have run in western states.

In Sydney, De Ceglie’s news deputies are said to have waited until the 38-year-old waltzed out the door in the direction of Canberra’s Parliamentary Ball and spiked it.

A Seven insider said: “There was open revolt in the newsroom. Everyone was asking how we could possibly put something that trashy to air.

There used to be a distinction between media and social media. No longer it seems.”

SEVEN NEWS SEARCHING THE STARS FOR INSPIRATION

First it was a comedian, then a bit of saucy “Hawk Tuah girl” titillation, so what does Seven’s rookie news boss Anthony De Ceglie have next in store for prime time news, ahem carnival, audiences? In a slot that might otherwise by occupied by serious journalism?

Anyone up for a bit of tea-leaf and crystal ball reading in between the doom and gloom and the evening sports results?

Yes, this week comes word that after just 10 weeks in the job Seven’s national TV news, still-finding-his-feet, boss De Ceglie is on the hunt for an astrologer for the evening news bulletin.

This column is informed even Seven chairman Kerry Stokes has been close to the discussion, which also preceded De Ceglie’s appointment. It makes this writer wonder what is it with Australian octogenarian multi-millionaires and their new-found fascination with cosmic energy and chakras?

Is Astrologer Natasha Weber or @astrotash in the running for a prime time slot?

A month after it was reported Seven has recruited ABC/SBS comedian Mark Humphries to bolster its news offering, comes mail the network has only just begun a makeover of its evening news bulletin into what looks like a comedy/variety program.

Undoubtably the people tasked with finding the right astrologer have already Googled “hot young female (preferably blonde) Australian astrologer” and, in the interests of keeping tabs, we’ve done likewise.

There are a few, but the one tipped to be in De Ceglie’s sights is Natasha Weber, aka @astrotash.

It comes a month after it was reported Seven has recruited ABC/SBS comedian Mark Humphries to bolster its news offering. Picture: Supplied

Weber ticks a few boxes for Seven; she’s model cute, passable as 30-something, has 79k Instagram followers and is already on the network’s books as the resident astrologer of The Morning Show.

A quick check of her own horoscope for the week (courtesy of The Daily Telegraph’s Oscar Cainer) informs Geminis: “A trend (not to do with clothes) is spreading in your world.

“You keep hearing the same idea from a variety of unlikely sources … A powerful cosmic climate is working in your favour right now. You can make a positive transformation and achieve what you’ve been hoping for.”

Well, there you go. I’m sure you’ll make of that what you will.

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