Law holds the key

WEST Australian Newspapers chief executive Ian Law has been rated as the most influential person in the WA media.

He is seen as the driving force at the company, wielding far more influence than Brian Rogers, editor of The West Australian.

Mr Rogers’ tenure at The West has been controversial and most ob-servers believe his days are numbered, not with-standing the renewal of his contract last year.

While The West still has a dominant influence in terms of setting the political agenda, two other influential people are the competing hosts of morning talkback radio.

6WF’s Liam Bartlett, a former host of The 7.30 Report in Perth, has achieved slightly higher ratings than 6PR’s Paul Murray, a former editor of The West.

However, Mr Murray is seen as more influential, particularly among other journalists.

His weekly talkback spot with Premier Geoff Gallop is closely watched, being the closest the Premier comes to a regular press conference and he has the ability to set agendas that force the Government to respond.

The managing directors of Perth’s top rating commercial television stations, Chris Wharton (Channel 7) and Paul Bowen (Channel 9) have a big influence on advertising and news.

Other influential people in the Perth media include the ABC’s head of news and current affairs Kim Jordan, whose responsibilities cover television and radio, and The Sunday Times editor Brett McCarthy.

Media executives who did not make the top eight but still have significant influence include:

p  Community Newspapers                                          

      chief editor Iain Cameron;

p  Bret Christian, who is          

     influential in the western                   

     suburbs as editor of Post   

     Newspapers;

p  Nic Nolan, news director     

     at Austereo, which runs

     Perth’s top rating stations  

     94.5 and 92.9; and

p  Gary Roberts, who  previously ran Austereo but

     left to set up Nova FM in