NZME and the NZ Herald announced that Murray Kirkness has been appointed chief content officer - publishing. The new role will see Kirkness, currently the Herald editor, take charge of NZME's 300-plus editorial staff and the operation of the company's newsrooms and editorial strategy across New Zealand. Kirkness, a former editor of the Otago Daily Times, joined the NZ Herald in 2015 as editor, following the elevation of Shayne Currie to the role of managing editor.

Currie resigned as managing editor earlier this year, to become NZ Herald editor-at-large, with a focus on journalism, public-facing audience events, and customer projects. Kirkness, who reports to chief digital and publishing officer Carolyn Luey, starts in his new role immediately.