Jennifer Keyte on why she switched networks

RESPECTED newsreader Jennifer Keyte reveals why she defected to Channel 10, and who she wants by her side in her new role.

Jennifer Keyte: “It has been a whirlwind”. Picture: Jason Edwards

TOP newsreader Jennifer Keyte says Channel 10 “swept me off my feet” with an offer she couldn’t refuse.

Opening up for the first time on her seismic TV network defection from Seven, Keyte told the Sunday Herald Sun of the sudden deal that would return her to the network where she started her television career as a reporter in 1982.

The respected TV presenter also revealed how she hoped Stephen Quartermain, who she is replacing as Ten’s Eyewitness News First At Five news anchor, would work beside her presenting sport for the network.

JENNIFER KEYTE INTERVIEW: FAMILY, KIDS … THAT’S IT

KEYTE DEFECTS TO TEN

STEPHEN QUARTERMAIN AFTER BEING BLINDSIDED

Stephen Quartermain in the days after he was told of the decision. Picture: Nicole Garmston

“To anchor Monday to Friday for a commercial network in a major capital city it is such a fantastic offer you can’t say no, you can’t say no,” Keyte said.

“It has been a whirlwind. Ross (Dagan, Ten’s director of news content) contacted us … we had a chat and they made the offer very quickly and very seriously (and) swept me off my feet.

“It was a very quick courtship. I had to make a decision very quickly because I was just about to sign with Seven.”

Keyte’s move from Seven, where she has been the weekend newsreader for 15 years, took the TV world by surprise when it was announced on May 30.

It also caught a shattered Quartermain, 56, off guard.

Keyte in her early days as a television newsreader.

He was told a day before she was announced as his replacement and is believed to have been offered a position as sports presenter for the nightly bulletin.

“I hope he stays,” Keyte said. “I would love to work with him again.”

The pair started their TV careers in the same newsroom at Ten.

“It is a difficult situation,” she said.

“I have the utmost respect for Stephen and I hope he stays.

“I would love to work with him again. If Stephen was happy to do it I think it would be fantastic.

“But I understand he needs time and he will make the right decision for him, and I understand it has to be handled with great sensitivity and respect.”

Keyte, 58, had been out of contract with Seven since the start of the year, however was close to agreeing to terms on a new deal when Ten came into play last month.

While Seven’s offer was pretty much a replica of her previous contract, Ten had a secret trump card — weekday news anchor.

Seven News' Peter Mitchell and Jennifer Keyte in 2010.

“Peter Meakin (Ten’s news and current affairs executive consultant) — he has been my news mentor for many, many years — called a couple of months ago and it was just, ‘How are you travelling?’, ‘What are you up to?’, ‘What is your status?’,”
Keyte said.

“I said, ‘I am happy, I am in the middle of firming up my contract with Seven’, and we left it at that.

“I did not hear anything until Ross started at the network, and that was only a couple of weeks ago; it all happened very quickly.”

Keyte said she had made a “long-term commitment” to Ten as Melbourne news anchor but hinted at potential network opportunities.

“When Ross spoke about having been to New York and spoken to CBS and their commitment long-term to the network and the rebuild, it all just sounds exciting,” she said.

“(There are) new opportunities … maybe to do some work on The Project. Just to stretch yourself, I think it is important.”

The news anchor role will mean a lifestyle change for Keyte, but one that she is looking forward to.

“Work-wise, I have done weekends for 15 years, I have not worked full-time since before I had kids, so this is a new era,” she said.

“My children are older now, they are independent, and after 15 years of weekends to be offered a Monday-to-Friday main gig, this is a fantastic opportunity and it is time for a new adventure. I am ready to go back to full-time work and I am ready to have my weekends off.

Jennifer Keyte with sons James and Zander.

“It is where I started and I worked with such a great group of people.

“It was the days of Jana Wendt and David Johnston and after Jana left we had Jo Pearson and Rob Gell and then there were the young reporters who started in the ’80s; Eddie McGuire, Stephen Quartermain, Brigitte Duclos, Bruce McAvaney (and) Jen Hansen.

“It was such a great cohort and we used to call it ‘the nursery’ because there were all these cub reporters who were young and keen.

“The ’80s were such an incredible time to be in the media and they were exciting days, so I have the most incredible memories of Ten.”

Keyte moved to Seven in 1987 to read the nightly bulletin alongside Glenn Taylor and was also part of Steve Vizard’s Tonight Live.

Keyte was part of Steve Vizard’s Tonight Live.

In 1990 she took over as solo news anchor, before quitting and moving to the Nine Network in 1996 to host Good Medicine.

In 2003 she returned to Seven as Melbourne’s weekend news anchor.

Keyte admitted leaving Seven was a wrench but she took with her great memories.

“I am so grateful for everything I have had at Seven, including the Good Friday Appeal,” she said.

“To have 15 years with such a great network and such a wonderful team — I love the team — that has been the most difficult thing, leaving the people because I was very happy.

“It was a dilemma, it was a really difficult decision to make, but sometimes you have to be brave and you have to say let’s take the new challenge.”

Keyte will start on air with Ten later this month.

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JEN’S BRILLIANT CAREER

■ Educated at St Columba’s College Essendon before undertaking an arts degree at La Trobe University.

■ Started a journalism cadetship at EON FM in 1980.

■ Joined ATV-10 in 1982, eventually presenting the weekend news bulletin.

■ Defected to Channel 7 in 1987.

■ In 1990, she became Seven’s solo news presenter.

■ In 1996, she moved to Channel 9, where she presented several lifestyle programs.

■ In 2003, she returned to Channel 7.

■ This year, Channel 10 announced she was returning to host its news bulletin.

■ Keyte is also a Good Friday Appeal ambassador.