Anthony Flannery

Head of News and Current Affairs, TVNZ, New Zealand

Anthony Flannery took on the biggest news job in New Zealand in 2007  –  Head of News and Current Affairs at the national broadcaster, TVNZ. He is responsible for almost 20 programs on three channels plus the company’s on-line news site.

Since joining TVNZ , the 49 year old Australian has navigated the broadcaster through the biggest change to its news and current affairs operation in 40 years. Those changes included a structural and organizational transformation, the introduction of new technology and training to make staff multi-skilled, and the reorganization of news and current affairs gathering processes and practices.

Under his watch TVNZ's flagship bulletin ONE News has been awarded the prestigious title of BEST NEWS at the Qantas Film and TV Awards for an unprecedented three years in a row. In fact, TVNZ News and Current Affairs programs, reporters and crafts people have dominated the awards for the past three years.

Anthony has guided the TVNZ News team as it has covered some of the biggest stories in the country’s recent history including the Rugby World Cup 2011, the two massive Christchurch earthquakes and the tragedy at the Pike River Mine.

Before joining TVNZ Anthony had been at the Nine Network in Australia. During his time there he worked in several senior positions including Executive Producer of the network’s flagship News, and Executive Producer of the daily morning news program TODAY.

Previous to that he was News Director at television stations in Canberra and Darwin. Anthony has worked in journalism for almost 30 years, most of that time in television as a journalist and producer.

Anthony has also driven the introduction of a number of new programs on TVNZ. These include:

• Q+A, an award winning weekly political program that is seen by newsmakers as setting the news agenda.
• Backbenches, a ground breaking weekly program that engages politicians in lively debate with a live audience at a pub.
• Saturday Breakfast, a continuation of the successful early morning Breakfast program running Monday through Friday.

Anthony was also an architect of a comprehensive news service on the public broadcasting channel TVNZ 7.

He has also spearheaded innovation around election coverage. During New Zealand’s 2008 general election, TVNZ spearheaded the region’s first live election debate on youtube – similar innovation  is planned for the country’s forthcoming election in November.

One of Anthony Flannery’s biggest successes has been navigating the difficult airspace where commercial and public service broadcasting meet in New Zealand.