Australia’s telcom-to-media regulator, ACMA, has appointed Olya Booyar to the new post of General Manager, Content, Consumer and Citizen Division. The appointment follows a restructuring at ACMA late in 2009.
Olya says her new role heading a new division at the ACMA will be her greatest challenge to-date.
Although Ive worked in media and communications for more than twenty years, I dont think theres ever been a time of greater change over such shortened timeframes as were experiencing today, she said. Weve moved from being almost passive recipients of a limited range of services back in the 1980s, to being actively engaged as citizens and consumers in an ever-expanding range of media and communications options.
I hope at the ACMA I can help to better define what those changes and challenges mean for consumers and citizens and drive the ACMAs facilitation of those very changes and challenges.
Olya will commence with the ACMA on 1 February. She brings to the ACMA extensive experience in media and communications. Having started her career in Australia as a working journalist, she has risen through programming and executive management positions in radio and television to her most recent position as Deputy Director of the Classification Board.
Chris Chapman said Olya has an excellent working knowledge of our broadcasting and online environment and its regulation, as well a significant exposure to content-related subject matter, something which is becoming ever more germane to our activities.
Olyas recent senior responsibility for important national classification matters is highly relevant to the role of the ACMA in ensuring adequate community safeguards, given the reality in that role of the diversity of opinion in the Australian community and the dedication of more and more ACMA resources to its on-line responsibilities.
I am confident Olya will bring fresh thinking, insights and energy to the ACMA as she helps develop and shape our thinking on these and other consumer / citizen matters which lie within her division.