Greg Hywood has been appointed independent chairman for peak industry body Free TV Australia.
Hywood was previously CEO of Fairfax Media from 2011 to 2018, overseeing its takeover by Nine Entertainment.
During his time at Fairfax, Hywood shifted the business from an advertising-based model, to one that relied evenly between advertising and subscription revenue. He also oversaw heavy job cuts as the publisher restructured from 2017.
“Free of charge to all Australians, commercial television is highly valued by the community; even more so through these stressful times,” Hywood says.
“It is the major investor in Australian entertainment content and is a centrepiece of our creative economy. As a trusted source of news and current affairs, free to air television provides a critical role in keeping our community open and transparent. I am excited by the opportunity to champion such an important contributor to our culture and economy.”
In his role at the industry body, Hywood will work closely with CEO Bridget Fair on issues affecting the sector.
“He [Hywood] has shown that he has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the Free TV sector and the media landscape more broadly,” Fair says.
“There is no doubt he will add significant insight and value to the work of Free TV in supporting and advancing the important contribution commercial television makes to Australia’s culture and economy.”
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