Mediaweek head of content and editor depart, new editorial head appointed
Dan Barrett
Mediaweek’s head of content Frances Sheen and editor Dan Barrett are out the door after short tenures with the trade publication, as owner Vinyl Group works to hit its break even target by the end of the year.
This morning (22 October), Mediaweek announced the appointment of Seven Spotlight producer Duane Hatherly as head of editorial to replace Sheen (although with a different job title).
Hatherly comes from the TV production world, with almost 20 years at Foxtel and more recently stints at the ABC and Seven.
Frances Sheen
Mumbrella understands that Barrett was sacked before his six-month probation period ended. Sheen was appointed a year ago, having previously been editor in chief at Seven.com.au.
Barrett’s predecessor, editor-in-chief Emma Shepherd, suffered a similar fate, departing before she had completed six months in the job.
Vinyl recently shed several roles — in addition to Sheen, Barrett and Shepherd — including head of publishing Tahlia Phillips, in a restructure it described as a “small adjustment following acquisitions” that affected “around 10%” of its workforce. Phillips had been promoted to the role in May and was made redundant in September.
Another casualty was Mediaweek’s former editor-in-chief James Manning who was sacked late last year after 25 years with the publication.
The pace of staff change and turmoil at Vinyl Group has been considerable in recent times.
The group includes Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Variety Australia, Concrete Playground, The Music Network, Tone Deaf, and Refinery29 as well as Mediaweek on the “Media” side of the business. Jaxsta, Vampr and Vinyl.com sit within the “Platforms” division.
When contacted by Mumbrella, Barrett said he was “disappointed that this has gone the way that it has“.
“I don’t feel that I was given the best framework to properly succeed in the role and to deliver a product worthy of the Mediaweek brand.”
In a presentation to investors last week, Vinyl CEO Josh Simons said the company was on track to break even by the end of this calendar year, thanks in part to a plan to radically increase content output through the use of AI.
“This isn’t about replacing editorial, it’s about empowering and supercharging productivity,” he said.
This story has been modified to include Hatherly’s appointment and Sheen’s departure.
If it smells like AI replacing editorial…
So, that’s the fifth or sixth editor in less than two years?