Hashela Kumarawansa has kicked off her new role with SBS News in Melbourne.

She made the announcement by Tweeting a pic of her with a mic that had an SBS News block attached.

Kumarawansa came to Melbourne after over a year in Ballarat covering news for WIN TV.

Follow Kumawaransa on Twitter @Hashela_.

Samantha Armytage is vacating her co-hosting spot at Channel Seven breakfast show Sunrise.

She said in today’s episode that personal crises over the past few months brought her to this decision. She had been with the show for eight years.

“I have always been very brave and fearless in my life and my career and this decision is no different… I go out of this job at a time of my own choosing and on top of the ratings, which not many people on television can say they do,” Armytage stated.

The Sydney Morning Herald hinted, though, that the move came as a result of network tensions building up for a year, ranging from Armytage’s behavior towards criticism and almost no off-set communications between Sunrise’s presenters.

Her final broadcast will be on 11 March. 

She remains under contract with Seven for the remainder of 2021 and no date has been set for her return, however it has been confirmed she won’t be returning to her co-hosting pos

Adam Langenberg is now at the Hobart studios of national broadcaster ABC.

He made the journey to Tasmania after over a year in Ottawa, Canada, where he worked freelance for the Ottawa Business Journal and later as full-time reporter for the Hill Times’ The Wire Report telco industry section.

Follow Langenberg on  Twitter @AdamLangenberg.

Trains industry publication Rail Express has welcomed David Sexton as its new editor.

He came over from the Daily Cargo News, where he turned over his editor spot to Ian Ackerman.

Follow Sexton on LinkedIn.

Gold Coast station SEN1620 is preparing live coverage of sporting events.

The Sports Entertainment Network revealed that the station is rebranding under a new logo (pictured) and will feature home matches of AFL team Gold Coast Suns and NRL team Gold Coast Titans. A show called Maroons Radio will feature the State of Origin.

For the programming lineup, Breakfast with Pat and Heals stays on the 6:30AM-8:30AM timeslot, local primetime show Sportsday with Gary Belcher and Scott Sattler has been expanded to two hours. 

The station will also retain Wednesday/Saturday afternoon show Trackside and Andrew Bensley’s self-titled show Bensley, as will The Driver’s Seat with Steve Johnson and Matt McKeldon.

New shows for SEN Gold Coast include Mornings with Matt White at 10AM-12 noon every Monday to Thursday, Morning Glory with Matty Johns every 9AM on Fridays, Gerard Whateley’s lunch hour show, and Drive with Joel and Fletch.

“SEN has long had a strong listener b

Manufacturing trades publication Industry Update has tapped Barry O’Hagan as its new editor. 

He came aboard after finishing up communications work at IBM ANZ. His editorial experience was from editor roles in some trade and lifestyle titles and deputy chief sub-editor for a South African daily newspaper.

O’Hagan’s selection came out of a need for new leadership following Laurence Marchini’s retirement a year ago.

“It is essential that market leading publications such as Industry Update continue to grow, and we achieve that growth by new people and fresh ideas,” said Industry Update owner/publisher Scott Filby.