After shifting presentation of its late-night news bulletin The Latest to Perth earlier last year, TV Blackbox has learned that Channel 7 will not be proceeding with the program in 2025.
Sources close to the matter revealed to this website that budgets have been reallocated towards the nightly 6:00pm local news bulletins and the new Midday news bulletin which launched this week, fronted by respected journalist and presenter Natarsha Belling.
When contacted for comment, a network spokesperson stated, “It would be wrong to suggest there won’t be a late-night news bulletin on Seven,” adding, “We’re just considering our options as to what it might look like.”
It is understood that the network plans to air a news-based program in a later slot this year, believed to be an opinion-based panel format, with reports surfacing last year of a new panel-type program to come from the networks Brisbane studio and fronted by Queensland presenter Katrina Blowers.

Launched in late 2018 and initially fronted by Michael Usher from Seven’s Sydney studios, The Latest marked the return of a commercial late-night news bulletin, sparking competition with rival Channel 9 who quickly launched a competing bulletin and, more recently, Network 10’s return of their iconic 10 Late News.
Billed as covering the latest breaking news globally, the bulletin adopted a fresh and dynamic presentation style, offering in-depth reports and regularly featuring guests at the desk to analyse and debate the day’s most significant stories and events.
Channel 7 moved presentation of The Latest to Perth earlier last year as part of a cost-cutting strategy, aiming to streamline operations and leverage the resources available at its Perth studio with the change designed to improve the program’s efficiency, but did have obvious effects to its production quality.
*This story updates
The move to Perth was the death knell, sat there for a little while waiting for the knockout blow.
There are too many news bulletins on television. You need 1 at 6pm and that’s it. Not 5 or 6 a day
Dean Armellin actually a 6pm and a late news for those still commuting home at 6pm like the 90’s and early 2000’s
Peter Hines, probably just the late news for me, I’m at work between 3pm and 11pm, even then, the late news has almost finished by the time I get home from work by 11.30pm
David Batty we work similar hours hence my mention of a late news 🙂
Peter Hines, only time I watch the news is when I have a night off. Shift work can be a blessing sometimes.
Dean Armellin, I hardly ever watch the 6pm news, I’m usually at work at that time of the day until 11pm.
Dean Armellin .and you only need one news reader to read the bulletin not 2
I did like the latest when it was aired in Sydney don’t know Perth people so I lost interest
Do not get rid of Jerri Dimasi. She is an amazing journalist and very articulate.
Hopefully they will go broke and have to hand their license back!
Who cares about 7 news