SBS Radio has seen a shake up of its management structure over the past six months as new Head of Radio Paula Masselos begins a series of new initiatives. After abolishing several positions, two new senior staff, Mark Cummins and Christoph Wimmer-Kleikamp have been recruited as part of the latest changes.
In a memo to staff announcing the changes Masselos wrote:
“Not only do we need to enhance our existing offering and grow our audience, but we must also prepare for the dawning of the digital radio era. The recently released Five Year Plan for Radio, developed with your cooperation and input, is our roadmap in helping us all meet these challenges together.
“The new Senior Management Structure announced in March of this year is a
critically important first step on this exciting journey of renewal and
growth. I believe we have attracted a highly skilled, enthusiastic and
committed team and I look forward to having them join us.”
Mark Cummins fills the position of Content Manager, with the goal of working closely with broadcasters “to build
new and dynamic programming with broad, national appeal.”
Since 2004 Cummins has been the Head of English language programming at the
international and multicultural arm of the Swedish Radio in Stockholm. Prior
to joining Swedish Radio he worked as a producer and director of news and
documentaries for broadcasters in Japan, Sweden and the UK.
Cummins says SBS has been special to him since its fledgling broadcasts
started in Brisbane:
“Living and working in Europe, which struggles with the challenges of increasing cultural diversity, I have come to appreciate the vitally important role SBS Radio plays in Australia. I’m excited about this new challenge and I look forward to the chance to work with such a pioneering group of broadcast professionals. Radio has been renewed and invigorated by the internet and I am eager to explore and exploit the potential digital radio will bring in 2009.”
Christoph Wimmer-Kleikamp is the new Quality & Standards Manager, coming back to SBS Radio after a 2 year sojourn where he completed his PhD
and worked with the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation and National German TV station ZDF.
Wimmer-Kleikamp says he is “delighted” to be returning to Australia to once again work at SBS Radio:
“It is an exciting time to be re-joining SBS Radio, and I am passionate
about the opportunities the recent changes and restructure can bring to SBS
Radio and its staff. I look forward to working closely with my colleagues
in moving SBS Radio into this exciting new future”