50-429: The Penthouse Club was an Australian weekly variety program produced live to air from the studios of HSV-7 Melbourne from 10 October 1970. It was originally hosted by Michael Williamson (also a football commentator for HSV) and comedian Mary Hardy . The program, screening each Saturday night from around 8.30 pm (the starting time varied over the years depending on HSV-7's Saturday night VFL football commitments),
100-456: A makeshift studio miles from the site, with additional coverage from other stations nationwide), Seven News Sydney became the 2015 Logie Awards winner for Most Outstanding News Coverage. In June 2020, Jim Wilson left Seven after 28 years with the network, to become a new host of 2GB's Drive program. His last sports bulletin was 27 June 2020. It was later announced that Matt Shirvington would replace him. On 5 November 2020, David Brown left
150-488: A result of this. In late 1987, the government introduced cross-media ownership laws which forced Fairfax to choose between its print and broadcast operations. It chose print, and HSV-7 was sold to Christopher Skase 's Qintex , which already owned Seven stations in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth . Skase pledged to revitalize the channel and its programs, and to return it to its prior success among Melbourne viewers. In 1990, Qintex
200-689: Is a television station in Melbourne , Australia. It is part of the Seven Network , one of the three main commercial television networks in Australia, its first and oldest station. It launched in time for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne. HSV-7 is the home of AFL coverage. The HSV building (also known as 'Broadcast Centre Melbourne') was the network's operations hub, where the Master Control Room
250-585: Is at a purpose built studio at Eveleigh headquarters. The new space is five-times larger than Martin Place, allows for permanent sets for all programs, with two complete control rooms and more than 40sq m of LED screens, while all newsroom operations will now be located on a second entire floor. Seven News Sydney is directed by Sean Power and presented by Mark Ferguson and Angela Cox from Sunday to Thursday and Michael Usher and Angie Asimus on Friday and Saturday from Seven's headquarters, located at Eveleigh . Sport
300-523: Is commonly used for sports programs. 2019 saw the Seven Network move its main play-out centre to NPC Media in Sydney. After more than two decades the Seven Network announced in 2024 that HSV7 would be moving its operations to Collins Street, Melbourne . The BCM facility at docklands is expected to close in early 2025 with Seven Melbourne staff to move into a newly built office tower located within
350-606: Is home to HSV's studio facilities for the Seven Network's Melbourne-based entertainment, drama and reality programmes shows such as Dancing with the Stars (Australian TV series) and the quiz show The Chase Australia . HSV's headquarters, known on-air as Broadcast Centre Melbourne or BCM, are located near the Docklands Stadium in Docklands. On 11 March 2002, the first Seven News Melbourne bulletin, presented by Peter Mitchell ,
400-429: Is presented by Mel McLaughlin from Sunday to Thursday and Matt Carmichael on Friday and Saturday. Weather is presented by Angie Asimus from Sunday to Tuesday and Sally Bowrey on Friday and Saturday. News updates for Sydney are presented throughout the afternoon and the early evenings, with news updates during the night being shown nationally, they can be seen on Seven , 7two and 7mate , as well as 7flix . At
450-407: Is presented by Tim Watson on weeknights and Abbey Gelmi on weekends. Weather is presented by certified meteorologist Jane Bunn on weeknights and Sonia Marinelli on weekends. Peter Mitchell previously held the role of weekend presenter for then-titled Seven Nightly News between 1987 and 2000 when he replaced the short-lived presenting duo of David Johnston and Anne Fulwood . Jennifer Keyte
500-474: The Australian Technology Park , the Seven Network's Martin Place studios, once referred to on-air as News Central and based on the first five floors of The Colonial Building in Sydney were the main news presentation studios for, Seven News Sydney , Sunrise , Weekend Sunrise , and The Morning Show . Comprising 3,000 square metres, viewers and tourists can see programs being broadcast from
550-590: The Australian Television Network rather than New South Wales). In March 1960, the station converted an old cinema in Fitzroy into the southern hemisphere 's first fully remote studio, equipped with RCA TRT video tape recorders , camera cranes and AV mixing equipment. It featured a larger stage and backstage rooms, and audience capacity for up to 600. It was called the Channel 7 Teletheatre and connected to
