After more than two decades at Docklands’ Harbour Esplanade, the Seven Network has officially opened the doors to its new purpose-built Melbourne headquarters at Melbourne Quarter Tower (MQT) on Collins Street.
The move marks a significant chapter in Seven’s broadcast evolution, with 7NEWS Melbourne signing off for the final time from its long-standing Broadcast Centre Melbourne (BCM) on Sunday night.
The first official 6pm news bulletin from the new facility airs tonight, presented by long-time anchor Peter Mitchell alongside Rebecca Maddern and Jane Bunn.
The new site spans two floors of MQT and mirrors the advanced newsroom and studio design of Seven’s Eveleigh headquarters in Sydney.
Jane Bunn, Peter Mitchell and Rebecca Maddern.
It now serves as the central hub for all of Seven’s Melbourne news and sport operations, including 7NEWS afternoon and evening bulletins, Seven Horse Racing, and 7AFL programs Sunday Footy Feast and The Wash Up. A dedicated Sunrise studio space has also been integrated, providing increased flexibility for national broadcasts from Melbourne.
Seven West Media’s Managing Director and CEO Jeff Howard described the move as a strategic investment: “Our new Melbourne home is purpose-built to embrace the future of media, and is setting the benchmark for innovation in broadcast and digital production.
“Our investment in the new Melbourne Quarter Tower facility reflects the importance of the Melbourne market to Seven, which is home to some of our most valued clients and content partners, including the AFL and Cricket Australia.”
Designed with scalability and innovation at its core, the new studio features digital IP-based infrastructure, a full high-definition LED news set, non-linear file-based story editing, and a large-scale sports control room capable of managing major live events—positioning the site as one of the most technologically advanced in the country.
The relocation also marks a personal milestone for Peter Mitchell, who has anchored the 6pm bulletin since the first broadcast from Docklands in 2002.
“There’s a tinge of sadness about it for sure,” Mitchell said. “I take great pride in looking back and knowing that I’ve been the main guy in the history of 7NEWS at Docklands. It has been my privilege to represent all our staff who work so hard during all hours of the day.
“I recall when we first came here and we were part of the Chairman’s bold new plan to help redevelop the western part of Melbourne with a new state-of-the-art football stadium with a retractable roof, and a new central broadcast centre for his network.
“I must admit I thought we would be here for more than 24 years, but that just goes to show you the changing media landscape.
“But the team is very excited about our new home. The first thing the viewers will notice is that our new studio is much bigger, and the clarity and crispness of our new screens, so our graphics will be better and brighter and the whole look will be much cleaner,” he said.