Media Movers: Abbie Chatfield leaves Hit Network, Are Media appoints Nicole Byers, Kochie’s new gig, Ryvalmedia, Boomtown

by Mediaweek

Posted on 19 August 2023

Media Movers takes a look at the recent movements announced across the industry during the week of 14/8/23

Media Movers across the industry include:

• Sudeshna Ghosh is the new digital managing editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

• Josephine Shannon will join Channel 9 Adelaide as a journalist in August 2023.

• After 18 months in the hot seat, Abbie Chatfield has stepped down as host of Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield across the Hit Network, following the final episode which aired on Thursday 17 August 2023.

Chatfield joined the Hit Network’s evening show in January 2022 and has since been joined by Hit’s Jimmy & Nath on the show.

• Jessica Cummins is now the features lead at Stockhead.

• The NSW Doctor has welcomed Rahni Sadler as their new media and communications manager and editor.

• Are Media has announced the appointment of Nicole Byers to the newly created role of general manager – Lifestyle, effective immediately.

In a media career spanning more than 20 years, Byer was most recently editor-in-chief of The Australian Women’s Weekly, a role she has held for six years. Before that, she held senior positions across many Are Media titles, including Woman’s Day, NW, TV WEEK and OK! Magazine.

• Shannen Findlay has changed roles at Mamamia and is now a content producer.

• Emma Allcock has joined Are Media Australia as a beauty content assistant.

• Ryvalmedia Melbourne has announced the appointment of three new senior hires to its client service team.

Sarah Browne joins the independent media and communications agency as group business director reporting to managing director Joseph Pardillo.

Melanie Anderson has taken up the business planning lead role, and Ratna Gupta joins as business director. All three appointments are effective immediately.

• TechDay Network has promoted Tom Raynel to managing editor.

• Fleur Connick has finished as a rural and regional reporter at The Guardian Australia.

• Social media management platform, Hootsuite, announced Elina Vilk as chief marketing officer, Vilk will join the company’s executive leadership team. The team is comprised of 75% women, and Vilk will report to chief executive officer, Irina Novoselsky.

Novoselsky commented: “As I looked for our next CMO, Elina stood out for her expertise in harnessing the power of social to glean insights into the needs, wants and pain points throughout the customer’s journey.

• Susan Edmunds has changed roles at Stuff and is now the money editor.

• Chloe-Lee Longhetti has finished as the assistant showbusiness editor at the Daily Mail Australia.

• Compare the Market, has appointed David “Kochie” Koch as its new economic director.

Following a long and successful career at the helm of Australian breakfast show, Sunrise, Kochie said he was determined to make his next move as purposeful as possible by helping Australians improve their financial health.

Now, as Australia faces its biggest cost of living crisis in decades, Kochie said it’s never been more important to ensure all Australians understand their options and know they can switch easily if a better deal is available.

• Del Fordham has announced he will finish as the head of audio at News Corp Australia.

• Jacqueline Howard has finished as a digital producer in the ABC’s Europe Bereau.

• Joshua Peach has started as a markets reporter at The Australian Financial Review.

• RN Breakfast has welcomed Claire Slattery as a producer.

• Jack Pirie has joined The Project at Network 10 as an associate producer. He was previously located at WIN News Illawarra as a sports reporter.

• Tahlia Pritchard has started at Yahoo Lifestyle Australia as a senior entertainment and lifestyle reporter.

• Wunderman Thompson, a WPP agency, has announced the appointment of Audrey Kuah as chief executive officer of Asia Pacific.

Based in Singapore, Kuah will report to Wunderman Thompson Global CEO, Mel Edwards, and will oversee the creative and strategic growth of the business across the APAC region. She will start her role at the agency at the beginning of September, and takes over from Global President & EMEA CEO Ewen Sturgeon, who was acting as interim APAC CEO.

• After 15 years in radio, Kia Handley has hung up the mic as the presenter of the ABC Newcastle Drive programme. She moves to communications in Sydney.

• Michael Di Lorio has joined News Corp Australia as a network editor.

• David Swan has announced he will join The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age as technology editor in October.

• ABC’s The Drum has welcomed Jason Whittaker as an acting supervising producer.

• Alastair Kirkby has started as a producer/journalist at LiSTNR.

• Katherine Smyrk has started as a digital lead for entertainment and features at ABC Everyday.

• 9Honey Celebrity welcomes Chloe-Lee Longhetti as a celebrity producer.

• Host of Saturday Breakfast, Craig Hamilton said goodbye to listeners at ABC Newcastle this week.

• The Boomtown collective has announced the appointment of Brian Gallagher, the former chief sales officer at SCA and the brains behind the Boomtown initiative, as its independent chair.

Gallagher became chairman when Boomtown launched in 2019, with the aim of championing regional Australia and its importance to advertisers.