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#1732844217799600-602: The Eveleigh studios. ATN's engineering staff received two Emmy Awards – making ATN the first Australian company to receive such an award – for the technology, invention and further development of RaceCam , live mobile point-of-view TV cameras which were initially developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s for the station's coverage of the Bathurst 1000 . Visiting commentators from the United States organised for ATN staff to supply
650-661: The Seven Network . ATN-7 is the home of the national level Seven News bulletins. ATN-7 began broadcasting on 2 December 1956 and became the third television station in Sydney to begin regular transmissions. The station opened in 1956 with principal offices and studios located at Mobbs Lane, Epping . The initial black and white cameras and other equipment was supplied by the Marconi Company of England. Conversion to PAL colour occurred on 1 March 1975. Digital DVB-T commenced on 1 January 2001. The initial transmission tower in 1956
700-467: The 1970s, Network Ten's Adelaide station ADS-7 produced their own version of The Penthouse Club with Bob Francis , Anne Wills and Sandy Roberts , with the program and presenters winning a number of Logie Awards for popularity in South Australia . In 1979 John Cootes was appointed as John Singleton 's replacement as host of Channel 10's Saturday Night Live program. HSV-7 HSV
750-412: The 6pm ratings leader from February 2005 until 2010. Ross presented his final bulletin for Seven News Sydney on Friday 27 November 2009 with Bath taking over as main weeknight presenter on Monday 30 November 2009. Former Nine News presenter Mark Ferguson took over from Bath as weekend news presenter from Saturday 28 November 2009. The bulletin retained its ratings lead until it was overtaken again by
800-487: The Melbourne Quarter development. Locally produced programs by or with HSV-7 Melbourne: Seven Melbourne is also the official broadcaster for these major events in Melbourne. Seven News Melbourne is directed by Chris Salter and presented by Peter Mitchell on weeknights and Mike Amor and Rebecca Maddern on weekends from Broadcast Centre Melbourne , located at Docklands . Sport
850-406: The Sydney newsroom to return to Melbourne with Angie Asimus promoted to weeknights weather presenter. In December 2020, it was announced Angela Cox would be joining Michael Usher as co-host of the weekend news bulletin from January 2021. In June 2023, Matt Shirvington stepped down from his role of weekend sports presenter, to take up his new role as co-host of Sunrise . Matt Carmichael
900-499: The building with an additional 100 part-timers. In 2005, the HSV building experienced a power failure that resulted in a blackout across the Seven Network, as well as all regional affiliates. The HSV studios produces Seven News Melbourne and was the main play-out centre for sports broadcasting. While broadcasting on air, national news programs often refer to HSV as 'News Centre', while 'Sports Central' (or 'Footy Central' for AFL broadcasts)
950-555: The camera and transmission systems for CBS ' coverage of NASCAR races. A variant of RaceCam was also developed for yachts in the 1987 America's Cup off the coast of Fremantle . Later in the mid-1980s, the American Broadcasting Company asked ATN staff to develop aerofoil-designed cameras suitable for Formula One cars, and these were subsequently used at the Indianapolis 500 . Prior to their Eveleigh Studios at
1000-538: The cancellation of the statewide afternoon bulletin from SAS-7 in Adelaide before the network reinstated it due to viewer opposition and the threat faced by the local Nine News team on Seven's news dominance. ATN ATN is the Sydney flagship television station of the Seven Network in Australia . The licence, issued to a company named Amalgamated Television Services , a subsidiary of John Fairfax & Sons ,
1050-461: The centre became the largest producer of Australian produced TV content, including Wheel of Fortune , Sons and Daughters , A Country Practice , Hey Dad..! , All Saints , Terry Willesee Tonight and Home & Away . The Epping studios closed in early 2010 when new studio facilities serviced by Global Television , opened at the Australian Technology Park in Eveleigh . News and live telecast programs are presently broadcast from
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#17328442177991100-506: The early 2000s, on-air programs were sent by digital link from the Seven Network's national program play-out centre at Docklands in Melbourne where the Master Control Room was located for all metropolitan and regional feeds to be controlled. Programming line-up, advertisement output, feed switching, time zone monitoring and national transmission output was previously delivered here. All Seven Network owned and operated studios used to have their live signals relayed here: for instance, ATN's output
