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Peter Hitchener.Credit:Martin Philbey/Nine

Alicia Loxley and Tom Steinfort will jointly anchor the Monday to Friday broadcasts.

Loxley has been the weekend presenter for 9News Melbourne for 12 years,while Steinfort is a reporter on60 Minutes.

“We’re delighted that Hitch will continue to be a valuable and much loved part of the 9News Melbourne family,” 9News Melbourne director Hugh Nailon said.

“He has an unwavering passion for delivering news to Melbourne and we look forward to the wealth of experience he will continue to bring to our weekend broadcasts.

Alicia Loxley and Tom Steinfort.Credit:Nine

“We are thrilled to welcome Alicia and Tom to the forefront of our news team. In what will be just the fourth hosting line-up for the bulletin,this really does signify the onset of a new age.”

Hitchener started at 4BH radio in Brisbane before moving to ABC radio and television in Brisbane,then Sydney.

Best known as a television newsreader,he has also hosted a music program on ABC radio,a Channel Nine game show calledGambit and weekday programs on 3AW and 3AK.

He joined the Nine Network in Sydney in 1973 before moving to Melbourne the following year.

In 1998,he replaced the retiring Brian Naylor as chief weeknight newsreader. A decade later,Naylor was killed in the Black Saturday bushfires.

Channel Nine is owned by Nine Entertainment,which also ownsThe Age.

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