Shock resignation of MediaWorks chief

UPDATE 3.30pm: Jason Paris courteously returned Without a Word of a Lie's phone call, but despite a chatty demeanour said he was unable to comment on the reasons for his his departure from MediaWorks.

He said he had spent part of the afternoon watching news of his resignation unfold, but: "I can't comment beyond the media release put out today, or my note to staff circulated this afternoon."

He did, however, emphasise that it was his decision to go and he was not pushed: "It was absolutely my decision to resign. If you look at the note, my company has asked me to continue to work through the notice period - so they must consider me a good employee."

Mr Paris said his notice period was six months, meaning the media boss will be out of a job come Christmas.

UPDATE 12.30pm: MediaWorks has confirmed Jason Paris' resignation, revealed by Without a Word of a Lie earlier today.

In a statement, the company said Mr Paris would be working through his July 1 notice period and group managing director Sussan Turner would assume head of television responsibilities.

The company has yet to comment on the reason for Mr Paris' departure, disclosed in Without a Word of a Lie's 12pm update.

MediaWorks owns and operates television stations TV3 and Four, and national radio brands including The Edge, The Rock, and More FM.
 

UPDATE 12.00pm: A MediaWorks insider told Without a Word of a Lie that Jason Paris resigned over what he considered to be broken promises made by private equity owner Ironbridge.

“He was promised there’d be funding for programming - they didn’t provide that. He considered he was lied to by Ironbridge going into the job,” the source said.

“Promises were made over a program called X-Factor that there would be a local version produced. Ironbridge’s tried to get out of this, and he’s basically resigned because he’s got no confidence in the future of the company.”

The insider said financial pressures on broadcasters, and on debt-laden MediaWorks in particular, also played a role in Mr Paris’ departure.

“Basically there is no money, that’s the problem. The spotlight is on TV and its performance. He faced enormous pressure from the top, from Ironbridge and Sussan Turner in particular.”

11am: The shock resignation of MediaWorks chief executive Jason Paris will be announced later today, Without a Word of a Lie has learned.

He could not be reached for comment this morning, and did not return messages, but the National Business Review understands an announcement concerning his departure will be issued later today.

Mr Paris (pictured) joined MediaWorks in June last year, from a role as head of digital media and marketing at state-owned TVNZ. During his one-year tenure, TV3 launched new TV channel FOUR in February and morning news programme Firstline in March.

His appointment was part of a new management structure that saw Sussan Turner, former chief executive of MediaWorks Radio, appointed group managing director.

Former MediaWorks boss Brent Impey stepped down last year after 10 years at the helm.

Mr Paris, who previously held senior roles at Nokia, Dell and McDonalds, was named New Zealand Marketer of the Year in 2008.

MediaWorks is owned by Australian-based private equity company Ironbridge Capital, which paid $741 million for a 70% stake in then NZX-listed CanWest MediaWorks in May 2007.

The debt-stressed broadcaster's financial woes have been widely reported on the back of the advertising market downturn during the global financial slump.

Cashflow troubles were staved off by a frequency deal with the Government in April, allowing radio companies to pay 20-year frequency leases in instalments.