Today Tonight EP John ‘Choof’ Choueifate resigns from Seven Network
Choueifate
Today Tonight executive producer John “Choof” Choueifate has resigned from the Seven Network weeks after he denied reports that he had left.
Choueifate’s departure follows “months of tensions” with Seven’s head of public affairs Neil Mooney, The Australian reported. And he had been absent from work on sick leave for several weeks before tendering his resignation.
Last month he told Mumbrella that reports he had left the show were “bullshit”.
However he declined to comment on his departure following Wednesday’s announcement.
Mooney said in a statement emailed to Seven staff that Choueifate’s resignation that it would be effective immediately and his role will be filled by Max Uechtritz, former ABC head of news and current affairs and news director for the Nine Network.
“Seven thanks John Choueifate for his efforts and wishes him well,” Mooney said in the statement.
Choueifate, who joined the show in February last year, said: “It has been a great pleasure, indeed honour to have played a significant role in Seven’s domination of the national current affairs market.
“I would like to thank all my colleagues for their untiring efforts and support and I wish them well. The media landscape is changing from day to day and I look forward to new, exciting opportunities.”
Today Tonight’s future has been under scrutiny since the beginning of the year, with increasing speculation that it would be replaced with an hour-long news bulletin. In January, a senior executive told Mumbrella the show’s future was uncertain as Seven bosses experimented with the format.
