CEO of TV3 owner MediaWorks resigns

Brent Impey, Mediaworks chief executive. Photo / Chris Skelton

Brent Impey is standing down as chief executive of MediaWorks NZ Ltd, owner of TV3, at the end of the year.

Chairman Brent Harman said the company would in future have chief executives of its radio and television divisions reporting to the board, and would not be appointing a replacement group chief executive.

The chief executive of MediaWorks Radio will be Sussan Turner, currently chief operating officer of the division. A search process is under way for the chief executive of MediaWorks TV.

"The business is in very good shape and so it's a case of business as usual for the company," said Mr Harman.

Mr Impey had concluded it was an appropriate time to step back from the day-to-day operations of the business and would be a part time consult until early 2011.

"I am pleased that I have been able to develop a very strong management team and I step down from the chief executive role knowing that I will be leaving the company in good hands," Mr Impey said.

"I am very proud of the management team I've built up. I believe they are the best in the business and I'm grateful for their loyalty and support over the last decade."

A decade as a chief executive was an impressive innings in any business and in the media business it was quite spectacular, Mr Harman said.

"Brent has been a passionate broadcaster for most of his career, and his love of the media business has shone through in his time with MediaWorks.

"From his passionate belief in media freedom to recognising the importance of clients, hiring great staff, and being fiercely competitive, Brent has made an enormous contribution to the broadcasting landscape in New Zealand. For that the board is grateful, and thanks Brent for his hard work," he said.

MediaWorks NZ is a subsidiary of HT Media Holdings Ltd.

It owns and operates the TV3 and C4 television networks, national radio brands The Edge, The Rock, More FM, Kiwi FM, RadioLIVE, BSport, Solid Gold, The Breeze and Mai FM, plus several local radio stations.

- NZPA