ASTRA has announced that business leader Tony Shepherd will replace Steve Bracks as chair of the subscription television peak body in November. Shepherd is President of the Business Council of Australia, chairman of Transfield Services and the Greater Western Sydney Giants, a non-executive director of other organisations and well known supporter of sports and arts organisations.
“I have long admired the subscription television sector because of its role in promoting competition, expanding consumer choice, adding to diversity of media voices and advancing Australian culture,” Shepherd said. “By advancing the interests of the subscription television sector and its seven million viewers, ASTRA plays a vital role in an industry that invests $667 million annually in local production, adds nearly $1.6 billion annually to GDP, and employs 6,400 Australians,” Shepherd said.
Outgoing chair Steve Bracks, who joined ASTRA in October 2008, said the role had been extremely satisfying. “Over the past five years the subscription television sector has grown considerably, reaching more Australians thanks to compelling new local and overseas content as well as technological innovation including time-shifting, on-demand libraries and tablet-based viewing,” Bracks said. “As one of Australia’s best connected and influential business leaders, Tony Shepherd will do a superb job continuing to advance the interests of subscription television sector businesses and audiences,” he added.
Shepherd will take up his role at ASTRA’s annual general meeting on November 15, 2013. Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein will serve as acting chair in the interim. The ASTRA board includes CEO Andrew Maiden, Foxtel CEO Richard Freudenstein, and representatives of Foxtel, Australian News Channel, BBC Worldwide, Discovery Networks, Fox Sports, MCN, Telstra, Turner International and TV1.
