Media Movers across the industry include:
• Following weeks of industry speculation, Nova Entertainment has announced that Kate Ritchie will return to breakfast radio, joining Nova’s Sydney breakfast team Fitzy & Wippa, from Monday 13 March.
Ritchie is joining Fitzy and Wippa as co-host of Nova 96.9’s breakfast show which, from Monday, will be called Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie.
Read more: Confirmed: Kate Ritchie joins Fitzy & Wippa for Nova Sydney breakfast
• Daisy Cousens joins ADH TV as the host of her own self-titled weekly programme.
• Adam Davison takes on co-hosting breakfast on Chilli 90.1FM after finishing up as host of Sea FM Tasmania’s Breakfast programme.
• Marty Silk finishes as Queensland chief of staff at AAP. He is set to moves into a new role at AAP.
• Cathy O’Sullivan has been appointed as editor-in-chief APAC for Foundry’s CIO and CSO publications.
O’Sullivan will oversee the editorial teams working on the CIO and CSO brands in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
• Nova Entertainment has officially welcomed artist and broadcaster Ricki-Lee to Nova’s national drive show. Ricki-Lee joins Tim Blackwell and Joel Creasey, replacing Kate Ritchie.
The show, to be called Ricki-Lee, Tim & Joel, has been number one nationally for 46 consecutive surveys since launching in 2012.
Read more: Nova welcomes Ricki-Lee as a permanent member of the national drive show
• Marina Freri joins ABC’s 7.30 as an interview producer. She moves from radio to TV following her role as journalism manager for ABC Radio National.
• NewsCast welcomes Dan Box as editorial director of audio. In the role he will alongside News Corp Australia’s newsrooms to develop true crime audio programming.
• Veridooh has announced the appointment of Kate Crook (née Wilkinson) as group sales lead (Vic, Qld, SA, & WA) to help strengthen the business’ relationships with clients across Australia.
In her new role at the OOH verification company, Crook will be based in Melbourne and will focus on better servicing agencies and brands across the four states.
Read more: Veridooh welcomes Kate Crook as group sales lead
• The Age welcomes Shelby Garlick as digital producer. She joins from the Herald Sun where she was night homepage editor.
• DDB Group Melbourne has announced the appointment of Ella Ward as head of DDB Experience.
The leadership role is newly created to shape, elevate, and lead the DDB experience for talent and clients.
Read more: DDB Group Melbourne welcomes Ella Ward as its first head of DDB experience
• Prime Creative Media welcomes Clémence Carayol as energy editor of The Australian Pipeliner and Trenchless Australasia.
• Amalee Saunders joins The Courier Mail as a report after completing a week-long internship with Channel Nine in Brisbane.
• Dylan Smith joins as a reporter for Channel 9 Adelaide following his stint as a news reporter for ABC Eyre Peninsula.
• Sky News Australia welcomes Reilly Sullivan as a digital reporter. He recently wrapped up his duties as SEP content writer at MyDeal.com.au.
• ASC welcomes Sarah Maunder ASC as senior communications advisor – media. She joins the Australian naval shipbuilding company from SBS, where she was Tasmania Correspondent.
• ABC has appointed Claudia Long as its first digital and social politics reporter. Based in the Federal Parliament House Bureau, her focus is on political investigations and policies that have a particular impact on women and young people.
• Southern Cross Austereo has named Ellen Leabeater as executive producer (Audio Documentaries).
• Triple M is gearing up for the 2023 AFL season with its lineup of footy legends, commentators, and experts, and welcoming Steve ‘Stevie J’ Johnson, with round one set to commence on Thursday, March 16.
Steve ‘Stevie J’ Johnson has played more than 293 games, 15 seasons with the Geelong Cats and GWS Giants, three Premiership wins, was the recipient of the 2007 Norm Smith Medal and a three-time All-Australian player.
Read more: Triple M welcomes Stevie J to its 2023 AFL commentary lineup
• Kylie Rees joins Carers NSW as communications coordinator, following her time as a digital editor for the Women’s Weekly Food website
• The Barrier Truth welcomes Melanie Gates to her first role as a journalist.
• Joining KIIS FM’s Will and Woody show as a producer and panel operator is Tom Bainbridge.
• Owen Davis begins his new role at Triple M Sydney as producer of Mick & MG In The Morning.
• The Continuous Call Team on 2GB and 4BC welcome Andrew Lucas as senior producer.
• Stepping into the role of federal political reporter for the ABC is Nabil Al Nashar. He began with ABC as a news reporter with ABC Western Sydney.
• ARN has announced the appointment of Stephen Werner to the role of content director at Mix102.3/Cruise 1323 in Adelaide, after a worldwide search.
Werner has a long and impressive background in audio and content creation, spanning South Africa and Los Angeles.
Read more: ARN appoints Stephen Werner as content director for Mix 102.3 and Cruise 1323
• Creative agency We Are Social has appointed Ruaridh O’Donnell as its new editorial creative director, reporting to ECD, Ben Clare.
