Members of NewsBrands Ireland, the representative body for Ireland’s national news publishers, have elected Sammi Bourke as their new chair. She replaces Business Post chief operating officer Colm O’Reilly. Bourke has over 20 years’ experience in media and news publishing. A native of Australia, she worked in senior sales, advertising and publisher roles with Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp network before moving to Ireland.
Bourke is head of operations for the Agricultural Trust which publishes the Irish Farmers Journal, The Irish Field, Irish Country Magazine and Irish Garden. Irish Times group MD Deirdre Veldon has been elected as the body’s vice chair in place of Richard Bogie, MD of Murdoch-owned News Ireland. NewsBrands Ireland’s remit is to promote the fundamental role of a free press and the contribution to democracy of trusted journalism.
The body works towards a fair and balanced legislative framework that supports public service journalism and sustainable business models for the news publishing industry and to underline the value of news publishers’ audiences to advertisers. A current challenge for news publishers is the lack of effective legislation to support them in seeking fair payment from search and social media platforms for use of their content which is expensive to source.
Pictured, from left: Sammi Bourke, Ann Marie Lenihan, chief executive, NewsBrands Ireland and Deirdre Veldon, Irish Times group
