Well, it’s clearly game on at Ten now. The curious question is given all the cuts to their Newsrooms toward the end of 2012 are they expecting the same amount of people to now do more work, or will they resource their teams such that they can be competitive with their commercial and government-funded rivals so that they then have the chance to be taken more seriously (again)? Hopefully this doesn’t mean the rise of any public affairs clones from Ten. From the press release:
Network Ten today announced the appointment of Peter Meakin as Executive Director of News and Current Affairs.
Mr Meakin will report to Chief Executive Officer, Hamish McLennan, and will be responsible for the network’s News and Current Affairs programming. Mr McLennan said: “Peter is a legend of the Australian television industry and the best television news and current affairs executive this country has ever produced. Across a career that has spanned more than four decades, Peter has changed the way news and current affairs are presented on television and has been the driving force behind myriad iconic programs.”
“He has an extraordinary news sense and an ability to bring stories to viewers that no one else in Australia can match. Peter’s appointment to Ten further demonstrates our commitment to employing industry-best talent. It also marks a new era in the way we will develop, produce and present our news and current affairs programs.”
Mr Meakin said: “It was a great 10 years at Seven, but nothing lasts forever. “Ten and Hamish are ultra-keen for the network to make a bigger name for itself in news and public affairs. I am really excited to be part of that initiative. I have many friends at Ten, whose work I value highly. My challenge is to give good people the opportunity to perform even better,” he said.
Mr Meakin’s remarkable career includes 30 years at Nine Network, where he was responsible for programs such as National Nine News, 60 Minutes, A Current Affair, Sunday and Today, taking them to number one.
He repeated that success during his 10 years at Seven Network, driving the success of Seven News, Today Tonight, Sunday Night, Sunrise and other key programs. Mr Meakin resigned as Director of News and Current Affairs in November 2012 and moved into an advisory role with the network.
In 2002, Mr Meakin won the Walkley Award for Leadership in Journalism, one of the most prestigious award in the Australian media industry.
Network Ten’s Head of News and Current Affairs, Anthony Flannery, will report to Mr Meakin.