Incoming Seven West Media boss Tim Worner has pledged to focus on producing quality content while cutting costs.

Mr Worner will from July 1 replace Don Voelte as chief executive of the diversified media house, which includes the Seven television network, The West Australian Newspaper, Pacific Magazines, regional Western Australia radio stations and Yahoo!7.

His three-year contract includes fixed pay of $2.6 million, plus bonuses if certain short- and long-term targets are met.

Currently the head of the Seven television network, Mr Worner said his immediate priority was ensuring the company remained on track to meet this year’s $100 million cost reduction target.

“We have to do that without sacrificing quality,” Mr Worner said in a conference call on Tuesday.

“That goes not just for the television content, it goes to the content in the newspapers and the content in the magazines and across our online business as well.

“It is no secret all media businesses are faced with challenges regarding costs at the moment.

“Even though we are performing very, very well, we are not immune to that.”

Seven West chairman Kerry Stokes said Mr Voelte had instilled a business discipline to the media company while still allowing everyone to be creative.

“When Don joined us, he had a very specific brief to bring up the management,” Mr Stokes said.

“Over the last few months he has indicated to the board that he felt he has done as much as he can achieve in bringing on the management team.

“From this point on he felt it was better to hand over at this time.”

Mr Worner said he would continue to run the television network until a replacement was named.

Mr Voelte, the former Woodside Petroleum boss who was appointed Seven West chief executive in June 2012, said he felt it was the right time to step down given he had achieved all he set out to do there.

“The reason I came to the conclusion is that these guys are quick studies,” Mr Voelte said.

“They soaked up everything.

“After probably a little bit of an unsteady start for 30 or 60 days we seemed to gel and get into a common purpose.

“Frankly, now it is just a point where if you go through a second cycle then you don’t have a lot of respect for them and I have the utmost respect for this management team and the people of Seven West Media.”

Mr Voelte will sit on the Seven West board as non-executive deputy chairman after stepping down.

At 1506 AEST, Seven West was down four cents at $2.32.