Nine is undergoing a further leadership shake-up, with Today Executive Producer Kendall Bora set to depart the breakfast show and Michael Best stepping into the role of News Director at 9 News Sydney.
Bora, the wife of former Weekend Sunrise presenter Matt Doran, has been the Executive Producer of Today since June 2022, following her previous role as EP of the weekend edition. TV Blackbox sources indicate she will be leaving the breakfast program to take on a role heading Nine’s U.S. news bureau.
Michael Best, a former long-time Nine journalist who was previously based in Brisbane and served as a Europe correspondent for the network, later became Director of News in Perth before departing in October 2022. He now looks set to rejoin the network after spending a few years in corporate communications roles.
Nine’s news division has faced a turbulent period in recent months, with the recent sacking of Today show sports presenter Alex Cullen over a $50,000 payment from billionaire Adrian Portelli, while Weekend Today co-host Sophie Walsh is also expected to depart after less than six months in the role.
The departure of Sydney News Director Simon Hobbs late last year has further highlighted Nine’s efforts to reshape its workplace culture, following an independent review that uncovered systemic issues including bullying and abuse of power within the broadcaster.
Amid these challenges, the network recently axed the 9 News Darwin nightly bulletin and restructured its Gold Coast news service. Director of News & Current Affairs Fiona Dear has acknowledged the significant work ahead in rebuilding trust within Nine’s newsrooms after her appointment to the role earlier last year.
In a release sent out this afternoon, the network confirmed our reporting on Michael Best’s appointment as Sydney TV News Director and Kendall Bora’s departure from Today to lead the network’s US bureau.
The announcement also revealed Hugh Nailon’s promotion to the newly created role of National TV News Director, overseeing Nine’s state news directors while continuing as Melbourne TV News Director.
A new Executive Producer for Today has yet to be named.
*This post updates
Kendal Bora is that Matt Doran’s wife?
I don’t know if anyone remembers but back in about the mid-1970’s i think Channel 9’s main evening news bulletin was known as “News Centre Nine.”I don’t know who came up with that brilliant title but i don’t think they stuck with it for very long & soon reverted back to it’s original title of “National Nine News.”