Harold Mitchell Resigns As Chairman Of Free TV Australia

Harold Mitchell Resigns As Chairman Of Free TV Australia

Industry veteran Harold Mitchell has decided to step down as chairman of Free TV Australia.

Mitchell’s resignation comes in the wake of ASIC issuing civil penalty proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia against Mitchell and Stephen Healy, both former directors of Tennis Australia.

The regulator’s case relates to a decision made in 2013 by the Tennis Australia board to award the domestic TV broadcast rights for the Australian Open tournament to Seven for a five-year period without a competitive tender process.

Mitchell said in a statement: “I have advised Free TV this morning that I intend to resign from my position as chairman immediately.

“It is with regret that I have been forced to make this decision following the false accusations by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, which I intend to vigorously defend.

“I am proud of my achievements in my five years with Free TV when we achieved a repeal of the media ownership laws, the scrapping of commercial television licence fees and maintenance of the anti-siphoning list.

“I wish Free TV and its members all the best in the future.”

Both The Australian Financial Review and The Guardian reported yesterday that Mitchell was under pressure to resign as chairman of Free TV.

However Free TV chief executive Bridget Fair told B&T that these reports were incorrect, and that Mitchell “made his own decision in the best interests of FreeTV”.

“It is with great regret that Free TV announces that Mr Harold Mitchell has taken the decision to resign as chairman of Free TV. Harold’s contributions to the industry cannot be overstated,” she said.

“Over the past five years, he has overseen some of the most significant developments in the commercial television sector and delivered superb leadership and advice, for which we are sincerely grateful.

“Harold’s expertise, experience and commitment will be very much missed throughout the organisation. He leaves a lasting and important legacy at Free TV, having significantly changed the industry for the better in his time as chairman.

“Speaking personally, I am very sorry to be losing Harold, who has been an outstanding chairman for Free TV. It has been a great privilege to have the opportunity to work with and learn from a business leader of his calibre with such a deep understanding of commercial television and the wider industry landscape.

“He has been generous with his knowledge, his energy and his time in furthering the interests of Free TV broadcasters and leaves us very well placed for the future.”

One of Australia’s most successful and well-regarded media executives, Mitchell was the founder of Mitchell & Partners and executive chairman of Aegis Media Asia Pacific.

He also founded the Harold Mitchell Foundation and is a major contributor to Australian public life.

Some of the key issues in which Mitchell has played a key role during his tenure as chairman of Free TV include the historic repeal of the media ownership laws, the removal of commercial television licence fees, the transition to digital-only television, defeating the proposal to increase SBS advertising time limits, and maintaining the anti-siphoning list.

“Harold will be sorely missed by Free TV and the commercial television industry,” Fair said.

“We thank him for his outstanding service to the industry and we wish him well.”

ASIC has put forward a string of accusations against Mitchell and Healy, including that the pair withheld information from the Tennis Australia board when it made its decision to award the domestic broadcast rights.

Mitchell is also alleged to have passed on confidential information to Seven about the interest of its competitors in acquiring the rights, as well as downplaying the interests of other parties and encouraging the Tennis Australia board to go with Seven instead of putting the rights out to competitive tender.

In a statement to B&T, a Seven West Media spokesperson said the company was “disappointed” in ASIC’s decision to take court action against Mitchell and Healy.




Please login with linkedin to comment

free tv Free TV Australia Harold Mitchell

Latest News

Marc Collister: AI & Automation Set To Revolutionise Creativity In 2024
  • Opinion

Marc Collister: AI & Automation Set To Revolutionise Creativity In 2024

Marc Collister (pictured) of P2 Content Creators spills the beans on his 2024 predictions drawing from two decades of experience in the advertising, film and television industry. I’m certain it will come as no surprise that in 2024, we can expect our industry to move at breakneck speed again. With even more rapid shifts in […]

Opinion

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Reddit Recap Reveals That Aussies Went Nuts For The Tillies, Eurovision And, Erm, Finance
  • Technology

Reddit Recap Reveals That Aussies Went Nuts For The Tillies, Eurovision And, Erm, Finance

Reddit’s annual Recap report has revealed the issues and moments that captured Australia’s collective mind over 2023 with, naturally, the Matildas featuring high on the list. The inaugural Australia-hosted Women’s World Cup saw Aussies glued to the footy (or, indeed soccer) with one enterprising user capturing the moment that Cortnee Vine scored the winner against […]

