NBN Television chief executive Deborah Wright has been replaced by her Brisbane counterpart Kylie Blucher, who will take over as managing director of both stations.
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Hugh Marks, the chief executive of parent company Nine Entertainment Co., announced that Ms Blucher had taken the reins at NBN and Ms Wright would become Nine’s Director of Regional Strategy.
As well as managing director of NBN, Ms Blucher will continue as boss at Nine’s Brisbane television station QTQ.
“I’ll be splitting my time between Brisbane and Newcastle,” Ms Blucher told the Newcastle Herald.
Ms Wright joined NBN in 1983 and had been chief executive of the station since 2007.
She said she wanted the company to produce “more local quality content across all platforms”.
“It has been a wonderful privilege working in regional media for the past 30 years and I’m thrilled that the value my experience brings to the greater business needs at this point in time has created this very special role opportunity,” she said.
Mr Marks also announced Nine would launch digital channels 9HD and 9Life in the Hunter. Ms Blucher said NBN News would continue in its current one-hour nightly format.
“From my perspective, I’m not going to mess with that formula,” Ms Blucher said.
The Herald understands news staff were told of the appointment on Monday.
Nine Entertainment’s predecessor PBL Media made Ms Wright chief executive in 2007 when it bought NBN from SP Telemedia for $250 million.
“I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to work with the incredibly professional NBN team who have set the benchmark in regional broadcasting for near on 54 years,” Ms Blucher said.
“Deborah has spearheaded NBN’s commitment and support of the Northern NSW region.”
NBN began broadcasting in the Hunter in 1962.
