NewsMediaWorks boss Mark Hollands to step down next week
The boss of industry body NewsMediaWorks Mark Hollands is to leave the organisation, Mumbrella can reveal.
The industry body – which speaks for Australia’s major news publishers News Corp, Fairfax Media and Seven West Media – is now hunting for a new CEO.
Hollands, who is also a published crime author, began his career as a journalist before switching to the commercial side of the industry.
From 2008 to 2012 he was boss of Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers Association but was ousted when PANPA was absorbed into NewsMediaWorks, which was initially known as The Newspaper Works.
A year later Hollands was brought back to run The Newspaper Works with a brief to to accelerate the launch of EMMA – readership survey Enhanced Media Metrics Australia – which had missed a series of launch deadlines under predecessor Tony Hale. Hollands also chairs The Readership Works which is the body overseeing EMMA, which is run by research company Ipsos.
While there was no information about Hollands’ future plans, his first crime novel, Amplify, was shortlisted in last year’s Ned Kelly Awards, organised by the Australian Crime Writers Association, and he is understood to be working on a follow up.
NewsMediaWorks chairman Michael Miller, who is also CEO of News Corp, said: “The board wishes to thank Mark for his important contribution to NewsMediaWorks as well as the wider news media sector.
“The industry body will continue to focus on helping create operational efficiencies for the benefit of all publisher members.”
Hollands said in a statement: “I’d like to thank my colleagues, who continue to make an important and enthusiastic contribution to our industry. They share my love of this industry and respect for those who work so hard to deliver journalism to our nation every day. It has been a pleasure to work with them. The time is right to move on, however, as I have a number of personal interests in Australia and overseas that I wish to pursue.”
Hollands will depart the organisation next Tuesday February 28.
While his departure might trigger speculation on industry appetite to continue with the organisation – News Corp’s acquisition of APN Newspapers late last year left only News Corp and Fairfax Media, along with SWM’s ownership of The West Australian and Sunday Times in Perth – the announcement of Hollands’ departure said: “The board will conduct a search for a new CEO to continue the organisation’s work in areas such as industry co-operation.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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