Seven West Media admits need for caution in how it acts after Sunday Times deal goes through

October 6, 2016 10:34

Seven West Media WA boss Chris Wharton has committed to the publisher taking over printing of the Sunday Times on November 13 after the ACCC gave the purchase of the News Corp masthead approval last month and said the media giant needs to treat its newly-acquired market strength with respect

Wharton said the approval of the deal two weeks ago by the ACCC had set the transition wheels turning, but with Seven West Media now in control of all Perth’s print media he said bias was an issue he had to be aware of.

“We are reasonably careful because we do recognise that there is a lot of what some people would say power vested here,” Wharton told Mumbrella.

“But we also feel that there is a lot of responsibility that goes with it. So I think even from a board level there is a keeness that we do our jobs properly. We have been around for 188 years as West Australian Newspapers and one of the things I like to say is if there is something we are biased about, it’s a bias about support for Western Australia and for West Australians.

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Simon Canning

Simon Canning was Mumbrella's marketing and advertising editor from 2015-2017. In a career spanning journalism and communications over more than 30 years Simon has become one of Australia’s most respected analysts and commentators on the advertising, marketing and media industries. A regular commentator on radio and TV, Simon has also worked in media in the US and UK .

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