Seven Adelaide director of news Graham Archer steps down
Seven Adelaide’s director of news and current affairs, Graham Archer has announced he will leave the station with deputy news director Chris Salter to step into the role.
Archer took the role in January 2016 after the abrupt dismissal of Terry Plane, having joined Seven Adelaide in 1995 to set up the South Australian edition of Today Tonight.
Archer has spent 25 years in news and current affairs
Seven Network director of news and public affairs, Craig McPherson, said in a statement: “I want to thank Graham for his extraordinary career at Channel 7.
“As one of the founding State EP’s of a new current affairs program launched at the start of 1995, Graham was instrumental in helping Today Tonight become the most watched current affairs program in Australia within a few years. He steered the program to dominance in Adelaide over two decades, along the way mentoring many.
“He stepped into the dual role of Today Tonight EP and Adelaide News Director with the same passion and drive, continuing the success of a fantastic news team.
“We wish him the very best in the next chapter of his life.”
Originally a secondary school teacher, Archer has spent 25 years in television current affairs, first working for Nine’s A Current Affair before going onto the ABC’s 7.30 Report, later becoming the supervising producer of Nine’s Sunday program before moving to Seven Adelaide to launch Today Tonight in 1995.
Archer was also a 2017 Walkley Award book nominee for his investigative novel into the 1994 death of Anna-Jane Cheney and the trial of her boyfriend for her murder.
His replacement, Salter joined Seven at the end of 2015 after a decade with Nine Adelaide, eventually finishing as managing editor before defecting to the rival network.
Salter said: “I’m honoured to be taking the reins of Adelaide’s leading television news service.
“Presenters Jane Doyle and John Riddell are legends of the industry. Behind them are dozens of incredibly talented reporters, camera operators, producers, editors, graphic designers and studio crew. I’m looking forward to building on the success created by my predecessors.”
