Interactive publisher
Canada
Interactive publisher
Canada
Can it really be 30 years ago that I got into the media business? Where did the time go?
I've had a great time in broadcasting and print publishing but nothing compares with the excitement of working online. It's the best of all the other media rolled into one instantaneous, interactive, global, multimedia communications channel. Make that thousands of channels.
And now, instead of talking to the "users", we're talking with them. Fantastic.
During the 1980s I sailed across the Pacific on my 38' yacht, training broadcasters in several countries, and consulting to a highly successful commercial radio network.
After arriving in New Zealand in 1991, I worked as a freelance writer. I also ran training courses for South African journalists after the end of apartheid in the mid 1990s.
In early 2000 I became the founding editor of nzherald.co.nz, the online edition of the New Zealand Herald. When I left nzherald in October 2006 it was profitable and attracting about 1.7 million users per month.
While living in New Zealand I completed a qualification in adult education, and several courses in management at the University of Auckland Graduate School of Business.
Since 2007 I have been Assistant Managing Editor - Digital at the Toronto Star, Canada's largest newspaper. My job includes responsibility for thestar.com, yourhome.ca, healthzone.ca and parentcentral.ca.
Online content strategy, news media management, journalism, online publishing, radio programming and production, teaching and coaching.
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Newspapers industry)
July 2007 — Present (1 year 4 months)
Responsible for digital editorial operations at Canada's largest newspaper.
(Public Company; 501-1000 employees; Online Media industry)
February 2000 — October 2006 (6 years 9 months)
Managed a team of ten at the online edition of the New Zealand Herald newspaper, publishing over 1000 items of content every week.
The nzherald site was New Zealand's most popular online news service, with over 1.7 million unique users and 27 million page impressions per month.
(Partnership; 1-10 employees; Broadcast Media industry)
January 1989 — April 1996 (7 years 4 months)
Contracts included:
Radio news training for the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (South Africa) during the transition from apartheid following the 1994 election.
Radio news training for the Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association, conducting training and consultancies at radio services in a dozen countries.
Programming consulting and training for Communications Fiji Ltd, operator of three highly successful commercial FM stations.
Corporate writing, freelance editing and web management for commercial and non-profit clients
Freelance writing for print publications. Pacific correspondent for broadcast industry monthly Radio World
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Broadcast Media industry)
March 1983 — February 1987 (4 years)
(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Broadcast Media industry)
January 1982 — December 1982 (1 year)
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Broadcast Media industry)
June 1979 — December 1981 (2 years 7 months)
(Public Company; 51-200 employees; Broadcast Media industry)
December 1977 — October 1978 (11 months)
Post Grad Dip Business, Business Administration, 2005 — 2008
Cert Higher Education, Teaching Adults, 1996 — 1996
B.Sc., 1973 — 1976
online publishing, interactive media, journalism, citizen journalism, user-generated content, blogging, web 2.0, broadcasting
Online News Association
* Qantas Award: Best online news service in NZ,
* Netguide Award: Best online news service in NZ,
* PC World Readers' Choice Award: Best online news service in NZ,
* Wallace Award: Best online coverage of 2002 NZ election,
* Association of Blind Citizens award for nzherald.co.nz audio news service.