Greg Hywood
Encyclopedia
Greg Hywood is a Walkley award-winning Australia
n journalist
and editor
and the CEO of Fairfax Media
, one of Australia's largest media organisations.
in Victoria in 1975, and was working as an economist for automotive manufacturer Holden
when he was hired as a cadet journalist by then-editor of the Melbourne Bureau of the Fairfax
-owned national business newspaper Australian Financial Review, Max Walsh
. Hywood reported on business and both domestic and foreign politics for the AFR for nearly 17 years, winning a Walkley Award in 1980 for a story he broke about the internal operations of Holden.
In the early 1990s, Hywood was made editor of the Australian Financial Review and then promoted to publisher and editor-in-chief of the paper. He was then moved within the Fairfax organisation to become publisher and editor-in-chief of the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald, and then publisher and editor-in-chief of The Age
.
In 2003, Hywood left Fairfax for a position as Executive Director Policy and Cabinet in the Victorian Government's Department of the Premier for Steve Bracks
, his resignation rumoured to be due to a falling-out with then-CEO Fred Hilmer over cost overruns at the Tullamarine printing presses. Hywood was appointed CEO of Tourism Victoria in 2006 and in 2008, he concurrently held the position of Deputy Secretary (Brand, Communications and Tourism) at the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development. In recent years he has held board positions on the Tourism and Transport Forum, the Heart Foundation
, the Victorian Major Events Company
, and the Deakin University
Council.
In October 2010, Hywood was appointed an Independent Non-Executive Director of Fairfax Media, and following the sudden resignation of CEO Brian McCarthy in December 2010, appointed interim CEO. By March 2011 Fairfax Media confirmed his appointment as permanent chief executive and managing director.
Hywood made headlines in May 2011 when announcing a plan to outsource key aspects of production, including plans to outsource news sub-editing to the agency Pagemasters, part-owned by Fairfax rival News Limited
.
His proposal sparked stop-work meetings among journalists at both Fairfax and rival publications,
as well as open criticism from the American Copy Editor's Society, with some media commentators arguing that the most likely hope for newspaper survival is maintaining excellent quality, something that cannot be contracted or guaranteed through outsourced sub-editing, according to Australian academic Margaret Simons
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
and the CEO of Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
, one of Australia's largest media organisations.
Career
Gregory Hywood graduated with an economics degree from Monash UniversityMonash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
in Victoria in 1975, and was working as an economist for automotive manufacturer Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
when he was hired as a cadet journalist by then-editor of the Melbourne Bureau of the Fairfax
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
-owned national business newspaper Australian Financial Review, Max Walsh
Max Walsh
Max Walsh is an Australian economic and political commentator, journalist, author and broadcaster. Max has held senior positions with two of Australia’s largest publishing companies and television networks.-Career:...
. Hywood reported on business and both domestic and foreign politics for the AFR for nearly 17 years, winning a Walkley Award in 1980 for a story he broke about the internal operations of Holden.
In the early 1990s, Hywood was made editor of the Australian Financial Review and then promoted to publisher and editor-in-chief of the paper. He was then moved within the Fairfax organisation to become publisher and editor-in-chief of the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald, and then publisher and editor-in-chief of The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
.
In 2003, Hywood left Fairfax for a position as Executive Director Policy and Cabinet in the Victorian Government's Department of the Premier for Steve Bracks
Steve Bracks
Stephen Philip Bracks AC is a former Australian politician and the 44th Premier of Victoria. He first won the electoral district of Williamstown in 1994 for the Australian Labor Party, and was party leader and Premier from 1999 to 2007....
, his resignation rumoured to be due to a falling-out with then-CEO Fred Hilmer over cost overruns at the Tullamarine printing presses. Hywood was appointed CEO of Tourism Victoria in 2006 and in 2008, he concurrently held the position of Deputy Secretary (Brand, Communications and Tourism) at the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development. In recent years he has held board positions on the Tourism and Transport Forum, the Heart Foundation
National Heart Foundation of Australia
The National Heart Foundation of Australia is an independent charity established in 1959. Its vision is for Australians to have the best cardiovascular health in the world and its mission is to reduce suffering and death from heart, stroke and blood vessel disease in Australia.Over the past five...
, the Victorian Major Events Company
Victorian Major Events Company
The Victorian Major Events Company is a foundation for sporting and cultural events in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The corporation was founded in 1991 as part of a Victorian Government initiative to attract international cultural and sporting events that require global state-of-the-art...
, and the Deakin University
Deakin University
Deakin University is an Australian public university with nearly 40,000 higher education students in 2010. It receives more than A$600 million in operating revenue annually, and controls more than A$1.3 billion in assets. It received more than A$35 million in research income in 2009 and had 835...
Council.
In October 2010, Hywood was appointed an Independent Non-Executive Director of Fairfax Media, and following the sudden resignation of CEO Brian McCarthy in December 2010, appointed interim CEO. By March 2011 Fairfax Media confirmed his appointment as permanent chief executive and managing director.
Hywood made headlines in May 2011 when announcing a plan to outsource key aspects of production, including plans to outsource news sub-editing to the agency Pagemasters, part-owned by Fairfax rival News Limited
News Limited
News Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The publicly listed company's interests span newspaper and magazine publishing, Internet, Pay TV, National Rugby League, market research, DVD and film distribution, and film and television production trading assets.News Limited...
.
His proposal sparked stop-work meetings among journalists at both Fairfax and rival publications,
as well as open criticism from the American Copy Editor's Society, with some media commentators arguing that the most likely hope for newspaper survival is maintaining excellent quality, something that cannot be contracted or guaranteed through outsourced sub-editing, according to Australian academic Margaret Simons
Margaret Simons
Margaret Simons is an Australian academic, freelance journalist and author. She is currently the media commentator for Crikey and has written ten books.-Career:...
.