Two of the ABC's toughest reporters have been approached by the award-winning Four Corners program to join its team.
7.30 journalist Louise Milligan and Jerusalem correspondent Sophie McNeill both weathered intense criticism this year. The pair will face fresh challenges in 2018 when they take up new roles as investigative reporters on Australia's longest-running current affairs program.
Milligan recently won a Walkley Award for her explosive book on Cardinal George Pell. Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of George Pell went on sale in May, but had to be pulled from bookshelves a month later so as not to prejudice his trial which is currently before the courts.
The 7.30 reporter is no stranger to Four Corners, having filed two stories for the documentary program this year - one that examined the internal struggles within the Greens, and another that took a look at how Olympic champions struggle to rebuild their lives after retiring from elite sport.
Losing Milligan comes ahead of an expected makeover for 7.30, with more of a focus on specialist content. The primetime show has been struggling to hold its ground in the ratings this year, with the coverage of Don Burke and major political events notwithstanding.
Very excited to make @4corners my permanent journalistic home. https://t.co/SLYAbrDPqI??? Louise Milligan (@Milliganreports) December 11, 2017
McNeill, meanwhile, is expected to join the Four Corners team around April after three years as the ABC's Middle East correspondent. The national broadcaster was forced to defend McNeill earlier this year after Labor backbencher Michael Danby used taxpayer funds to launch a blistering attack of the former Hack presenter's coverage of Israel and Palestine.
Fairfax Media understands McNeill decided to not extend the standard three-year Jerusalem posting after Sally Neighbour offered her the Four Corners role.
News from me... In April after 3 yrs in the Middle East I'm moving back home to Australia with my family... Incredibly excited about joining @neighbour_s and the fantastic @4corners team then!??? Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) December 11, 2017
Two other newcomers - the Herald's state political editor Sean Nicholls and 7.30 producer Lesley Robinson - will also be joining the Four Corners team in 2018.
Four Corners executive producer Sally Neighbour said in a statement the appointments will help ensure the program continues to be a "standard bearer of the finest investigative journalism".
The long-running show picked up two gongs at this year's Walkley Awards - one for investigative journalism and another in the documentary category.
