MediaWorks appoints former Nine Network executive Ian Audsley as their Executive Director of TV

MediaWorks NZ Ltd today announced the appointment of Ian Audsley as Executive Director, TV. Mr Audsley, formerly Chief Operating Officer of the Nine Network in Australia, will join the Board of MediaWorks NZ Ltd and commence work in January.

Mr Audsley, 48, has a distinguished almost 20 year record of management in Australian television, having been operations head for two regional television stations, Deputy Managing Director of Network Seven’s Melbourne station and Director of Operations for the Seven Network, culminating in being a Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Nine Network in Sydney.

Ian Audsley said he is looking forward to working with the leadership team at MediaWorks TV.

“I accepted this role based on commitment from the Board that they want to grow and develop this business.    The Board sees substantial opportunities for innovation, particularly in the digital and online environment.  My focus will be on just that – growing the business and capitalising on the new opportunities that exist for leading media organisations like MediaWorks.”

The Chairman, Brent Harman, said: “Ian has an impeccable track record in televsion management and he impressed me and the Board with his understanding of the role that television will play in the future and his vision for our business.  He has accepted appointment as Executive Director, MediaWorks TV for 12 months.

“Our intention is to recruit a suitably qualified executive to work with Ian and eventually take over the running of the TV business.”

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  • Rachel

    From The Australian (March 2008):

    “NINE’S chief operating officer Ian Audsley was not the most popular man at the network, so there were no tears this week when chief executive David Gyngell told staff Audsley was leaving on April 9.

    Since the former station manager was elevated to the role of chief hatchet man by Sam Chisholm in May 2005, he has played a role in many a drama. It was Audsley who famously refused to pay for the broadcast of Graham Kennedy’s funeral, a decision later reversed because of bad publicity. A month later Audsley appeared to enjoy sacking a raft of middle management, including Steve Wood and Glenn Pallister.”

    And also this:

    THE Nine Network’s former chief operating officer (and axe-wielder) Ian Audsley has turned up at Lexicon Partners, a Sydney-based advisory and investment firm… Audsley, who was seen inside Nine as former chief Sam Chisholm’s hatchet man, left the network earlier this month… Audsley, who is also one of the nation’s most highly qualified martial arts experts, often did Chisholm’s dirty work when staff needed to be told they were surplus to requirements.

  • Rachel

    So… should MediaWorks staff be scared, very scared of this martial arts axe-wielder who gets rid of people from companies?

  • monreve

    really bad choice – look out TV3 he’s about to drive an axe through the building – what a terrible terrible person to come to NZ – let alone TV3.

  • coloursofthelaidoff

    Impey would not cut deep enough, so he has been replaced.

    Time to say Goodbye to Sunrise and possibly Campbell Live. Interactive will be outsourced to MSN, or Yahoo, which is probably a good idea, because TV3 underperforms badly in this category.

    Ian is here for 12 months while he reenacts a scene from Texas chainsaw massacre (or in his case, an R18 Karate Kid). That way staff moral isn’t against the new CEO when they arrive at a much slimmer/ anorexic Mediaworks in 12 months time. Note to employees: Ian does not/ has never cared what you think of him.

    Right now TV3 is suffering at the hands of Ironbridge, which leveraged itself to hell to buy Mediaworks in the first place. Now it can’t make the interest payments on the dodgy loan it used, and it doesn’t want to sell the company (whole) and take the right down on the asset (thus letting their shareholders know that they overpaid in the first place).

    That said, TV3ers if you really want someone to blame. Brent Impey is on the top floor (although probably not for much longer). He made the right decision for shareholders when he recommended they sell Mediaworks to Ironbridge (and subsequently got a massive bonus, which the NZ Herald claims was in the multi-millions).

    Mediaworks Radio can breathe easy, for now. Sussan did the ultimate bloodletting, so she gets to stay. 

    Merry Christmas TV3ers,

  • bobscoffee

    And we thought things were bad at TVNZ…

  • regan

    I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see an MSN deal considering the relationship the previous employer, Nine, has in Australia.

  • Rachel

    He looks scary, even in his publicity photo.  If I worked at MediaWorks, I’d be afraid.

    coloursofthelaidoff: Sunrise quite possibly but Campbell Live is going a bit far, isn’t it?

  • monreve

    apparently he likes to surf ! so i guess from a distance the best thing would be someone to take him to the beach and send him out in a massive rip – so he floats back to australia – where he belongs !

  • monreve

    if i worked at TV3 – I would be getting my hands on the book “who killed channel nine ”  there’s some lovely stuff in there about this guy – and from memory there is a great quote from eddie mcguire and some more… !

  • Rachel

    Thanks for the tip, getting a copy in from the library!

  • ell

    very good read that book

  • Rachel

    In the Herald today he says “Never mind what you read about me on Google”, didn’t have his sights set on cuts and had no pre-determined view on Sunrise.  We shall see!