Media Movers: Andrew Probyn made redundant by ABC, Ashleigh Raper replaces PVO, Natalie Peters leaves 2GB, The Hallway, The Age

Posted on 19 June 2023

Media Movers takes a look at the recent movements announced across the industry during the week of 12/06/23

Media Movers across the industry include:

• ABC political editor Andrew Probyn has been made redundant amid news of restructuring at the national public broadcaster.

Probyn told the Guardian Australia he is “pretty flabbergasted” and said: “I’ve been informed that the national broadcaster no longer need a political editor and that they want to reinvest the money into social and digital reporting roles.”

• News Corp Australia has promoted Ryan Osland as video chief of staff and will lead a national team of video producers.

• Robyn Grace will step up as education editor The Age from Adam Carey. She has been with the various titles at the masthead in various roles since 2007, most recently as deputy news director (Daily).

• Adam Carey will depart his role as education editor at The Age to take long service leave until September. He will return to the publication in the new position of senior city reporter (Suburban).

• Ashleigh Raper has been appointed network political editor, replacing Peter van Onselen after his departure from the network in March.

Raper will lead Network 10’s political coverage on 10 News First, and will also feature on The Project and Studio 10.

Previously the NSW state political reporter for ABC News, Raper has been a fixture on Sydney’s Macquarie Street covering all the major stories.

• Wendy Fitzgibbon moves into comms after more than 22 years with News Corp. She will become director of communications and media and The Office of the NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, The Hon. Jenny Aitchison MP.

• Seven Network has appointed Jordan Fabris as chief of staff in Brisbane. He was previously chief of staff for 9 News Queensland.

• The Daily Aus has appointed Emma Gillespie as deputy editor. She joins the online publication from Mamamia where she was a producer for Mamamia Out Loud and Host of Extraordinary Stories.

• The Australian has announced the promotion of Lilly Vitorovich as business homepage editor. She began at the title in 2018 as a media writer and was most recently a journalist for the business round.

• Nine Radio Sydney news director and news reader Natalie Peters has announced she will be leaving 2GB after 12 years in radio.

Peters will wrap up her time at 2GB this week, and will read her last bulletin at 6pm tomorrow. Peters will move into the communications sector.

• Zena Chamas will begin work with ABC RN’s Religion and Ethics Report starting in July 2023. She is a part-time digital journalist at ABC News – Asia Pacific.

• 2GB welcomes Audrey Varghese as a producer. She most recently an events director at UNSW Law Society.

• Charles Rushforth joins ABC Coffs Coast as a news reporter. He was previously a staff writer at Junkee.

• Eliza Sorman-Nilsson has been appointed as editor-in-chief of Mamamia. She brings more than 14 years of experience working for women’s lifestyle brands, including WHIMN, Body+Soul and 9Honey. Most recently she had a stint at Vogue Scandinavia.

• The Board of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the appointment of Kirsty Muddle as a new board member.

Muddle is the CEO of Dentsu Creative Australia & New Zealand, bringing a wealth of expertise and a proven track record of success in the industry.

• Former Beauty and The Geek star Lachlan Mansell will join Power FM Ballarat as the announcer from 10am-2pm each weekday starting next week. He is currently a producer on the Kyle and Jackie O Show on KIIS 1065 FM.

• The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age has welcomed the appointment of Aine Ryan as news editor for culture. She was previously the acting entertainment editor at nine.com.au.

• Jennifer Duke will return to journalism after finishing her stint as the external affairs lead at CPA Australia in July.

• The Hallway has announced the appointment of Graham Sweet as head of strategy during a period of significant business momentum.

As a senior leader, Sweet will be responsible for setting the strategic direction for The Hallway’s portfolio of clients, unearthing the creative springboards that spark game-changing Affective Ideas while always gathering the evidence to prove the impact of the work.

• Soon to relocate from Sydney to Taiwan is Kathleen Calderwood as she takes up the role of correspondent in East Asia. Calderwood joined the public broadcaster in 2013 and was previously an investigative reporter and a Western Sydney reporter.

• Guardian Australia has promoted Tamsin Rose to NSW state correspondent after joining last year as NSW state reporter last year.

• Susannah Guthrie joins Drive.com.au as its first-ever consumer editor. In the role, she will manage a content stream that speaks to a wider audience in tune with trends, search behaviour and advice

• Connected Digital has announced a host of new client wins and strategic addition to its team.

In the past few months, the independent media agency has added a range of new clients to its portfolio, including Australian Geographic, Deltora Diamonds, Eir Women, and Aon’s Human Capital Solutions.

In addition to the new clients, Connected has also announced the appointment of Nicole Smith as senior account director.

• Anna Patty finishes up as consumer affairs editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. She is now a senior policy advisor for the NSW Government.

• CHOICE magazine has announced the appointment of Mark Serrels as editorial director. He joins from CNET where he is senior editorial director.

• Jarrod Lawler wraps up his duties as sports reporter at The Mercury. He began in the role in March 2022.

• Wavemaker announced the appointment of Sindhuja Rai as CEO in Asia Pacific.

Based in Singapore and reporting to Global CEO Toby Jenner, Rai joins the media agency from Mondelēz International.

• tide.pr, a creative communications agency backed by Hardie Grant Media, has recently welcomed Jessica Head..

Head is the former agency owner and director at iD Collective, to the business as head of communications following a period consulting to the agency.

• The Courier Ballarat has welcomed its new journalist Alison Foletta who joins from The Examiner in Launceston.

• The Canberra Times welcomes Alex Crowe has started as a breaking news reporter following her stint as an environment reporter.

• 10 News First Queensland has appointed Erin Edwards as executive editor and will lead the Queensland Bulletin and lead the team in her new role. She joins after 23 years with Seven as a senior journalist reporting across the state.

• Screen Queensland has announced the appointment of Tanya Ellen as the screen agency’s new head of content.

In the role, Ellen will lead development and production funding programs to further increase the volume and diversity of local projects supported by the agency while helping new and established Queensland screen businesses to grow.