Musical Chairs: March 30

ARN appoints Partnerships Director

Greg Tremain began yesterday in the newly created position of Partnerships Director for Australian Radio Network (ARN). Reporting to National Agency Sales Director Matthew Granger, he “will work to strengthen existing, and build new relationships with internal and external stakeholders to create and deliver market leading business solutions for ARN clients.”

Tremain joins from Authentic Entertainment (formally MCM Media), Australia’s largest radio syndicator, where he began in 2004 as Australia and New Zealand rep for VEVO and producer of entertainment brands including Take 40 Australia, My Generation and Live At The Chapel. He launched Authentic’s Brand Partnerships, working in a number of roles, the most recent being Commercial Director where he led a restructure of Authentic’s national sales operation. Before that he was Client Marketing Manager at Austereo.

Changes at APRA AMCOS

Karen Tinman recently joined APRA AMCOS as Senior Marketing & Communications Manager, heading up the Communications and Events team. Tinman has previously held senior marketing roles at Mushroom Group, Modular, EMI Music, Universal Music and Sony Music.

Other recent changes at APRA AMCOS include a restructure of the Membership Department, with the existing Department split into separate and dedicated Writer Services and Publisher Services Departments. Jana Gibson (previously Deputy Director, Communications & Events) has been appointed Director, Writer Services. Meanwhile Catherine Gerrard has been appointed to the position of Director, Publisher Services.

Frank Rodi has been appointed to the newly created position of Innovation & Electronic Music Specialist, Writer Services.

Music SA farewells Elizabeth Reid…

South Australia’s peak music association Music SA has farewelled Digital Marketing Manager Elizabeth Reid after eleven years. She is taking up the dual role of Community Liaison for St Paul’s Creative Centre and Program Officer for the Music Development Office.

She continues as Director of E Major, an Adelaide based project consultancy specialising in the music industry, and continues to record and tour with Adelaide folk-Americana trio Brillig who are returning to the US later this year.

Music SA GM Lisa Bishop stated, “Elizabeth has been a highly valued member of the Music SA team. She is intelligent, extremely productive and a joy to work with … in the last 18 months she has taken on new challenges such as FRUSIC, courses marketing and Umbrella, not to mention our fabulous website and the increased engagement she has achieved through digital promotions.”

Reid began at Music SA as Project Officer for its new website, long before the social media explosion. She oversaw four re-builds, initiated social media profiles and digital content to make it a voice for SA artists and music companies.

… and brings in Lockwood, Worley, Penman

With the departure of Elizabeth Reid, Music SA has brought in a number of new team members. Singer songwriter Skye Lockwood, a member of Auguste, brings along her background in marketing, while singer/songwriter Trent Worley has a track record of community engagement. Luke Penman re-joins Music SA as Project Coordinator for new festival Umbrella – Winter City Sounds.

In addition, publicist Koral Chandler has taken on Music SA as a client. Matt Hayward expands his role in its accredited Music Business Courses.

Chris Coleman back in Canberra

After 15 years at ABC Local radio in Wagga Wagga as breakfast presenter and Regional manager for the Riverina, Chris Coleman has returned to Canberra. He began yesterday (March 29) as new host of 2CC’s drive time Canberra Live.

He replaces Marcus Paul who resigned after 2 ½ years saying, “It’s time to move on to other areas including broadcast journalism in other capacities”.

Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus, new judges at The Voice USA

Alicia Keys and Miley Cyrus are joining as judges for The Voice USA for its eleventh season. Keys replaces Pharrell Williams who is exiting at least for one season, and joined the show in 2014 as Williams’ guest advisor. Cyrus replaces Gwen Stefani. Adam Levine and Blake Shelton are returning. In April, the show’s main rival American Idol will wind up.

Adam Garcia joins smoothfm

Actor, singer and dancer Adam Garcia, who returned to Australia to feature in the new production of Singin’ In The Rain, will this Saturday (April 2) present his second and final show on smoothfm. He’s heard in Sydney, Melbourne and smoothfm DAB+ from 4pm to 5pm.

SCA makes Hobart GM position redundant

Following the scrapping of the General Manager roles in its regional and metro markets including Sydney and Melbourne, Southern Cross Austereo axed the position at the Hobart Media Centre. Damon Wise, who headed SEA and Heart in the city, leaves April 7.

Deezer promotes Aurélien Hérault

Deezer promoted long time exec Aurélien Hérault to VP of Product. With a strong background in technology and digital music, Hérault’s brief is to develop more features to make listeners’ experience more personalised. He joined in 2007 as lead software engineer. He became VP of Engineering in 2008, and VP of Research and Development in 2012.

Red Distribution expands promo, artist development

Red Distribution appointed Trina Tombrink as VP of Promotion & Artist Development in North America, based in New York. She spent the last seven years as VP of Promotion & Artist development at Republic Records, developing the careers of Gotye, Lorde, Florence & The Machine, Of Monsters And Men and most recently, James Bay.

