SBS exec to exit after 6 years
Exclusive: Bruce Meagher, currently Director, Strategy and Communications for SBS, will be departing the broadcaster after his contract expires.
- Published by David Knox
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EXCLUSIVE: Bruce Meagher, currently Director, Strategy and Communications for SBS, has indicated to SBS staff that will be departing the broadcaster after his contract expires later this year.
Meagher has been with SBS for six years responsible for the development of corporate strategy, external communications and policy development. He is currently managing his second Triennial Funding submission for the broadcaster.
A source told TV Tonight Meagher was expected to see the submission through. SBS is heavily reliant on a positive outcome from the May federal budget.
Prior to joining SBS Meagher was Head of Public Affairs, Asia Pacific for Visa International and has previously held senior executive positions dealing with government, regulation, media and investor relations at Austar and Optus.
An exit date has not been announced.
SBS has seen a number of changes in senior management across 2011.
Jane McMillan, Manager of Corporate Communications, will also be departing at the end of February, but recruitment is currently underway.
6 Responses
Seems like Michael Ebeid is just sweeping out Shaun Brown’s old henchmen. Either way, I feel Ebeid wants to take SBS in a different direction.
@MikeRetter – respectfully, sir, you know not of what you speak. What Meagher did had nothing to do with their programming / commercial side at all. Meagher is a seriously talented guy, one of the best respected strategy minds in the country, and will be a big loss to SBS, I’d guess.
Third director in how many months?
Glad to see him go! SBS has gone down hill over , lets say, the last 6 years. Their commercial strategy has backfired and now they want a handout. there will be no handout until SBS repents for serving the public poorly.
Ronnie,you’re right when you say they are in need of solid leadership in, there hasnt been any solid direction that can be seen from them in some time. The funding issue is a curious point because they are a national broadcaster which for some time has scraped through on their charter, but on the other hand they dont get the funding from government that the ABC does and at the same time they are niche broadcaster – so they need a good mix of wide appeal and public television in their schedule. Fingers-crossed they can find their feet soon and hope that government really does value SBS as it should.
The executive musical chairs is all about the seismic changes going on in our industry right now. What does the future hold for SBS? They really need additional funding to get back to core national broadcaster commissions in factual in drama. The previous regime has left SBS in a strange no-mans land trying to be a “little bit” commercial. They are desperate for strong leadership, but even then, maybe they should be merged with the ABC and programme a couple of SBS channels instead of doubling up on infrastructure and very silly low-cost, schedule filling games shows.