Musical Chairs: February 22

UMPG APPOINTS WALTER JONES VP OF CREATIVE

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) has appointed Walter Jones VP of Creative, joining its global A&R team. The one-time international DJ proved his deep relationships with the artistic community when he was VP of Urban A&R at Sony/ATV.

There he signed such writers and producers as ASAP Rocky, ASAP Ferg, Pusha T, Alessia Cara, Kid Ink and DJ Marley Waters who co-produced Tinashe’s hit song 2 On.

He is well known for putting together writing sessions that generate hit singles, such as Usher’s Climax and Let Me See, Chris Brown’s Back To Sleep,and Pusha T and DJ Yogi’s Burial, which has generated $1 million in sync revenue.

TOM & OLLY TO HOST NEW TRIPLE M SHOW

Triple M has begun a three-hour night show for Sydney and Melbourne, to be hosted by comedy duo Tom & Olly. The pair did their radio training on Star FM Albury-Wodonga.

The show will broadcast Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7pm to 10pm.

ARN BRINGS BACK ANDY PROCOPIS FOR SYD, BRIS

Australian Radio Network has brought back Andy Procopis as Integration Manager, working with brands and platforms across Sydney and Brisbane. He worked at the network between 2012 and 2015. His CV also includes stints at SCA, Bauer Media (UK) and most recently Ensemble.

GLASSNOTE EXPANDS EUROPEAN PRESENCE

US label Glassnote Records’ UK operations, which opened in 2013, is expanding its digital marketing and streaming strategy across Europe. Heading the team is Lauren Fitzgerald, most recently at Twitter and before that at Columbia UK where she worked on campaigns for George Ezra, Rag’N’Bone Man, Mark Ronson, First Aid Kit and Leon Bridges.

Glassnote signed Mumford & Sons, Givers, Phoenix and Little Green Cars in the US. Fitzgerald will work closely with Glassnote’s Head of Digital, Stephanie Shim, on the label’s worldwide roster.

NEW COMMISSIONING EDITOR FOR NITV

Cieron Cody this week began as new Commissioning Editor for SBS’ ten-year-old Indigenous channel NITV.

Wiradjuri man Cody has over 10 years’ experience in the film industry and community sector. He worked at Screen Queensland as Manager and Acting Director of Development, and Vice President of Development and Production.

Australia’s First Nations and Torres Strait Island people, he says, are “people of rich insight, incredible talent and compelling voices.”

BRYCE RUTHVEN AT WSFM SYDNEY

The Australian Radio Network-owned WSFM’s flagship breakfast show Jonesy & Amanda gets a new producer and panel operator on March 6.

Bryce Ruthven returns to Sydney after a two-year stint in Queensland hosting the breakfast show at Hitz 939 Bundaberg, where he was nominated for national and Queensland media awards.

BBC LIVE MUSIC LOSES ITS CHIEF

Yet another UK radio identity has been head-hunted by a digital company. This time it is BBC veteran Jason Carter who is leaving, for a Director’s position at an unspecified new initiative at Amazon.

Carter, who joined the broadcaster in 1997, spearheaded its move to live music events and concert coverage. He set up the BBC Stage at the Glastonbury festival in 2007, which provided exposure for 600 new acts, and in recent times oversaw the delivery all of the BBC’s live music events and concert coverage across BBC Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 2 and 6 Music.

NEW SATURDAY BREAKFAST TEAM AT HIT107

Hit107 Adelaide’s new Saturday breakfast team is made up of former TV weather presenterAmelia Mulcahy, comedian James McCann and Adelaide identity Andrew Hayes.

SPIRIT MUSIC TAPS FILM, TV, MUSIC

Spirit Music Group appointed Angie Maggini as its Los Angeles-based VP of Film and TV Music. She will tap opportunities for the company’s writing roster in films, television and trailers.

She previously headed film and TV music licensing at Global Entertainment, which last September entered into an administration and co-publishing deal with Spirit for the US, UK and Canada. Global’s roster includes Ellie Goulding, Corinne Bailey Rae, Jungle, The Script, LMFAO, The Vaccines, The Vamps, The Horrors, Coin and Mike Taylor.

PAUL WOJTASIAK BACK IN WA

After a stint at Chilli FM Launceston, Paul Wojtasiak is back in Mandurah, WA, taking on Assistant Music Director and 7pm–to-midnight presenter duties at Coast FM. He’s worked in three states in three years, including NSW.

SENIOR HIRES AT THRIVE PR

Thrive PR announced four new senior hires. Kristi McDonough– aone-time state rep in rowing, hockey and snowboarding – becomes Associate Director in the Brisbane office.

Amanda Gormley and Kim McMillan join the Sydney operations as Senior Account Director and Account Director respectively.

Former journalist Lucinda Kennedy (née East) will lead Thrive’s Auckland office.

SPENCER HOWSON POPS UP ON PODCAST

Former longtime ABC Radio Brisbane breakfast presenter Spencer Howson has joined Anthony Frangi’s event podcasting company Pop Up Radio. The company also has radio identities Loretta Ryan, Lexi Hamilton-Smith and Ian Skippen.

NEW MARKETING HEAD AT DENDY

Scott Mota is the new Head of Marketing at the Dendyindependent cinema chain and its on-demand platform Dendy Direct. The entertainment veteran of 20 years was most recently marketing chief at Freeview, where he launched campaigns for the OTT service FreeviewPlus and mobile app Freeview FV, as well as spearheading the successful “Keeping up with the Freemans” TV campaign.

Mota’s predecessor, Kate Stapleton, who had the role for eight years, is moving interstate.

TRIPLE M NAMES EP FOR NRL, CRICKET

As it expands its coverage in 2017, Triple M Sydney has placed former NSW Blues player and Nine’s EP of cricket coverage, Brad McNamara, into its newly created role of Executive Producer – NRL & Cricket.

LIZA LIM AT SYDNEY CON

Australian composer Liza Lim joins the University of Sydney’s Conservatorium of Music to mentor and grow the prominence of women composers in Australia.

Professor Lim has been commissioned by the likes of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, BBC Symphony, and Germany’s WestdeutscherRundfunk and SudwestRundfunk orchestras, and was composer-in-residence with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra from 2005 to 2007.

She will work alongside composers including Prof Matthew Hindson, Carl Vine and Dr Paul Stanhope, and will help develop the next edition of the national women composers’ development program set up at the Conservatorium last year.