7 News Presenter Profiles - Yahoo!7 News (original) (raw)
Rebecca Maddern has a passion for knowing what's going on in the world, so when a career in news came knocking, she knew it was the right fit.
"I'm a bit of news junkie - as soon as I wake in the morning, I have to know what's happened overnight and during the day I'm constantly listening and watching news bulletins," said Rebecca.
Born and bred in Geelong, Rebecca attended Morongo Girls College until Year 11, when the school closed. She did her final year at Geelong College. In Year 9, Rebecca's interest in the media began, but initially she had her sights on film producing.
After completing Year 12 in 1995, Rebecca began an Arts Degree at Melbourne University, before transferring to RMIT a year later - going on to complete her degree in Media Studies with a double major in politics and television.
During her final year at university, she started a part-time promotions job at Austereo and by pure accident, or luck, found herself on air not long after. A colleague called in sick, so Rebecca did a Triple M sports report.
Her presenting talent was recognised and she began on-air training and regularly read the Triple M weekend sport updates.
In 2001 Rebecca began reading the Fox FM afternoon news reports and, at the beginning of 2002, moved to Nova FM to read the breakfast news during the inaugural year of 'Hughesy, Kate and Dave'.
Her ability continued to be recognised and, in October of that year, the Seven Melbourne news director offered Rebecca a reporting position.
"Within a few months of joining Seven, bushfires broke out in Victoria at the beginning of 2003 and that was when I was thrown in the deep end as a reporter," said Rebecca.
Rebecca shone and received a Quill Award for the 2003 Best TV News Report for her coverage of the fires, when the Victorian country town of Omeo was under threat.
Towards the end of 2004, Rebecca began reading Seven News updates and filling in for David Johnston on Seven's national 4.30pm news. When David retired in September 2005, Rebecca became the official presenter of the 4.30pm news.
Rebecca's current busy schedule involves presenting news updates and regularly travelling to Sydney as a presenter for the 4.30 news, Sunrise and The Morning news. She is also Melbourne's alternate weekend bulletin presenter.
Rebecca is also involved in Seven's City of Melbourne campaign: "I love Melbourne and you can never get bored in this great city of ours," says Rebecca.
Rebecca is an accomplished MC and has co-hosted the Melbourne Cup Carnival Myer Fashions on the Field at Flemington with Carson Kressley.
Rebecca married her partner James Wilson in October 2006. She is an avid Geelong Football Club fan and a patron of a local Geelong charity United Way. Rebecca has also been involved in the Very Special Kids charity for the last three years.