The body representing journalists at Fairfax Media has welcomed the appointment of Hungry Jack’s founder Jack Cowin to the media group’s board, citing his agreement to editorial independence principles.
Fairfax house committee chairman and Sydney Morning Herald business journalist Stuart Washington said he “warmly welcomed” Mr Cowin’s appointment to the company’s board because he had agreed to the board’s charter of editorial independence.
“I think Jack Cowin will make a fantastic contribution to the board,” Mr Washington told AAP.
“Jack Cowin is a good businessman.”
Mr Cowin is a friend and adviser to major Fairfax shareholder and Hancock Prospecting chairman Gina Rinehart, who has been denied a board position because of her refusal to commit to the charter of editorial independence.
Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett said Mr Cowin had joined the Fairfax board as an independent director “and on the same basis as all other directors”.
“Neither Mr Cowin or Fairfax Media consider his appointment as being indicative or connected to the potential outcomes of the company’s inconclusive discussions with Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd,” Mr Corbett said in a statement to the ASX on Thursday.
Mr Washington said he was not concerned about Mr Cowin’s relationship with Ms Rinehart.
“I think it’s important that directors of Fairfax sign the charter of independence and once that happens I’m disinclined to make character judgements about those directors,” he said.
“What you don’t want to give up as a journalist is the principles of the board and that’s the principle of editorial independence from the commercial interests of the management.”
