Significant changes among the senior ranks at some of Perth’s media organisations in recent weeks has left major holes to fill as some old hands return to familiar surroundings.
Significant changes among the senior ranks at some of Perth’s media organisations in recent weeks has left major holes to fill as some old hands return to familiar surroundings.
Last week saw the demise of two key players in the local media landscape, with another finishing his tenure later this week.
The boss of Fairfax Radio’s 96FM and 6PR Declan Kelly was dismissed after notching up his eighth year as general manager of both stations.
Mr Kelly had been general manager since August 2002 and was named the Australian Radio Awards GM of the year in 2005 when both stations attracted higher ratings.
Fairfax Radio general manager Graham Mott personally told local staff the dismissal had nothing to do with ratings but that Mr Kelly’s approach to the job had not been in keeping with the expectations of management.
The latest radio ratings survey released last week showed 6PR had dropped half a percentage point to be three points behind talkback rival, ABC 720 while 96FM fell almost 1 per cent as Austereo's Mix 94.5 and 92.9 increased their audience share as the top two placed Perth stations.
Channel Nine Perth and WIN WA news director Adrian Beattie reportedly shocked staff when he walked out of the station last week following three years as director and four years as a reporter after migrating from the United Kingdom where he worked for ITN Network News in Britain and BBC Belfast in his native Northern Ireland.
Channel Nine Perth general manager Ian McRae said Mr Beattie made a very significant contribution to all news-based programs.
Deputy news director and sports presenter, Michael Thomson assumed the role, with a permanent replacement to be announced in due course.
And long serving political commentator for The West Australian Robert Taylor will have his final day on Friday following an extensive tenure.
Sources close to the veteran reporter believed Mr Taylor may be considering retirement, possibly looking to spend a year in the southwest at the same time as managing his properties.
Meanwhile well-respected former Channel Nine Perth general manager, Paul Bowen has returned from a five-year hiatus, taking up a management position with WIN WA, helping out the local sales force while overseeing the WIN-Prime joint venture rollout of the Ten West regional digital television network (Network Ten’s regional offering).
“I’ve been back here now for about four months,” Mr Bowen said.
“I came on board as the manager of WIN WA regional population … the regional WA opportunity had quite a bit of appeal.”
Network Ten also announced dramatic changes to their programming in 2011, including 150 minutes of news and current affairs each weekday.
