INL and Sky head steps down

By NZPA

Friday 2nd August 2002

Independent Newspapers Ltd and Sky TV boss Tom Mockridge has announced he is stepping down to join an Italian pay TV company.

Mr Mockridge, who is chief executive of INL and chairman of Sky, will become chief executive of News Corp's 50 percent-owned Italian company, Stream. He plans to leave New Zealand soon after the INL and Sky annual reports on August 15.

Mr Mockridge was appointed to both positions in March 2001. During his tenure he oversaw a push by INL to increase its shareholding in Sky to 66 percent, and the merger of Wellington's two newspapers, the Dominion and Evening Post.

INL said its chairman, Ken Cowley, would become executive chairman, and would begin looking for a CEO shortly. Rick Neville, its managing director of publishing, would continue to look after the newspaper and magazine publishing group.

INL will ask the Sky board to appoint Peter Macourt as a director and chairman of the pay TV company.

Mr Macourt is an INL director and has experience in pay TV operations in Australia, the publishing company said. He is currently chief operating officer of the News Ltd group in Australia, and is a director of Foxtel and News' half-owned Fox Sports channel.

News Corp holds a 45 percent stake in INL.

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