RAY Wardrop (pictured) admits he has big shoes to fill with the departure last month of Channel 7 programming guru Jamie Martinovich.
Mr Wardrop officially takes up his position as Channel 7 program and communications manager on September 1.
“Jamie’s done a good job there and I will work closely with him and try to continue that good work,” Mr Wardrop said.
“Jamie will concentrate on Melbourne and he will mentor me for a while.”
Mr Martinovich was appointed program and communications manager at Channel 7’s Melbourne offices, prompting industry speculation the network might be pulling back its hands-on role in Perth.
That’s highly unlikely, according to Mr Wardrop, who said the station was as committed as ever to the Perth market.
“My response to that is to ask why you would move it [the news reading function] when you are clearly the market leader,” he said.
Mr Wardrop said he had several ideas he was keen to implement, although these were not for public consumption until he officially took up his post.
“Obviously I have programming experience, and publicity and programming are closely linked,” he said.
And when his takes up his new role next month it will be a hectic time for the station.
“From a programming point of view I come in on the lead up to Telethon, which has been brought forward because of the Rugby World Cup,” Mr Wardrop said. “I’ve then got to contend with that, and of course we have the Olympics next year.”
He said his previous promotions stint at the station, from 1995 to 2000, would help him make good decisions.
“I’m not coming in cold; I know the culture and what Channel 7 stands for in Perth.”
Mr Wardrop is currently Austero’s client marketing manager and was approached for the position by Channel 7.
