Karina Carvalho reveals the tough decision she made to call it quits at the ABC after 17 years

The popular newsreader made the jump to commercial television after 17 years at the taxpayer-funded broadcaster and she reveals what led to her decision to call it quits.

Former ABC news presenter Karina Carvalho joined the Seven Network.

Channel 7 newsreader Karina Carvalho feels “reinvigorated”, having made the leap to commercial television after nearly two decades at the ABC.

“Being at an organisation for 17 years and working in four different cities, I felt like that was a long time at one place,” she said.

“It really was a really big decision for me to move on and that didn’t come easily, it was something that I thought about for a long time.

“I had done everything that I could there (at the ABC) and that was the reason for leaving.”

The Australian reported late last year that Carvalho was concerned about the taxpayer-funded broadcaster’s direction and that some of her colleagues had become activists. Nearly one year on, Carvalho remains tight-lipped when asked to share her views on the national broadcaster.

“I think the ABC is a hugely important national institution, it takes a significant amount of criticism at the moment on a number of fronts – some of it warranted,” she said.

“I don’t think I’ll be adding my voice to the pile-on.”

The Sri Lanka-born newsreader worked for the ABC in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney before departing in December. In July, she was recruited to join Channel 7 in Melbourne by news and current affairs boss Anthony De Ceglie.

Karina Carvalho reading the news for Channel 7 Melbourne.

Carvalho arrived at Seven soon after its Melbourne newsroom farewelled long-time news boss Shaun Menegola.

He was replaced by former Seven Adelaide news director Chris Salter, who also made the move to Victoria in July.

While Carvalho has been predominantly reading the 4pm news in Melbourne for the past few months, there has been speculation that she is slated to eventually present the 6pm bulletin.

“In terms of my future I’m really not looking too far ahead, I’m really happy in the role that I’m in now,” the 43-year-old said.

“I’m just looking forward to settling into my new home city here in Melbourne and ... whatever challenge comes next.”

Karina Carvalho meeting the then Prince Charles in 2012.

Seven has trailed rival Nine in the ratings in the 6pm timeslot since Nine overhauled its weeknight Melbourne line-up at the beginning of the year, pitting Alicia Loxley and Tom Steinfort against Seven veteran Peter Mitchell.

Seven’s Monday to Friday average nightly audience in Melbourne is 235,000 viewers compared to Nine’s 272,000, while at weekends Seven is also behind with 228,000 nightly viewers compared to Nine’s 252,000.

While Carvalho is optimistic about her future at Seven, she recalls one pivotal moment in Perth.

“I was given my first presenting role at the ABC in Perth in 2008 by Kim Jordan, who was a big champion of mine,” she said. “I was so worried because I had curly hair and I thought that he would tell me I would need to straighten it, which I didn’t want to.

“But the first thing he said to me was: ‘Never change your hair, your curls will be your signature’, and I just felt in that moment so reassured that I wasn’t going to have to change vital aspects of myself to do the job.”

This week Carvalho, alongside newsreading veteran Michael Usher, will spearhead Seven’s news coverage of the King and Queen’s visit to Australia.

In 2012, Carvalho met the then-Prince Charles when he was on another formal visit to Australia, and she said last week that she was “thrilled” to be part of Seven’s royal coverage.