The 7.30 Report

Three members of an ABC news team have died after a helicopter crash at Lake Eyre in South Australia.

Police have found two bodies and a searching for a third in the wreckage of the crash – on the eastern shores of Lake Eyre.

The ABC has confirmed those on board were veteran journalist Paul Lockyer, cameraman John Bean and pilot Gary Ticehurst

The experienced news crew had been working on news and feature projects in the Lake Eyre region and it is believed their Sydney-based helicopter crashed in a remote area northwest of Maree.

SA Police located the wreckage early on Friday, but have not identified the helicopter as the ABC’s as yet.

Police have confirmed however that two people are dead.

‘As a result of an initial search, police have located two deceased persons in the wreckage,’ Inspector Glen Sickerdick said in a statement on Friday.

A search is under way for the third person believed to have been in the helicopter.

A police investigation has also commenced, Insp Sickerdick said.

The ABC said in a statement that police do not expect to find any survivors.

The network’s managing director, Mark Scott, said: ‘This has been the longest of nights and we fear it will be the saddest of days.

‘Paul, Gary and John have each given decades of service to the ABC. They are passionate about their work and finding great stories from all over Australia to bring to the public.

‘Our love, thoughts and prayers go out to family and friends of Paul, Gary and John at this terrible time.’

Eyewitnesses described seeing the chopper going down in flames, although it remains unclear what caused the accident.

The weather around Lake Eyre was clear at the time of the crash, with just a few scattered showers.

William Creek pilot Trevor Wright told Adelaidenow.com.au on Thursday the aircraft had been carrying out aerial photography and video work when it went down.

Occupants of the helicopter had been due to meet a group on the edge of the lake for dinner, Mr Wright said.

‘When the helicopter didn’t turn up, they became anxious and sent out a search party on foot; then they found the wreck,’ Mr Wright said.

The ABC said Mr Lockyer is one of its most experienced journalists. In a career spanning more than 40 years he has covered some of the biggest stories that have broken at home and abroad for all forms of television and radio reporting.

He has worked as a correspondent in Washington, Singapore and throughout Asia, won a Logie Award for best TV Reporter, and in recent years built his reputation on unsurpassed coverage of rural and regional issues.

Mr Ticehurst is one of the most experienced media pilots in Australia. He has close to 40 years of helicopter operational experience, which includes 30 years as chief pilot of Film Helicopters Australia, working with the Australian film and television industry.

Mr Bean is an award winning lighting camera operator who has worked for the ABC for 20 years, filming for programs as diverse as News and The 7.30 Report.

Source: www.skynews.com.au

 

Ali Moore is set to take on co-hosting duties of ABC’s Lateline alongside Tony Jones.

The ABC News 24 presenter has been named the replacement for departing host Leigh Sales who moves on to take up the vacant 7.30 Report chair.

Moore has been featured heavily on ABC shows in the past; hosting The 7.30 Report, presenting the Lateline Business program as well as being the ABC’s China correspondent.

Tom Iggulden will come on board Lateline as a political reporter after serving as China correspondent for the Asia Pacific News Centre.

Source: ABC

The 7.30 Report has a new name, new presenters and a new focus.

From March next year, it will be called 7.30, and will return with Leigh Sales and Chris Uhlmann at the helm. Leigh Sales will anchor the program from Sydney and Chris Uhlmann will be Political Editor, presenting the show from Canberra when the news demands it.

The ABC’s Director of News, Kate Torney, says the program’s great strength as the home of quality daily current affairs will be well served by having two of the ABC’s most respected journalists leading the team.

“Leigh Sales has a string of major interviews to her credit, including Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice and Tony Blair. Chris Uhlmann has established himself as one of the most respected political interviewers and journalists in the country.  We are proud to have them leading this flagship show,” Ms Torney says. 

Leigh Sales says:

“I’m really excited by this opportunity and I can’t wait for us to bring our audience the best interviews and the most important stories.

