Free TV chair Greg Hywood steps down

BY Nathan Jolly

June 4, 2025 8:58

Greg Hywood

Greg Hywood has quit as independent chair of Free TV Australia after four-and-a-half years in the role.

The former Fairfax CEO was appointed chair in October 2020. During his time, Free TV secured a new prominence framework that requires free-to-air apps be pre-installed on the homepage of all connected TVs, updated and strengthened the anti-siphoning laws protecting live sports broadcasting, and won a 12-month reprieve from the commercial broadcasting tax – saving the commercial networks $50 million in fees.

Hywood told Mumbrella he had taken up the chair at a time when the TV industry was facing similar changes he had already been through in the publishing world.

With a new communications minister incoming — Anika Wells replacing Michelle Rowland — he considered it a good time to step down.

“I think five years is enough for me,” he said.

While he would stay involved with some start-ups and other board work, they were outside media. He said it was the first time in almost 50 years of working in media he would step outside the industry entirely.

Greg Hywood

Hywood, 70, began his career as a journalist on the Australian Financial Review. He rose to become editor-in-chief of the AFR and various other Fairfax titles before leaving the company and returning as CEO in 2010.

In a press release, the industry veteran issued a parting challenge to the newly re-elected Government to “rise above the noise and deliver fair, integrated media regulation that reflects changing viewing habits and the impact of international players on audience and revenue share.”

Free TV CEO Bridget Fair said Hywood “has driven constructive engagement between broadcasters, helping to develop a unified position on key strategic issues.”

She added: “The commercial television industry has benefited from his experience and perspective, and Free TV has achieved important advocacy outcomes during his time as chair.”

The process to appoint a new Independent Chair will commence “immediately”, according to Free TV.