News Digital Media Senior Management Appointments

News Digital Media chief executive Richard Freudenstein today announced two appointments to the company’s senior management team:

• Current chief commercial officer Ed Smith has been appointed company’s chief executive, content and commercial
• Learning Seat’s chief executive, Michael Solomon, has been appointed executive director, emerging businesses.

Mr Smith, currently NDM’s chief commercial officer, succeeds Michael Robinson who has taken a new role as part of News Limited’s Newsolutions program.

Both appointments are effective immediately, with both Mr Smith and Mr Solomon reporting to NDM’s chief operating officer, Nick Leeder.

Michael Robinson

Mr Freudenstein paid tribute to Mr Robinson, saying “On behalf of everyone at NDM, I’d like thank Michael for his invaluable contribution over the past three years.

“He has played an integral role in building Australia’s biggest, and best, news network. Under his leadership, our editorial standards have greatly improved and traffic to, and revenue from, our sites has increased dramatically.

“Michael has played a key leadership role in the relaunch and redesign all of our newspaper and magazine websites, and put in place some critical foundations, like our new content management system, that set us up well for future growth.

“A key to Michael’s success is that his approach has always been to ensure NDM helps the mastheads and magazines build their own skills and confidence as they extend into digital. Digital is part of all News Limited businesses – not something that sits off to the side or in a different division.

“Michael now wishes to concentrate his efforts on working with Campbell Reid and his team as they integrate and modernise our newsroom operations. I have no doubt he will do a terrific job.”

Ed Smith

As chief executive, content and commercial, Mr Smith will be responsible for the operations of NDM’s editorial and commercial activities, which encompass

· The editorial operations of News.com.au,

· Central Media, which designs, develops and implements the digital publishing systems that enable NDM to distribute and monetise its content,

· The Business Integration team, which assists News Limited newspapers in the operation of their local websites,

· Newsource, which collates, manages, licences and distributes content from News Limited publications to local, national and international clients,

· The Network Sales team which sells display advertising across the News Digital Media network, as well as third party sites for News Corporation and ESPN.

Mr Freudenstein said “Since joining News Digital Media just under three years ago, Ed has established himself as an outstanding media executive. “As leader of carsguide and then our network sales team, he has proven his ability to develop and implement highly successful business-building strategies.

“His strengths, both technical and operational, come from an invaluable mix of client, agency and publisher experience. Equally importantly, Ed is a fantastic leader who builds great teams and then holds their respect and loyalty.

“As we move into a new era of online publishing, Ed is the ideal candidate to ensure our high journalistic standards are maintained and supported by innovative technology and commercial operations.”

Mr Smith said “This is a very exciting role. I am thrilled at the prospect of working with the best media and creative minds in the country, as we develop the products that will be the future of media.”

Mr Smith joined News in January 2007 as chief executive of carsguide.com.au. In September 2007 he was appointed News Digital Media’s chief commercial officer.

Mr Smith joined News from St. George bank, where as head of retail segments, he bought together and led the retail marketing for cards, personal lending, deposits and e-channels. Prior to this, he ran DMB&B advertising (media and creative) in Beijing, working on Mars and Coke brands.

Michael Solomon

As executive director, emerging businesses, Michael Solomon will -

· retain his position of chief executive officer of Learning Seat, the online training and compliance company,

· become chairman of online shopping comparison site, GetPrice.com.au,

· retain his position on the board of web-based recruitment software provider RecruitAdvantage,

· oversee the operations of online ticketing company Moshtix, whose managing director, Adam McArthur, will now report to Mr Solomon.

Mr Freudenstein said “Michael has led a remarkable transformation of Learning Seat over the past 18 months, growing revenue and signing up record numbers of new clients even through the economic downturn.

“As a proven business builder, able to identify and realise commercial opportunities, Michael is ideally suited to building NDM’s portfolio of alternative revenue streams.”

Mr Solomon said “As Australia’s online economy matures, there are new and exciting opportunities for publishers to diversify their commercial activities.

“NDM’s existing portfolio of emerging businesses – already very successful - has the potential to become a significant source of revenue over the next few years. I look forward to working with the management teams as they grow their businesses.”

Mr Solomon was appointed chief executive of Learning Seat in May 2008, joining the company from recruitment company Randstad (then known as Vedior Asia-Pacific) where he was chief operating officer.

Prior to this Mr Solomon held the positions of General Manager – Operations at Taverner Hotel Group and South Australian sales director at Lion Nathan.