I’m particularly delighted at the chance to team up with Chris Uhlmann, who’s somebody I not only admire and respect very much as a journalist, but whom I like a great deal.

Lateline has been a fabulous programme to work on and I’ve been very proud of what we’ve achieved.  I’m now looking forward to an exciting 2011 on 7.30.”

Chris Uhlmann says:

“It’s a tremendous honour to be asked to work on 7.30 and I’m thrilled to be teamed with Leigh Sales, who brings enormous interviewing, journalistic and presentational skills to the project.

The producers, editors and reporters at the 7.30 Report set the gold standard in television current affairs and I’m optimistic that the changes planned for 2011 will maintain their proud tradition and continue the epic work of Kerry O’Brien.

The ABC has given me great opportunities and I look forward to the New Year with great enthusiasm.”

Ms Torney says Sales and Uhlmann will head a team of some of Australia’s best current affairs journalists including Heather Ewart, who will be National Affairs Correspondent.

“The program has always been well known for its high profile interviews and political coverage,” says Ms Torney. “We are very proud of that tradition and it will continue. The time is right to also draw attention to the reporting firepower on the program.”

7.30 will unite the national and Stateline programs under one new banner, protecting and enhancing the ABC’s commitment to state-based current affairs. 7.30 will run five nights a week, with the Friday night edition state-based, presented locally and featuring coverage of local issues.

“By combining the resources of all the existing program teams, there will be increased opportunities for each state to provide its own local edition of 7.30 on other nights when the news agenda demands it. We can and will break out of national programming to cover major state-based stories, using national resources.” 

The new focus of 7.30 will be on the range and depth of the program’s reporting, and its ability to break stories and set the news agenda.

“Across Australia our team of reporters, producers, researchers, editors, directors, graphic artists and field and studio crews will be exploring new ways to report on the stories that matter, breaking out of the traditional mould of TV current affairs. The program will travel more often, leaving the studio to take the audience to the stories where they are happening.”

Some of the best elements of the existing national program will be retained, including Clarke & Dawe. There will also be new elements, including contributions from the ABC’s Online Chief Political writer, Annabel Crabb, who will bring her unique take on national events to the new 7.30.

 “The aim is to deliver a broader range of great stories to the audience – stories that explain, stories that challenge, and stories that tell you more of what matters to state and national audiences” says Ms Torney.

The 7.30 Report will continue in its regular format over the summer season.

The ABC’s Managing Director, Mark Scott, said:

“Chris and Leigh are journalists of great experience, credibility and integrity. I am delighted they will be able to lead an outstanding team, to continue the great traditions of news leadership at 7.30 every week night.”

Kerry O’Brien is to leave the ABC’s 7.30 Report after 15 years hosting the show. He will be moving onto a new role with the ABC that will see him able to relax a little more and decide what he would like to do with the rest of his life.

Prior to the 7.30 Report, Kerry hosted Lateline and has constantly set the agneda in Australian journalism. Some of the key moments in the recent Election Campaign were when Kerry was interviewing the two Leaders.

ABC Managing Director Mark Scott said that few journalists had played such an important role, for such a long time, with such integrity and distinction in the ABC’s nearly 80 year history. We went on to thank Kerry for his commitment to the ABC and the 7.30 Report.

Statement from Kerry O’Brien:

I have informed the ABC that I intend to leave the 7.30 Report in December after 15 very rewarding years as the program’s Editor and Presenter.

Quite simply it’s time for a new chapter. I’ve been in the pressure cooker of daily current affairs hosting and interviewing for 21 straight years including six years at Lateline, and it’s been something of a marathon.

It has been an absolute privilege to work with some of the most talented and dedicated professionals in the business, and I leave with confidence that the 7.30 Report will be at the heart of ABC News and Current Affairs coverage for years to come. This has been a great year for the program, and it’s good to leave on a high note.

I would also like to thank an extremely generous audience, including those who may have occasionally thrown a shoe at the screen.

I’ll begin a new association with the ABC in the new year, but one that will allow me time to take a breath and consider what else I might want to do with the rest of my life.