30 September 2014
Radio New Zealand CEO, Paul Thompson, has announced that Carol Hirschfeld, the former
General Manager Production for Maori TV, is to join Radio New Zealand as Head of Content and
Radio New Zealand Networks Presentation Manager, John Howson, has been appointed to the
new role as Head of Radio.
Today’s announcements complete the reorganisation of Radio New Zealand’s senior
management team following an earlier appointment of the STUFF website editor, Glen Scanlon,
to the position of Head of Digital Media.
Carol Hirschfeld will be responsible for News, Drama, Music, Spoken Features and Radio New
Zealand International while John Howson will be responsible for all radio output across the
Radio New Zealand National and Concert networks.
In making the announcements Paul Thompson, has emphasised the importance of the new roles
for Radio New Zealand as it implements a strategy to deliver high quality multi-media journalism
and programming across multiple digital platforms.
“I am delighted to announce the two appointments. Both are very experienced broadcasters.
Carol is a respected media executive with a proven track record of success in managing stories,
developing programmes and leading staff, while John is an effective leader with a deep
knowledge of Radio New Zealand and he has a clear vision of what he wants to achieve over the
next two years.“
Carol Hirschfeld noted that the new position marks a return to an organisation where she began
her career as a cadet reporter. She says: “I believe strongly in the importance of public broadcasting and I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to a national media organisation that touches lives across New Zealand.”
She will join Radio New Zealand on November 24th.
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The Radio New Zealand Executive Team is:
Paul Thompson – Chief Executive and Editor-in-Chief
Ken Law – Head of Business Services, Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer
Glen Scanlon – Head of Digital Media (starts November 17)
Carol Hirschfeld – Head of Content (starts November 24)
John Howson – Head of Radio
Matthew Finn – Head of Technology
John Barr – Head of Communications
Radio New Zealand International manager Linden Clark also sits on the executive.
(Source: RNZ press release)
31 October 2013
Up front, in-depth and in tune, Radio New Zealand’s new online network,
THEWIRELESS, delivers multi-platform public service media to a generation of New
Zealanders who have grown up in a digital age.
THEWIRELESS marks a significant break from the past for public broadcasting in this
country with Radio New Zealand using video, text, and audio content to take its
informative, insightful and entertaining storytelling to a new generation.
The innovative online approach developed from an original concept for a youth radio
network which has been kicked around in New Zealand for the past 20 years. But the
time for a traditional radio network has passed says project leader, Marcus Stickley:
“We live in an age where you can tell a story any way you want on one platform – the
internet. THEWIRELESS is online only and has been designed with mobile phones in
mind, as well as tablets, laptops and desktops with stories told in video, photos, audio and
text. Some will be told in two types of media, some will be told in all four, or maybe
more depending on where technology takes us.” “We’ll be bold and up-front, covering stories that ought to be told not just those that are being told by other media”.
Radio New Zealand CEO, Paul Thompson, has emphasised the importance of providing
high-quality, impartial content targeted to the interests of a youth audience and delivered
in a way they prefer to receive it – on smartphones, tablets, and computers. He says
THEWIRELESS is the most exciting innovation from Radio New Zealand in recent years:
“THEWIRELESS is run by young New Zealanders for young New Zealanders.
“This new service is about informing and empowering young people and providing them
with journalism that cannot be found elsewhere. It’s about encouraging informed debate
and helping them have a say in decisions that affect them.” “This is a concept that will evolve over time but it’s a terrific way of bringing the values and quality of what we produce to an audience that we don’t serve well at present “.
www.thewireless.co.nz
13 June 2013
The Board of Radio New Zealand has today appointed Paul Thompson as the next Chief
Executive and Editor-in-Chief of the national public service broadcaster.
The appointment follows the January announcement by Radio New Zealand’s CEO, Peter
Cavanagh, that he would be stepping down from the position when his contract expires at the end of the year. Paul Thompson is currently the Group Executive Editor of Fairfax Media in New Zealand and a former award winning editor of the Christchurch Press and the Nelson Mail.
The Chair of Radio New Zealand, Richard Griffin, says Thompson is a widely respected and experienced media executive with a track record of achievement and successful leadership. “The Board was encouraged by the quality of those individuals who responded to the request for expressions of interest in the position. The process of selection was thorough and competitive and we are sure we have now appointed a CEO who is ideally versed in the concepts of editorial integrity and executive management that have been the hallmark of Peter Cavanagh’s ten years at the helm.”
Paul Thompson says he feels privileged to be chosen to lead such a respected and influential organisation. “Radio New Zealand plays a pivotal role in New Zealand life and I’m immensely looking forward to the challenge”.
Mr Thompson will take up his new responsibilities with Radio New Zealand later in the year.