1150-480: The end of 2003, a year before all of the Seven Network's News and Current Affairs moved to Martin Place, the ill-fated dual presenter format of Ross Symonds and Ann Sanders came to an end after the pair failed to make an ratings impact in the Sydney market, losing viewers to competition winner Nine News Sydney (then National Nine News), which had led in the ratings for decades. After Ian Ross took over from both Symonds and Sanders in 2003, Seven News Sydney became
1200-453: The fill-in sport presenters and Melina Sarris and Estelle Griepink as fill-in weather presenters. In August 2015, Seven News Melbourne began producing a local Seven Afternoon News bulletin replacing the national bulletin. Amor and Maddern present the bulletin on alternate days. In 2020, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic , that bulletin temporary included news items from South Australia following
1250-715: The first time in 30 years, combined with the old "Mother kangaroo putting her baby joey to bed" animation, which was played during the channel closedown sequence until the network began 24-hour service in 1993. In June 2023, 7NEWS moved their operations from Martin Place to their new purpose built studios in Eveleigh . In July 2023, Sunrise hosted its very first broadcast at its new studios. The first edition went to air live at 5:30am on 24 July 2023, with hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Shirvington , newsreader Edwina Bartholomew and sports presenter Mark Beretta , followed by The Morning Show ’s Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies . Joining 7NEWS, 7NEWS Spotlight, The Latest and 7NEWS.com.au, for
1300-518: The first time in more than 40 years, the entire Seven Sydney operation and all broadcast and operational staff (across all departments) are now under one roof. The new space cover two floors of Seven’s head office and are five times larger than the previous Martin Place location, with permanent sets for all programs. It brought to an end 19 years of Sunrise and Seven News, and 16 years of The Morning Show broadcasting at Martin Place. The Epping facilities were expanded to provide five operational studios and
1350-418: The longest-serving station and general managers during the transformative years into international satellite links and color transmissions was Ron Casey . By the late 1960s, Channel 7 was demonstrating PAL color TV to crowds visiting the annual Royal Melbourne Show . The station began to identify as Channel Seven in the late 1960s, and in the early 1970s used the national Seven Network logos. It followed
1400-452: The network from December. It was announced that Rebecca Maddern will step into an expanded role with Seven News Melbourne starting January 2025, as Chief Sports Presenter. Afternoon news updates for Melbourne are presented by Amor or Maddern, while Mitchell presents weeknight updates. Amor presents weekend news updates. Karina Carvalho, Blake Johnson and Jayde Vincent is a fill-in news presenter with Laura Spurway and Theo Doropoulos as
1450-657: The network's on-air presentation and programming. In 1979, John Fairfax & Sons bought a substantial share of HSV-7 after many failed bids for the entire station. In December 1986, the station was purchased by News Limited . In February 1987 HSV-7 was sold back to Fairfax, along with Brisbane station BTQ-7 . As a result of the payback, HSV's unique faces – World of Sport , Mal Walden and its Hello Melbourne campaign, Australia's contribution to Frank Gari's Hello News campaigns were all ended. By 1987 its rights to Australian rules football telecasts were taken by ABC's state station ABV-2 . Walden later moved to Ten ( ATV -10) as
1500-464: The opening ceremony, Eric Pearce declared : "We dedicate this station to the full service of the community. To Australian life – the happy families in the homes – we promise to serve you faithfully and well" . HSV-7 and rival station GTV-9 were formed in time to broadcast the Melbourne Olympics , while Sydney stations TCN-9 and ATN-7 in Sydney relayed the Melbourne coverage. HSV-7
1550-465: The program was Ivan Hutchinson . In 1978, Williamson was replaced by Ernie Sigley and the program was retitled Saturday Night Live (with no relation to the NBC show ) in 1979. Hardy left the program during 1978. The predecessor programs were Sunnyside Up and Club Seven . Rival television network Network Ten station ATV-10 attempted to resurrect the format in 1980 with little success. Also during
