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SBS appoints Mandi Wicks as news boss

Australian TV will have its only female news boss with Mandi Wicks as Director of News and Current Affairs at SBS.

Australian TV will have its only female news boss with the appointment of Mandi Wicks as its next Director of News and Current Affairs.

Currently SBS’s Director of Audio and Language Content, she will replace outgoing Director of News and Current Affairs, Jim Carroll, who announced his retirement in March and departs later this year.

With a 30-year career in the media industry, Wicks has extensive experience working in news, editorial and management roles, including a decade at SBS. For the last nine years, she has been leading SBS’s Audio and Language Content division, responsible for delivering trusted and award-winning news and information, along with music channels, to Australia’s diverse communities in 68 languages, across digital platforms, as well as radio and digital television.

Wicks began her career as a journalist before moving into news management roles, working at the Macquarie Radio Network and Southern Cross Austereo. Prior to joining SBS, Mandi was General Manager of DMG Radio Australia in Sydney, where she assisted in launching the Nova Network.

A recent survey on diversity noted Australian had no female news directors at any network, with Wicks to now become the only existing.

SBS Managing Director James Taylor said: “Mandi is an exceptional leader and innovator, with an unimpeachable commitment to news, broadcasting and to serving Australian communities. Mandi demonstrates an unrelenting dedication to SBS’s purpose in everything she does. Mandi’s leadership of a diverse and complex team of over 300 staff – and their unrivalled connections with communities – is critical to SBS’s unique offering in the Australian media landscape. Her pursuit of excellence, trusted leadership and digital expertise will continue to be invaluable to SBS as we continue to strengthen our commitment to communities.”

Mandi Wicks said: “It is a great privilege to lead the SBS News and Current Affairs team – a talented and dedicated team that delivers world-class and award-winning journalism, comprehensive and trusted coverage of local and international news and events, and distinctive stories that are inclusive of contemporary Australia. There is no other news provider that understands and reflects Australia like SBS, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to ensure we continue to play a crucial role in providing diverse perspectives from Australia and around the globe, in service of the SBS Charter.”

SBS Managing Director James Taylor added: “I’d like to once again thank Jim Carroll for his role in cementing SBS as one of Australia’s most trusted media organisations during his time as Director of News and Current Affairs over the last seven years. This position has been amplified in recent months as Australians have turned to SBS for reliable and comprehensive coverage of COVID-19 news and developments, and I’m grateful for Jim’s commitment, staying on with us longer than planned to steer the team through this unprecedented period.”

Wicks will take on the new role from late September with SBS to commence a recruitment process for the position of Director, Audio and Language Content immediately.

One Response

  1. I’m surprised WINTV haven’t argued their Stella Lauri is Australia’s First Female National Director of News. Although WINTV isn’t in the 5 cities Metro markets, Lauri was announced in the position in February 2017.

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