Musical Chairs: New chief for Beatport; Radio veteran Steve Brown joins SCA; Appleby takes over 6IX; MTV exec shifts to YouTube; Bengloff steps down at A2IM

Steve Brown SCA’s new digital sales & opp director

Steve Brown(pictured) is Southern Cross Austereo’s new Director of Digital Sales and Operations, taking over from August 27. Brown has a 10-year radio career in Australia (Australian Radio Network, Nova Entertainment) and the US (Clear Channel). In the last five years, he has been working in the digital sphere. He led product, vendor and commercial innovation, grew the sales team at e-commerce start-up The Catch Group, and fronted the digital development with News Corp.

SCA Director of Digital and Innovation, Vijay Solanki, said: “Steve will build on the great work achieved and take us to the next level. He will continue our drive in programmatic and drive the sales growth of our digital assets.” Brown replaces James Bayes who left this month.

New chief for Beatport

As part of a restructure global EDM empire SFX Entertainment founder Robert F.X. Sillerman has named its President and COO Greg Consiglio as President and CEO of Beatport. The one time DJ store will continue its expansion as a platform that includes music streaming, original video production, festival live streaming and editorial coverage.

In a broader restructure to bring the brand-level operations to the local and regional level, Sillerman made Wouter Tavecchio CEO of SFX Europe while Jeroen Jansen, Creative Director of SFX Live North America, will relocate to Los Angeles where SFX will consolidate several of its offices.

Appleby takes over

Larry Appleby is now head on 6IX Perth weeknights from 8pm, replacing Brian Lehman who retired. Appleby is based in Canberra and also heard on 2CA Forever Classic and 2GN Goulburn.

MTV executive shifts to YouTube

Susanne Daniels, who quit as President of Programming at MTV USA after three years, is at YouTube as Vice President of Originals, overseeing development and production of its growing cachet of original productions. At MTV Daniels refocussed programming to a younger demographic but ratings continued to go south as the age group turns more to digital for its entertainment.

MTV upped main scriptwriter Mina Lefevre to EVP of Scripted Development and Programming, a growing part of its content.

Parent company Viacom also replaced Tom Calderone with Chris McCarthy from MTV2 as GM of VH1. Viacom has reorganised its music and entertainment divisions, jettisoning many of its top execs (including MTV head Van Toffler after 28 years) for a saving of $350 million a year.

Greg Hinks back in Brisbane

Former Adelaide MIX 102.3 breakfast host Greg Hinks is back in Brisbane as new nights announcer on Magic 882. His predecessor, Chris Rieger, is back to Geelong, Victoria, at K Rock/Bay FM.

Optus brand, comm, change

Taking over as Head of Brand and Communications at Optus is Corin Dimopoulos, from the marketing division at 21st Century Fox.

ArtsACT to name temporary director

ArtsACT will this week name a temporary Director while the ACT Government continues a search for a $200,000-a-year replacement for David Whitney who left his post after eight years on July 10. In the meantime the role is run by Gary Rake, Deputy Director General of arts, business, events, sport and tourism within the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate.

Rich Bengloff steps down at A2IM

After eight years as its President, Rich Bengloff is stepping down at independent music trade body A2IM. During his tenure, he lobbied Government figures, increasing the profile of indie music, rallied for more equitable licensing terms for its 360 label and 150 service provider members, and oversaw the establishment of music’s first government-funded export trade programmes.

Zach Mander joins Sam & Dom at hit105

Zach Mander, of social media hit comedy ensemble Collective Noun, now also as a regular on-air radio presence. He joins fellow-Collective Nouners Sam Borgert and Dom Fay on hit105 Brisbane’s new Sunday night show.

ABC expands international program sales under Iffland

The ABC continues to expand the international sales of programs under experienced TV exec Tony Iffland. The new GM of ABC Content Sales was previously Head of TV at SBS, which he left early 2015 after three years.

New name for SBS online

Ben Naparstek is new Head of Editorial, Online and Emerging Platforms. The 28-year-old wunderkind was Editor of Fairfax Media’s lifestyle title Good Weekend since 2012 and before, edited politics and culture magazine The Monthly.

Endemol Shine Australia’s new team lays out launch team

From October, the launch team of the merged content producer and distributor Endemol Shine Group will, under CEOs Mark and Carl Fennessy, include Peter Newman as MD of the unscripted team and Margaret Bashfield its Supervising Executive Producer. Producers of drama content are John Edwards, Imogen Banks, Mimi Butler and Kerrie Mainwaring. Sara Horn is MD of Production and Operations, Chris Fry its Chief Financial Officer, Scott Howard its Commercial Director, Elliot Spencer the Director of Development and Creative Services and Leanne McDonnell as Head of Human Resources.

Radio names in rebooted Celebrity Apprentice

Among the cast of Nine’s rebooted Celebrity Apprentice, dumped in 2013 for ho-hum ratings, will be radio/TV’s Sophie Monk, James Mathison, former 2DAY FM presenter Mel Greig and US gossip contributor Richard Reid.

Expanded role for Junkee Media sales exec

Youth focused digital publisher Junkee Media’s media agency sales are now represented by Content Sales Manager Samantha Bradford after bringing it back in-house from MCN.

New PM for Melbourne Queer Film Festival

Spiro Economopoulos fills the newly created Program Manager spot at the Melbourne Queer Film Festival. It cited his passion for queer film, extensive knowledge of movies and experience in programming festivals. Economopoulos curated films for eight years at ACMI, was at Madman Entertainment, is Programming Manager at the Dungog Festival and film and arts writer for Melbourne Star Observer.