Martin Place, Seven Network

The Colonial Centre is a more contemporary building on Martin Place that now houses the television news studios of the Seven Network. This glass and marble commercial building opened in the 1980s as the corporate headquarters of the State Bank of NSW, in the heart of Sydney's financial district. It featured office space, a bank branch on street level and a small shopping centre underground, linked to Martin Place railway station. It became the Colonial Bank in 1996 and then was taken over by the Commonwealth Bank in 2000, which aleady had other branches in Martin Place. The Seven Network moved its studios into the space occupied by the bank branch in 2004. I chose to run this photo today because it also happens to be the first day of the official television ratings season in Australia, when all the top television shows return to our screens. The Seven Network has been the top television network in terms of audience for the past two years. News and current affair programs are broadcast from these studios, including 'Sunrise', the breakfast program that often ventures into Martin Place outside.