Susie Ferguson, a prominent presenter with Radio New Zealand (RNZ), has departed from the public broadcaster as part of ongoing weekend programming changes and cost-cutting measures. The broadcaster informed staff of Ferguson’s redundancy following a restructuring that will see Saturday Morning move from two hosts to a single new presenter based in Auckland.

Ferguson, who hosted Saturday Morning and previously anchored the flagship Morning Report program for eight years, had been off air for the past four weeks amid a recruitment process for her replacement. Her co-host Mihingarangi Forbes left RNZ abruptly five weeks earlier. Both presenters were informed last month, after extensive consultation, that their roles would be eliminated in favor of a streamlined hosting arrangement.

In an email to colleagues, Ferguson reflected on her 16-year tenure at RNZ, which began as a casual journalist following her work as a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Iraq. During her time at RNZ, she contributed to coverage of major national events including the Christchurch and Kaikōura earthquakes, the Anzac centenary at Gallipoli, and the Christchurch mosque attacks. She also highlighted the challenges facing public media, noting the pressures on newsrooms and the importance of maintaining quality journalism and trust.

Pip Keane, RNZ’s chief audio officer, praised Ferguson’s extensive contributions, noting her role across multiple RNZ National shows and coverage of significant events. Ferguson’s biography has already been removed from RNZ’s website.

Sources close to RNZ described the atmosphere following recent redundancies within the Saturday Morning team as “miserable,” with the production staff being reduced from five to three roles. The new structure also includes the creation of an executive producer position based in Auckland.

Despite earlier public statements that Ferguson was on leave and that the presenter appointment process was ongoing, her departure underscores the broader changes underway at RNZ as part of a strategy to streamline its weekend programming.

Several names have been mentioned as potential successors to the Saturday Morning program, including Liam Gower, Neal Donovan, Jesse Rodger, and Melissa Chan-Green. The new appointment is expected to consolidate the show’s hosting duties under a single presenter.