1987 Seven National News opener

Seven National News
ADS 7 Adelaide
Presenters: Caroline Ainslie, Steve Whitham and Peter Marker
Tuesday 14th July 1987

From 1977 until early 1987 Seven National News in Adelaide was presented by local media stalwart Kevin Crease, later joined by sport journalist Anne Fulwood as his co-presenter with Bruce McAvaney hosting sport.

But in April 1987 Crease shocked the local media industry by suddenly leaving ADS 7 for NWS 9 where he was teamed with Rob Kelvin to present National Nine News. Crease’s reading partner Anne Fulwood had announced she was leaving the station to join Network Ten in Sydney.

Kelvin's partner Caroline Ainslie subsequently left NWS 9 and replaced Crease at ADS 7, where she was teamed with weekend newsreader Steve Whitham to present Seven National News.

It was a chain of events dubbed 'newsical chairs'.

Yet the changes were not to end there. After dramatic alterations to national media laws the ownership of ADS 7 had landed with Robert Holmes à Court who now owned Network Ten. SAS 10 was now owned by Christopher Skase who controlled the Seven Network.

The owners decided the Adelaide stations would swap network affiliation - the first time this had occurred anywhere in the world. It was only possible because ADS 7 and SAS 10 shared the same transmitter mast on Mount Lofty and it would be simple for technicians to repatch the cables.

ADS 7 changed network affiliation at midnight on 26th December 1987 and is now ADS 10.

On Sunday 27th December 1987 this same news set was used for the first time as Ten Eyewitness News with a new name hoarding replacing Seven National News.

This local news theme was not used in any other market. The opening title font is lifted from the Seven Network news graphics package which was based on NBC News. The silhouette of Colonel William Light is from the statue Light's Vision on Montefiore Hill, North Adelaide.

Opening titles voiceover: Peter Sellen
Broadcast from the former ADS 7 studios at 125 Strangways Terrace, North Adelaide.

Andrew Heslop commenced his career at 5DN 972 in 1985.


Provided for information and education purposes only.
Copyright remains with Network Ten.