Robert Ovadia, the Channel Seven crime reporter, has confirmed he was sacked following allegations of inappropriate behavior.
“Yes I’ve been sacked and there will be more to say about that in the appropriate forum at the appropriate time,” Ovadia told.
Two weeks ago, the veteran Sydney reporter was placed on leave while Seven conducted an internal investigation into the allegations.
“Seven is conducting an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Robert Ovadia,” the spokesperson said this month.
Ovadia has maintained the allegations are false.
“Seven had told me no current or former colleagues [have] made any complaint against me, as far as I am aware,” he said earlier. “Any suggestion I have been inappropriate at any time is false, malicious and will be defended.”
Ovadia stated that he had retained workplace lawyer John Laxon from the Sydney law firm Laxon Lex to represent him.
Robert Ovadia
Seven has been contacted for comment.
The network’s news management has recently undergone changes following revelations from the Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial and the network’s misidentification of the Bondi Junction killer. It’s important to note that Ovadia was not linked to either of these incidents.
There have been significant changes at Seven West Media recently. Craig McPherson, head of news and current affairs, and Mark Llewellyn, executive producer of Spotlight, have both departed from the network.
Jeffrey Howard, the new chief executive appointed in April, mentioned to a parliamentary committee that those involved in the Spotlight’s Bruce Lehrmann story are no longer with the organization.
Anthony De Ceglie, chief of The West Australian newspaper, has taken on the roles of director of news and current affairs and editor-in-chief at Seven West Media. He has been actively making new appointments, including promoting Sean Power, previously the executive producer of Sunrise, to the role of Sydney news director.
This move follows the stepping aside of veteran newsman Neil Warren for family reasons.
Jake Lyle, previously Sunrise’s supervising producer, has been promoted to executive producer of Sunrise, while Holly Fallon has been appointed as executive producer of Weekend Sunrise.
Gemma Acton has recently been appointed to the newly established national role of director of news operations.
Chris Dore, who previously served as the editor-in-chief of the Australian and faced job loss following an incident at a Wall Street Journal event in Laguna Beach, California, in 2022, has now taken over from Anthony De Ceglie as head of the newspapers in Western Australia.
