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Long-serving ABC presenter Juanita Phillips has announced she is leaving the broadcaster after 21 years as the face of NSW’s 7pm news bulletin.
Since joining the public broadcaster in 2002, Phillips has presented more than 4500 evening news bulletins – first as a weekend presenter, then as co-anchor, and finally as the bulletin’s sole presenter, which she began doing in 2003.
Writing in a column published on Monday, the 59-year-old said the decision to leave was entirely her own – one that was triggered by personal and professional changes around her.
Juanita Phillips is leaving the ABC’s NSW 7pm News after 21 years in the role.Credit: ABC
“My son has flown the nest. My partner recently started a new job, helping Australia’s economy transition to clean energy. And the ABC is undergoing the biggest transformation in its history, moving from traditional broadcasting to the great unknown, the ever-evolving digital future,” she said.
“Change is in the air, so it seems the right time to take the next big step in my own life.”
She paid special thanks to her loyal viewers, particularly those who watched her since the beginning and consider the sound of the Majestic Fanfare a core childhood memory. “I’ve spoken to many of them over the years and when they stop me in the street for a chat it feels like we know each other. It’s been a privilege to be a part of their daily lives.”
She also thanked her colleagues, especially the ABC frontline reporters who “risk their lives and mental health” to tell important stories.
The ABC’s news director Justin Stevens said while the broadcaster respects Phillips’ decision to leave, they are sad to bid such a pivotal figure farewell.
“Juanita is a key presence in the ABC, both on-air and behind the scenes,” Stevens said. “She is loved and trusted by viewers and one of our most senior and respected editorial leaders. Live-to-air, in the studio and from the field, she has informed us about many of the biggest news events, always with her trademark clarity and calm.”
Phillips joined the ABC with a wealth of journalistic experience already under her belt, including time with CNN International, BBC World News, Sky News Australia and the Ten Network.
After witnessing the numerous changes journalism has endured since she entered the industry full-time 42 years ago – including the digital revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence – Phillips said she takes great pride in having made it this far.
“I’m still on air, presenting a prime-time news bulletin as I approach my 60th birthday. I’m proud to have survived this long. TV news is a tough business for women once they have children, and especially as they age,” she wrote in her column.
“I’ve seen too many talented women discarded during my decades in the industry, and I’m acutely aware how fortunate I am to be choosing the time of my departure.”
She will farewell viewers during her final appearance on September 10. Though she is not yet certain what her next chapter holds, she looks forward with optimism.
“After a lifetime of working strange, unsociable hours, I’m ready for a bit of normality,” she wrote in her column. “After a bit of downtime, who knows? I’ve worked my whole life and I feel I still have something to contribute. So, keep the camera rolling.”
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