Dominion Post editor Pankhurst steps down to head NPA

Wednesday 25th February 2009

Tim Pankhurst has resigned as editor of the Dominion Post newspaper to become head of the Newspaper Publishers' Association, the industry's lobby group in New Zealand.

Pankhurst, 54, steps down after seven years in the job having joined shortly after the news paper was created out of a merger between the Dominion and Evening Post newspapers.

The new role also gives him responsibility for the New Zealand Press Association, which is co-owned by Fairfax Media and APN News & Media. NZPA, as it is known, supplements content from the two media groups with its own reportage, though its owners have been mulling its future.

Pankhurst also takes over as head of the National Advertising Bureau.

Fairfax Media chief executive Joan Withers said Pankhurst "did not want Tim to leave his post with Fairfax but we accept his decision to take on this significant role with the industry body and we look forward to working with him in that capacity."

Fairfax Media this week posted a first-half loss as advertising revenue dwindled and the publisher wrote down the value of its mastheads and media licenses.

Australia's second-largest newspaper company had a loss of A$365.3 million in the six months ended Dec. 31, from a profit of A$187.7 million a year earlier.

Fairfax plans to begin a search for a replacement as editor. Pankhurst takes on the new job in April.

Businesswire.co.nz

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