Ovadia was while the company conducted an investigation into alleged “inappropriate behaviour”.
Senior Seven Network journalist Robert Ovadia.Supplied
Ovadia confirmed he had been sacked in a statement provided to this mastheadon Friday morning.
“Yes,I’ve been sacked,and there will be more to say about that in the appropriate forum at the appropriate time,” Ovadia said.
This masthead is not suggesting that any allegation of inappropriate behaviour is true.
A Seven spokesperson was contacted for comment. The spokesperson previously confirmed the investigation into the senior journalist.
Ovadia is one of several senior journalists to have departed the major broadcaster in the past few weeks,alongside Cameron Baud and Andrew Frampton. This masthead does not suggest any of the departures are related.
A spokesperson for the network previously told this masthead Ovadia was on leave amid the investigation.
There has already been significant change at Seven since former editor-in-chief ofThe West AustralianAnthony De Ceglie took over the company’s news and current affairs division in April.
De Ceglie has since appointed new news directors in Melbourne,Sydney and Adelaide.
On Thursday,Sunriseboss Sean Power was appointed news director in Sydney. His supervising producer,Jake Lyle,was made executive producer ofSunrise,and Holly Fallon executive producer ofWeekend Sunrise.
Seven’s finance editor,Gemma Acton,was made director of news operations,reporting to De Ceglie the week before,while Adelaide news director Chris Salter was shifted into the Melbourne role. His deputy,Mark Mooney,was elevated to director of news in the South Australian capital.
De Ceglie has signalled a shift in culture in the company’s news and current affairs division. He replaced Craig McPherson two months ago,since informing staff there would be a “zero tolerance” approach to bad behaviour in the newsroom after a number of senior male employees,including McPherson,departed Seven amid the Bruce LehrmannSpotlight scandal.
Spotlight’s efforts to secure an interview with Lehrmann were heavily scrutinised after the Federal Court was told company expenses had been spent on sex workers and drugs,alongside lavish meals,golf trips and a year’s worth of accommodation.
Lehrmann was later found to a civil standard by Justice Michael Lee to have raped Brittany Higgins. He is appealing against the decision.
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