Stand-alone Today Tonight axed for one hour news Today Tonight's signed-on host Helen Kapalos has yet to front viewers. Photo: Tanya Ingrisciano Today Tonight will be rolled into a one-hour news bulletin from February 10, a source has told Fairfax Media. The Seven Network is yet to decide whether to scrap its Today Tonight brand or include it in the new program. The source described the move as "clever" because it will lure viewers who want to watch certain Today Tonight stories but dislike "trashy" current affairs shows. Recently, Seven extended its 6pm bulletin to one hour to cover the bushfires and floods. It has rated strongly - especially in the second half, beating A Current Affair on Nine. The new program will include a mix of short news reports and longer current affairs stories. Former Channel Ten newsreader Helen Kapalos - recently announced as the host of Today Tonight in Sydney and Melbourne - will now host many of the longer segments. The program will be more upmarket than Today Tonight but will still feature consumer stories aimed at women, who comprise the bulk of advertiser-friendly grocery buyers. The source pointed to a recent Seven news bulletin - including a four-and-a-half minute segment about petrol prices followed by a bushfire update - as indicative of the new program's content. The rumours have caught Seven off-guard and left some staff worried they will lose their jobs. But the source said remaining reporters are likely to continue specialising in news or current affairs because they require different skills. It is believed the merged program will be launched in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane but that local versions of Today Tonight could continue in Perth and Adelaide. If the new program is more upmarket than Today Tonight, it may force Nine to lift the tone of A Current Affair. However, Nine could be reluctant to extend its 6pm news given it also airs a one-hour bulletin at 3pm and a half-hour bulletin at 4.30pm. A Seven spokesman is refusing to confirm whether Today Tonight will be axed or merged with its news bulletin, only saying: "Going forward we will look to maintain some flexibility within the hour of news and public affairs." Last night, the second half of Seven's hour-long bulletin drew 1.19 million viewers, beating Nine's A Current Affair, which drew 823,000. Seven also topped the 6pm to 6.30pm slot nationally - but was beaten by Nine's 6pm bulletins in Sydney and Melbourne. This suggests that some of Nine's viewers changed channels at 6.30pm to watch the second half of Seven's bulletin, rather than sticking with A Current Affair. View the story "Today Tonight axing speculation" on Storify