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1600-422: The ratings battle from February 2005. As of 2007, Seven News held the number one position. This was followed by a series of advertisements and promos which touted Seven News Melbourne as Melbourne's New #1 and Nine altering their promotions to simply say Melbourne's Best News – a throwback to the 1980s when National Nine News Melbourne was beaten in the ratings by ATV-10 's Ten Eyewitness News . But, it
1650-625: The rival Nine News bulletin in the ratings in 2011 – Seven's 6pm bulletin won 14 out of 35 ratings weeks. In January 2014, Mark Ferguson was appointed weeknight presenter, replacing Chris Bath due to poor ratings. Bath became weekend presenter and continued to host Sunday Night until her resignation in July 2015, after which Melissa Doyle took over. More changes to Sydney's news presenting team in subsequent months saw former Melbourne weather presenter David Brown replace Sarah Cumming as Sydney's weather presenter and Mel McLaughlin replace Jim Wilson as
1700-427: The sports presenter. In August 2016, it was announced that Michael Usher would replace Melissa Doyle as Friday and Saturday presenter. Doyle will move into a new expanded role as senior correspondent and host of Sunday Night . For its efforts in bringing news of the 2014 Sydney hostage crisis to the whole of Australia (ATN's Martin Place news rooms and facilities were evacuated and news operations shifted to
1750-797: The station's main Dorcas Street studios in South Melbourne by multiple microwave links. The teletheatre opened with a major live show featuring the US entertainer Bob Crosby and his band and the British comedian Jimmy Edwards , among others. Many popular children's shows and variety programs (e.g. Sunnyside Up and The Happy Show ) originated there in front of live audiences. This station commissioned many of Australian TV's earliest and longest-running courtroom and police procedural dramatic series such as Crawford's Consider Your Verdict and Homicide . One of
1800-477: The street level studio. In March 2021, it was announced that the Seven Network would move out of Martin Place to Eveleigh by the end of 2022 after almost two decades. The decision is understood to be a cost-saving move away from CBD property leasing. This then got delayed to mid-2023. On 25 June 2023, Seven News Sydney signed off its final bulletin at Martin Place studios, wrapping 19 years and 6,873 days of broadcast. From 26 June 2023, its new broadcast home
1850-546: The way back in the 50s and 60s. The signal was then cut off after the montage. HSV 's production studios and headquarters were originally located at the Dorcas Street Studios in South Melbourne. HSV remained there until March 2002 when news, current affairs and sport shows were moved to new headquarters at Docklands and the Dorcas Street Studios were closed. Docklands Studios Melbourne and Global Television
1900-504: Was a mix of comedy, light entertainment and live coverage of harness racing from the RAS Showgrounds and, later, Moonee Valley racecourse. The weekly lottery draw Tattslotto was incorporated as a segment in the program from around 1972. The Penthouse Club was considered a welcome alternative on Saturday nights which is often regarded as a wasteland of reruns and low-grade movies on other channels. The long-time musical director for
1950-948: Was announced as his replacement. In September 2024, Seven News announced further presentation changes with Sydney anchor Mark Ferguson would be joined by Angela Cox from Sundays to Thursdays bulletins. In October 2024, it was announced Angie Asimus would join Michael Usher at the 7News Sydney on Friday and Saturday evenings. Asimus would also continue her role as Sydney weather presenter alongside Mark Ferguson and Angela Cox, Sundays to Tuesdays. Fill-in presenters include Michael Usher , Chris Reason and Angie Asimus (News), Matt Carmichael and Jelisa Apps (Sport), and Sally Bowrey and Amber Laider (Weather). Afternoon news updates Nightly news updates Reporters Fill-In Presenters News Sport Weather Sunrise / Weekend Sunrise correspondent The Latest: Seven News correspondent Early efforts by
2000-402: Was announced that Mike Amor would move back to Australia after 17 years as United States Bureau Chief to replace Keyte as weekend presenter. Following decades of trailing Nine News Melbourne , 10 News First Melbourne (previously Ten Eyewitness News , Ten News at Five , Ten Evening News and Ten News: First at Five ) and ABC News Victoria in the ratings, Seven News Melbourne won