Zeno Group Australia Bolsters Client Offerings With An Expanded Creative Services Portfolio & New Senior Leader
  • Marketing

Zeno Group Australia Bolsters Client Offerings With An Expanded Creative Services Portfolio & New Senior Leader

Zeno Australia has announced expanded creative design capabilities and the appointment of Jim Michell (lead image) to its senior leadership team. The new moves support strong growth in the region. Zeno Australia’s clients, including Abano Healthcare, Motorola and Yorkshire Tea, can now tap into a suite of creative design services to augment the agency’s work […]

Spikes Asia Announces Its 2024 Jury Line-Up
  • Marketing

Spikes Asia Announces Its 2024 Jury Line-Up

Spikes Asia, APAC’s most prestigious and sought-after Award for creativity and marketing effectiveness, has revealed its 2024 Jury line-up today. The 93 industry experts from across 18 markets represent APAC’s leading talent from a diverse range of disciplines. 2024 sees the highest representation from brands, including Budweiser, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and, for the first […]

Assembled Media Inks TikTok Creator Campaign for BIC
  • Campaigns

Assembled Media Inks TikTok Creator Campaign for BIC

Assembled Media, is drawing upon the creative power of TikTok Creator Marketplace to help generate unique, impactful content for iconic stationery brand, BIC. The social activation campaign titled ‘A Pen for Every Side of You’ promotes the flexibility of BIC’s 4 Colours pen and is active nationwide on the BIC Stationery TikTok account. The campaign […]

Big data and analytics visualization technology with scientist analyzing information structure on screen with machine learning to extract predictions for business, finance, internet of things
  • Media

IAB Launches Fourth Module In Its Marketing Measurement Innovation Series

IAB Australia has launched ‘Evolution in Market Mix Modelling’, the fourth module in its Marketing Measurement Innovation Series, which has been developed by IAB Australia’s Ad Effectiveness Council. The module explores what is driving the increased use of MMM and how the technique is evolving with advances in computing power and machine learning to provide […]

Aerial view of a coal fired power station with large cooling towers emitting co2 into the atmosphere. With its lights already turned on the power station is illuminated in moody twilight.
  • Media

Scope3 Expands Carbon Measurement Capabilities To Include DOOH Advertising

Scope3, the collaborative sustainability platform leading the decarbonisation of media and advertising,  announced the addition of digital out-of-home (DOOH) to its emissions measurement. With DOOH ad spending predicted to grow from $17B in 2023 to nearly $24B by 2028, measuring this channel brings us one step closer to understanding the total impact of digital advertising […]

January 14, 2023 - New York, New York, USA: 2023 NRF Big Show press conference with Composition 2024 NRF Singapore.    Photo by Ian Wagreich / © Ian Wagreich Photography
  • Marketing

Now Open For Registration – NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific

NRF 2024: Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific, is now open for online registrations for the main conference. Jointly organized by the National Retail Federation and Comexposium, Retail’s Big Show Asia Pacific will take place from 11 – 13 June, 2024 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore and is expected to draw thousands […]

DBC2 Appoints Jason Fisher To Newly Created Role Of CEO
  • Marketing

DBC2 Appoints Jason Fisher To Newly Created Role Of CEO

Following a period of significant client growth, leading auto marketing agency, DBC2 has appointed Jason Fisher (lead image) to the newly created role of CEO. The appointment is part of DBC2’s long term growth strategy ahead of the agency announcing a brand refresh and expanded proposition in early-2024. As a new shareholder of the business, […]

Three New Hires At Amplify
  • Marketing

Three New Hires At Amplify

Extra pressure on Amplify's Nescafé Blend 43 catering tin today with the arrival of three new recruits.

Boomtown’s Final Masterclass Of 2023 Attended By Almost 100 Media Reps
  • Media

Boomtown’s Final Masterclass Of 2023 Attended By Almost 100 Media Reps

Don’t treat regional media as a charity, but a real growth opportunity: That’s the message from Boomtown’s final masterclass of 2023, attended by almost 100 media industry representatives from across the nation. The masterclass was part of a series of educational sessions, delivered by Boomtown, the media collective championing advertising in regional Australia. The sessions […]