• O’Donnell has transferred to the Sydney office from the agency’s London headquarters, after six years at the agency.
Starting out as a junior writer, O’Donnell rose through the ranks to become an associate editorial director at We Are Social London, latterly leading a team of creatives in the We Are Social Sport division.
Read more: We Are Social Australia welcomes Ruaridh O’Donnell as editorial creative director
• Four Corners has welcomed Mahmood Fazal backfilling as a reporter for the next six months, covering crime, policing, and the criminal justice system in Australia.
• Yvette Kelly returns from maternity leave and resumes her role as picture editor.
• 9 News Adelaide welcomes Dylan Smith as a reporter. His last role was as a news reporter for ABC.
• Joining the Breakfast With Harf program on RSM is Jordan Lewis, the four-time premiership player with the Hawthrone Football Club.
• Madi Chwasta joins Triple J as a data journalist and analyst after wrapping up her time as a digital journalist and radio producer at ABC Radio Melbourne.
• The Walkley Foundation welcomes Sian Gard as a program manager of the Meta Fund. She will continue working as a senior lecturer in radio and podcasting at AFTRS.
• TotallyAwesome has announced the appointment of four senior executives as it grows operations in Asia Pacific to cater for the demand in brands wanting to engage Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
Pablo Gomez joins as chief strategy officer APAC, Belinda Casselden as head of marketing APAC, Brian Riedlinger as chief delivery officer and Jeff Franco as regional head of growth APAC.
Read more: TotallyAwesome welcomes four new senior appointments as it continues APAC expansion
• The West Australian has welcomed Andrei Harmsworth as entertainment editor. He joins after 16 years with Metro Newspapers UK as entertainment editor.
• Kate Ainsworth joins ABC News as a business reporter with a focus on digital coverage.
• 7News Spotlight welcomes Darren Ally as senior producer following his stint as a producer for Warner Bros. He was previously a producer with 60 Minutes.
• Mediabrands Content Studio (MBCS) has further strengthened its senior creative team with the appointment of Marshall Campbell as general manager, client service and Luke Simkins as group creative director.
Combined, the duo bring more than 25 years of experience to the agency from working both client and agency side in Australia and the UK.
Campbell’s remit will focus on senior strategic advice and client service leadership, and Simkins’ responsibilities include creative direction and leadership across the agency’s creative team.
Read more: Mediabrands Content Studio welcomes two appointments senior creative team
• The Sydney Morning Herald welcomes Billie Eder as sports reporter, focusing on NRL and NRLW.
• Curtin University welcomes Jessica De Freitas Cardoso as communications and PR officer for sport and recreation. She joins after four years as a markets reporter at The Market Herald.
• Centennial Beauty says farewell to Simran Pasricha as digital content producer. She will continue working as a digital content producer with Zee Feed.
• Bridget Rollason, state political reporter at ABC News Melbourne, is currently undertaking a three-month fellowship with the World Press Institute learning American journalism.
• Canstar welcomes Ellie McLachlan who returns to the publication. She steps into the role of content lead after her stint as content editor at Compare Money.
• Choovie Group, the movie marketing solutions provider, has welcomed the appointments of Jeremy Abbott and Katie Frean.
Abbot, former GM of partnerships and sales at Village Roadshow, will lead the brand growth and sponsorship division as growth director.
Frean, a former Disney+ content marketing executive, joins as partnerships manager. She also has extensive experience in the cinema industry having worked at Village Cinemas for more than six years.
Read more: Choovie Group welcomes the appointments of Jeremy Abbott and Katie Frean
• Marc Gafen is moving on from his role as editor of Capture, a position he held for just under 16 years. After some time off, he will begin his next adventure.
• Australian Aviation welcomes Jake Nelson as a senior journalist who joins from DCM Group
• Laura Wilson has finished her role as fashion, features and beauty editor with Hello May. She is now a freelance journalist available for writing and styling opportunities.
• Mamamia welcomes Madeline Muir as managing producer – social. She was previously a digital content producer at Nova and ARN.
• Icon Agency has announced the appointment of two new senior hires in its PR and digital divisions, as it expands its national footprint in Queensland.
Kate Ward, who is based in Brisbane, joins the integrated communications firm as director of consumer PR and communications.
Read more: Icon Agency welcomes two new senior hires to its PR and digital divisions
• Laura Wilson has finished her role as fashion, features and beauty editor with Hello May. She is now a freelance journalist available for writing and styling opportunities.
• Hobart’s Hit 100.9 welcomes Aimee Craig as the new mornings announcer. She joins from Hit 91.9 Bendigo where she was mornings announcer.
• Adam Davison takes on co-hosting breakfast on Chilli 90.1FM after finishing up as host of Sea FM Tasmania’s Breakfast programme.
• Wunderman Thompson has announced the appointment of Gavin Bain, previously national managing director of the business’ Australian operations, to the position of CEO.
The change comes as outgoing Australia CEO, Matt Parry, makes the move to Hong Kong to lead WPP’s team Helix for HSBC for the region.
Read more: Wunderman Thompson appoints Gavin Bain to CEO