2050-567: Was appointed as main weeknight presenter in 1990, becoming Australia's first solo female primetime commercial news presenter. In a network reshuffle in 1996, Keyte terminated her employment after the Seven Network attempted to pair her with David Johnston, who went on to present solo for three years. She returned in 2003, assuming the role as weekend presenter, succeeding Jennifer Adams. In May 2018, Network Ten announced that Keyte would leave Seven Network to present Ten Eyewitness News Melbourne replacing Stephen Quartermain . In August 2018, it
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2100-507: Was fed to HSV and then transmitted via satellite or fibre optics to the towers around metropolitan Sydney. In 2019 however, this function was transferred to a new play-out centre in Sydney as part of a joint venture with the Nine Network. The analogue signal for ATN-7 was turned off at 9:00 a.m. on 3 December 2013 by using a special five-minute retrospective clip of the local station and the song "My City of Sydney" by Tommy Leonetti , used for
2150-408: Was first broadcast from the new HSV building. The centre consists of three studios: a theatre studio, a production studio and a news studio that opens onto the newsroom. The building is used as the transmission control centre for Seven's owned-and-operated stations in Melbourne , Sydney , Brisbane , Adelaide , Perth and regional areas of Queensland . Approximately 200 full-time employees work in
2200-736: Was located near the ABC tower at Gore Hill , Sydney. This was eventually demolished after ATN was invited to share a new site at Artarmon which was built by a new 3rd, commercial broadcaster TEN-10 . ATN-7 commenced digital television transmissions on 1 January 2001, broadcasting on VHF Channel 6 while maintaining analogue transmission on VHF Channel 7. ATN-7's Sydney transmissions are broadcast from masts operated by Transmitters Australia (TXA) at Artarmon and/or Willoughby . Retransmission translators to UHF channels service Sydney viewers from Kings Cross and North Head at Manly and north of Sydney at Bouddi , Gosford and Forresters Beach . Beginning in
2250-512: Was located, controlling all metropolitan and regional feeds. Its headquarters is next to Etihad Stadium (now Marvel Stadium ). Programming lineup, advertisement output, feed switching, time zone monitoring and national transmission output was previously delivered there. All Seven Network owned and operated studios had their live signals relayed there: for instance, ATN 's output was fed to HSV and then transmitted via satellite or fibre optics to towers around metropolitan Sydney . In 2019 this function
2300-446: Was one of the first four licences (two in Sydney, two in Melbourne ) to be issued for commercial television stations in Australia. The station formed an affiliation with GTV-9 Melbourne in 1957, in order to share content. In 1963, Frank Packer ended up owning both GTV-9 and TCN-9 , so as a result the stations switched their previous affiliations. ATN-7 and HSV-7 joined to create the Australian Television Network , which later became
2350-559: Was originally owned by the Herald & Weekly Times , owners of The Herald and The Sun (now merged as the Herald Sun ). These two newspapers gave rise to the call sign HSV (the 'V' stands for Victoria , as is the normal protocol for television call signs to have the third letter indicate the state where the station is licensed, although for publicity purposes HSV was said to stand for Herald Sun Vision just as sister station ATN became
2400-595: Was replaced in 2009 when Nine News returned to win the Melbourne news ratings battle. In January 2022, it was announced that Rebecca Maddern would return to the Seven Network to present 7NEWS Melbourne on weekends with Mike Amor . Until 2022, during the AFL season, Peter Mitchell and the weeknight team would present from Sunday to Thursday and Mike Amor , Rebecca Maddern and the weekend team would present on Friday and Saturday nights. In November 2024, Tim Watson announced that he would be retiring after 30 years with
2450-432: Was sent into damage control after Skase escaped extradition proceedings, and the Seven Network became a discrete company. Entrepreneur Kerry Stokes bought the network in 1995. On 10 December 2013, HSV-7 terminated its analogue signal as part of the switchover to digital transmission. At around 8:54am local time, HSV-7's analogue signal broke away from Sunrise to air a montage of the history of its analogue broadcasts from all
2500-515: Was transferred to a new centre in Sydney as part of a joint venture with Nine Network. As with other Melbourne terrestrial stations, its original transmission tower was atop Mount Dandenong . HSV-7 began test transmissions in July 1956, becoming the first 7 station in Australia and the first television station in Melbourne . It began broadcasting on 4 November, soon after the Commonwealth Government started issuing television licences. In
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