Independent News & Media Regulatory News (INM)

6 May 2008 09:46

Independent News & Media PLC06 May 2008 M A R K E T A N N O U N C E M E N T APN NEWS & MEDIA APPOINTS NEW CHAIRMAN 6 May 2008 APN News & Media Limited (APN) in which Independent News & Media PLC has a 39.2%shareholding made the following announcement after the Company's Annual GeneralMeeting held on 6 May 2008. The Board of APN News & Media (ASX,NZX:APN), announced today the appointment ofMr Gavin O'Reilly as Non-Executive Chairman of the Company. Mr O'Reilly succeeds Mr James Parkinson who retired today. Mr Parkinson has beenChairman of APN News & Media for the past six years, and a member of the Boardsince 1999. Another long-time Director, Sir Wilson Whineray has retired as a Director aftersix years of service. Sir Wilson has agreed to stay on as an adviser to theBoard. Mr O'Reilly has been a Director of APN News & Media since 2004. Mr O'Reilly is Group Chief Operating Officer of Independent News & Media PLC, aposition he has held since December 2001 having joined the international mediagroup in 1993 and having held various roles at the Group. An Australian and Irish citizen, he formerly worked in London for the globaladvertising group DDB Needham and previously as a stockbroker in the UK andAsia. He is President of the World Association of Newspapers the representativebody for the $200 billion global newspaper industry and serves on the Boards ofvarious business and charitable organisations. The outcome of each resolution put to shareholders at the Annual General Meetingof APN News & Media (together with the information required by section 251AA ofthe Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)) is: 2(a) Re-election of Mr John Maasland Outcome: Resolution passed unanimously The total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed was398,453,201. The resolution was decided by a show of hands. The total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specifiedthat: (a) the proxy was to vote for the resolution was 384,211,562; (b) the proxy was to vote against the resolution was 10,161,769; (c) the proxy was to abstain on the resolution was 108,876; (d) the proxy could vote at the proxy's discretion was 4,079,870. 2(b) Re-election of Mr Cameron O'Reilly Outcome: Resolution passed unanimously The total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed was397,811,977. The resolution was decided by a show of hands. The total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specifiedthat: (a) the proxy was to vote for the resolution was 278,739,980; (b) the proxy was to vote against the resolution was 114,975,182; (c) the proxy was to abstain on the resolution was 746,700; and (d) the proxy could vote at the proxy's discretion was 4,096,815. 2(c) Re-election of Mr Gavin O'Reilly Outcome: Resolution passed unanimously The total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed was398,467,955. The resolution was decided by a show of hands. The total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specifiedthat: (a) the proxy was to vote for the resolution was 382,203,194; (b) the proxy was to vote against the resolution was 12,161,090; (c) the proxy was to abstain on the resolution was 94,122; and (d) the proxy could vote at the proxy's discretion was 4,103,671. 3. Remuneration Report Outcome: Resolution passed unanimously The total number of proxy votes exercisable by all proxies validly appointed was398,222,693. The resolution was decided by a show of hands. The total number of proxy votes in respect of which the appointments specifiedthat: (a) the proxy was to vote for the resolution was 383,664,037; (b) the proxy was to vote against the resolution was 10,472,759; (c) the proxy was to abstain on the resolution was 339,384; and (d) the proxy could vote at the proxy's discretion was 4,085,897. The Board noted that for the year to date, revenues and profits were ahead ofthe prior year in challenging market conditions. Assuming such conditions do notdeteriorate, the Board expects that APN's broad range of high quality mediaassets to again perform satisfactorily in 2008. About APN: APN News & Media Limited (ASX, NZX:APN) is the largest media company in NewZealand, where it owns The New Zealand Herald, the country's largest newspaper.APN is the largest radio and outdoor advertising operator in Australasia as wellas one of Australia's leading regional publishers. APN is a leader in online inboth New Zealand and in Queensland and has been listed on the Australian StockExchange since 1992, and on the New Zealand Stock Exchange since June 2004. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange