The Premium Content Alliance is in the middle of its first major restructure since it was formed in late 2020, when ThinkTV and News Media Works merged, according to industry sources.
Insiders told AdNews that key staff of the industry body for the big end of town will lose their roles with the digital arm, ThinkPremiumDigital, being retired.
Two of the original three arms of the organisation, looking after television and news brands, remain.
This is seen as inevitable as the industry group changes to mirror the daily priorities of its members, with digital being embedded in business as usual rather than needing special representation.
AdNews has sought comment from alliance CEO Kim Portrate.
Sources say those leaving include former industry journalist Brooke Hemphill, the head of communications, Claire Williams, head of marketing, who moved two years ago from food and beverage giant Lion, and Steve Weaver, head of research, a former OzTAM chair.
The industry grouping plans just two flavours, ThinkTV and ThinkNewsBrands, the digital part now embedded in each, instead of three.
The owners, the major news producers in Australia (News Corp, Nine, Seven West Media, Paramount), saw a separate digital arm as redundant, the source said.
Foxtel, an original stakeholder, has decided to exit the alliance and ThinkTV.
The remaining member companies are all building their digital side as an integrated plan, taking in all formats of news, rather than a separate play.
Market analysts, as print advertising revenues slide, put more emphasis on how much of a media player’s revenue comes from digital.
Nine Entertainment in February reported that its digital revenue had grown 8% to 44% of group revenue. And in publishing that proportion is more than 60%.
The media group sees growth in digital as strengthening its competitive position.
At Seven West, digital now accounts for about 40% of group earnings.
Seven is focused on building “a more diversified media organisation” and on being “audience led and digital first”.
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