According to an unsigned story in today’s Daily Telegraph, Nine’s Ray Martin is staying at Nine and will do whatever Sam Chisholm wants him to do.

On the eve of his 40th anniversary in journalism today Martin told the Daily Telegraph: “When I finish in television, I’ll finish at Nine.

“I’ll be talking to (Channel Nine chief) Sam Chisholm and he wants me to sign forever.”

Martin has quashed ‘amazing’ reports that he would return to the ABC.

“I haven’t talked to them.”

Despite speculation that he wants to give up A Current Affair, Martin said yesterday: “If Sam Chisholm says it’s time to leave then I wouldn’t argue.”

A curious report which makes you wonder if there’s something else going on: the last comment is the most important because there have been reports that Chisholm wants a change at ACA, with Tracy Grimshaw said to be a contender, or even a double header with Peter Overton or someone else.

So the news isn’t that Ray is leaving Nine, but I reckon the odds are firming that he might leave ACA.

So where would he go? Nine News in Sydney, 60 Minutes, his own Tonight-style show, or just as a senior reporter so Nine can use his undoubted skills as an on-the-road reporter?

He would certainly lift the credibility stakes of 60 Minutes, which has now got a bit of a hole with the departures of Charles Wooley and Paul Barry. That’s left Dickie Carlton as the only heavy hitter at Richmond Street.