In a shocking move, Channel Seven has poached a senior reporter from Channel Nine, marking the latest in a series of talent acquisitions from its rival network.
Laura Turner, a long-serving Nine reporter and former US correspondent, will join Seven’s Melbourne newsroom as one of six new appointments, according to the Herald Sun.
A Reporter with a Strong News Sense
Turner, who has been with Nine since 2010, has a strong reputation for breaking and telling compelling stories.
Seven’s Melbourne news director, Chris Salter, praised her experience, saying it would be an enormous asset to the network.
Turner recently took to Instagram to mark her 15 years with Nine, sharing a montage of her memorable moments with the network.
A Growing Trend of Talent Poaching
This latest acquisition is not an isolated incident. In recent months, Seven has been aggressively poaching talent from Nine, including rising star Xander McGuire, the son of veteran broadcaster Eddie McGuire.
Just last week, it was revealed that Seven had poached the executive producer from Nine’s nightly bulletin, Tanya Weingarth. The network has been on a mission to strengthen its news and sport divisions.
A Cost-Cutting Operation?
Rumors have been circulating that Seven News bosses are planning to sack some of their most popular and best-paid stars as part of a drastic cost-cutting operation.
According to The Australian’s Media Diary column, former top news boss Anthony De Ceglie had a plan to axe every Channel Seven personality earning more than $300,000 per year in favor of upcoming TV stars.
However, the plan was met with immediate resistance from Seven’s more seasoned executives.