Stacey Lymbery joins ABC

Stacey Lymbery of Sydney community stations Radio Eastside and Wave FM, is new breakfast host with ABC Riverland based in Renmark South Australia.

APRA’s Matt Swayn to chair SA music industry council

APRA AMCOS’ SA Office Manager and Writer Services Representative Matt Swayne is the new Chair of the Music Industry Council (MIC) for South Australia.

Formed in 2014, the MIC works with the Live Music Office to present a unified vision and voice for the SA music industry to other groups and stakeholders, in particular state and local government. In two years it brought in new rules where music venues no longer have to get consent from the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner or Licensing Court to provide entertainment between 11am and midnight; cut building code red tape; and established the Live Music Regulation Roundtable to develop whole of government strategic policy for the SA music sector.

MIC is currently involved in initiatives as Music SA’s Best Practice Guide For Live Music Venues, the Adelaide Live Music Census and the Premier’s 90-Day Change project to deliver best practice regulation for SA. “It’s exciting times in SA as we continue our work to remove regulatory barriers for hosting live music”, Swayne commented.

ABC TV changes leadership structure

As its viewers change their watching behaviour and demand more original content, ABC-TV has revamped its leadership structure in the wake of the departure of Head of Content Adrian Swift earlier this year. The changes reflect a “platform-agnostic approach,” says Director of Television, Richard Finlayson.

All programming (the successful ABC iView, children’s digital and all broadcast TV channels) are now under Audience & Digital. It will be headed by Rebecca Heap, former Head of Strategy and Digital Products. This makes Heap one of the most powerful executives on Australian TV.

Creative responsibilities will be jointly handled by the non-scripted production and scripted production divisions. Head of Programming Brendan Dahill is now Head of Non-Scripted Production, a team which includes the Heads of Arts (Mandy Chang), Factual (Steve Bibb), Entertainment (Jon Casimir) and Events (Justin Holdforth).

The Head of Scripted Production, currently under recruitment and filled for the time being by Finlayson, will oversee ABC drama and will lead the Heads of Indigenous (Sally Riley), Comedy (Rick Kalowski) and Children’s (TBA).

The Head of Children’s and Education role (currently under recruitment) will focus on original content production, and continue to work closely with Children’s programmers in the Audience & Digital team. The role will continue to be responsible for representing ABC Children’s to the global market and local stakeholders.

The reorganisation sees an expanded role for Alastair McKinnon, who will take the role of Deputy Head of Production, which will support all Scripted and Non-Scripted production, particularly in building finance plans and liaising with State and Federal funding agencies. Also being recruited is a new Head of Partnerships and Policy to cover many of Rebecca Heap’s former responsibilities.

Gregg Easton back full-time on radio

Gregg Easton returns to full time radio after four years on April 4, as Acting Content Director of Grant Broadcasters’ Power FM and 2EC on the NSW far south coast. He’ll also pull double duty as the magazine format morning show on 2EC. During his absence, he studied Digital Journalism & Communications at the University of Canberra and the Canberra Institute of Technology.

Pete “Disko” Diskon hangs up headphones

After 39 years, Pete “Disko” Diskon is retiring from the radio industry, citing health reasons and wanting to spend more time with his family. We suspect his long time championing of the Richmond Tigers and Batemans Bay Seahawks will remain unwavering. His last day, presenting the 2EC morning show for 2EC on the NSW South Coast is April 8.

James Hewison at ACMI

James Hewison takes over as Head of Film Programs at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) from April 4. He replaces Richard Sowada, who departed last September after nine years. “James is one of the best film programmers around; he has a bold curatorial vision, extensive experience across the film industry and an exceptional track record of successes,” said ACMI Director and CEO Katrina Sedgwick.

Hewison was most recently Head of Development and Acquisitions at film production house Curious. With a background in film and journalism, he was Executive Director of the Melbourne International Film Festival, CEO of the Australian Film Institute, Theatrical Distribution Manager for Madman Entertainment, Victorian Marketing Manager at the ABC and working in Exhibition, Programming and Marketing at Palace Cinemas.

Four new owners for Geelong venue

Shaun Aspinall, Ian Nichols, Daniel O’Donoghue and Thomas Ward are new owners of Irish Murphy’s, in Geelong in Victoria. Apparently some of the locals turned up and helped them revamp the place, which they intend to become a social hub. Live music is part of the mix, initially with Sunday afternoon sessions.

Irish directors join Filmgraphics

Sydney production company Filmgraphics has been joined by award winning Irish directors John O’Hagan and Lorcan Finnegan, both with roots in comedy.

Laura McGoldrick back on NZ radio

Just a few months after her emotional farewell to the Hauraki Breakfast, Laura McGoldrick is back on NZ radio. She’s heard on mornings at ZM, filling in as co-host for Megan Sellers who is undergoing hip surgery.