Amanda Laing has departed Nine Entertainment as part of a restructure.
Laing had been Nine’s managing director of its broadcast and streaming divisions, a role which covered Channel 9 and streaming services 9Now and Stan.
B&T understands that her departure came as part of a wider restructure.
She had been in the role for 18 months, returning to Nine in April last year following a six-year stint at Foxtel.
Laing joined Nine after its groundbreaking cultural review which revealed there were systemic abuses and bullying within its TV division.
According to anonymous sources in the Nine-owned Australian Financial Review, the decision for Laing to exit was signed off at a Nine board meeting on Tuesday.
Laing was a fixture on the B&T Women in Media Power List and was responsible for merging the 9Now and Stan teams.
She also had a hand in the future news initiative, which sought to streamline its broadcast news operations with fewer staff, consolidated tech platforms and greater efficiency.
In a statement, Nine Entertainment CEO Matt Stanton said:
“Streaming and Broadcast was established as a division 18 months ago to bring together Channel 9, 9Now and Stan for the first time. This was an important milestone and is critical to the broader success of Nine.
“Under Amanda Laing’s leadership, a significant amount has been achieved. This includes a content strategy that has delivered audience and subscription growth; first-of-their-kind content extensions from Channel 9/9Now onto Stan, MAFS: After the Dinner Party and The Block: The House Next Door; record breaking rugby league and Australian Open audiences; and significant rights acquisitions like the rugby league, Premier League, Netball, and National Basketball League.
“Our industry is changing at pace and we are operating in an increasingly competitive market. As a result, I will be making some structural changes. The Managing Director of Streaming and Broadcast role held by Amanda will not exist in its current form and accordingly, Amanda will sadly be departing the business. For now, I will be working with the Streaming and Broadcast leadership team directly and overseeing the leadership of this division. Amanda has agreed to remain available for a handover period to the end of the month.
“For now, it remains business as usual. On behalf of the Executive Team, I’d like to genuinely thank Amanda for everything she has achieved and pioneered at Nine over the past 18 months. She has challenged new ways of thinking, championed her division, and has achieved a great deal for Nine.”
