Hollands Returns to Lead Newspaper Works

CEO Tony Hale has left Australian newspaper industry body The Newspaper Works and is replaced from today by Mark Hollands, who previously led PANPA, the Pacific Area association which merged into it.

Hollands was PANPA's CEO until May 2012, and brings research experience which will help with his new remit to get the long-awaited Readership Works metric launched. A former foreign editor, technology editor and circulation manager of The Australian, Hollands was also MD of web startup Beenz.com in 1998, and Asia Pacific Sales Director of Dow Jones.

No explanation has been given for the departure of Hales, an ad agency man who launched Newspaper Works in 2006. However, current Chairman Kim Williams, who is CEO of News Limited, paid tribute to his 'energetic work and dedication' and added: 'Tony has led The Newspaper Works through a period of great transformation for its publisher members.' Of the return of Hollands, Williams said: 'Mark will take the organisation forward at a time when the media companies are investing in new relevant ways for the provision of journalism and a rich diversity of products from it.'

He added: 'Mark will also oversee the introduction of our sector's new readership measurement system - The Readership Works. This new transparent system will be an important step forward for the sector with a contemporary approach which reframes data on readership and engagement in an integrated way seamlessly binding print and digital consumption for our customers. It will provide advertisers with a much more accurate picture of what people are actually consuming across all platforms - print, online, smartphones and tablets.'

Hollands himself commented: 'It is essential the sector has strong representation ensuring society values our products and understands the transformation that is blending valuable print assets with exciting new digital ventures and innovations in delivering refreshed offerings to a vast community of users.'

Web site: www.thenewspaperworks.com.au .