NZ content portal Newshub is assigning political editor Tova O’Brien as Simon Shepherd’s co-host on Channel Three politics and current affairs show Newshub Nation.  The pairing was decided after a review of them hosting last year’s post-election special showed their strong chemistry.   "I'm utterly thrilled to be joining the brilliant Simon Shepherd and the hard-working, hard-hitting, fun Newshub Nation team. This show has always been a big part of my political life and the perfect way to start a weekend!  The long form interviews and political current affairs give us an exciting opportunity to dig a little deeper and get to the stories behind the stories," said O’Brien. The show is slated to go back on air on 27 February.  Follow O’Brien on Twitter @TovaOBrien.

Trevor Long and Stephen Fenech have become two of the most well-known voices and faces in the Australian tech community through their work on EFTM and Tech Guide respectively.   The pair have also spent the past 10 years hosting the Two Blokes Talking Tech podcast each week alongside their many other media commitments.   Long and Fenech says it’s a partnership and friendship that developed through seeing each other at industry events and appearing together on another podcast.   “We had known each other from different events, and Stephen was doing tech at 2GB where Trevor was working also. Then James Manning at Mediaweek invited us to talk Tech on his podcast, which became a semi regular thing. One time, while waiting before recording with James, we decided we should do a show together, and we did - and have done now weekly for 10 years!”   Having worked on the show for 10 years now, the pair says they have shared some fantastic trips

Josiah Shala has signed up as the anchor of Fox FM’s upcoming Breakfast show Fifi, Fev, and Nick, reported Radio Today. The move is Shala’s first major assignment after Southern Cross Austereo scrapped most regional Victoria breakfast shows to have one station syndicate content. His show, Josiah and Elly at HIT 96.9 Goulbourn Valley, was one of the canned shows. Shala will take over the post from show co-host Nick Cody. Follow Shala on Twitter @JosiahShala.

Juggling freelance across a wide range of outlets and formats while running a podcast alongside a day job in digital transformation? That’s Quattromani’s routine and we’re catching up to find out more in today’s 5 Minutes.   What do you do and where does your work appear? I'm heard on numerous radio stations across Australia, in Singapore and Malta. I appear on Sunrise and Studio 10. I write for The Australian, Men's Health, Car Expert and News.com.au regularly and other websites from time to time. I also host my own podcast, Technology Uncorked, with two episodes per week (interviews and news/reviews). Outside of all of that I am the Digital Transformation Manager at Johnson & Johnson.   Anything else in your career you’ve been known for? I run a yearly tech program at my old high school to encourage STEM with prizes and awards as my own way of giving back plus, encouraging our future tech leaders.   What did you really wan

Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) has appointed new members to the digital content team. The company stated that podcasts director Grant Tothill will also be GM for digital audio. He is in charge of synchronising the entire business to work better on SCA’s digital audio materials as a result of the launch of the new LiSTNR app. Chris Johnson’s role as digital products head is being refashioned as head of digital and innovation. He will keep managing the digital leadership team while handling the SCA digital products line, with LiSTNR as one of them. Both of them will report to SCA COO John Kelly. LiSTNR is designed to consolidate all content from SCA’s digital audio line, including HIT Network/Triple M live streams and 15 new linear music channels. The shows from the former partnership with PodcastOne Australia will be under LiSTNR Podcasts.  “Grant’s proven success in leading PodcastOne Australia from strength to strength gives me the absolute confi

Sangeeta Kocharekar has joined News Corp Australia as commercial content editor for lifestyle brands ESCAPE and delicious.com.au. She will be in charge of producing and optimizing branded content for both brands, and oversee pitching new ideas. Kocharekar had been on freelance duties since leaving her editor post at The Upsider last year. Follow Kocharekar on LinkedIn.

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) has announced new staff changes. Julie Hare has joined the paper as its higher education editor. She recently stepped down from the University of Canberra, where she edited the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation newspaper BroadAgenda. Her education reporting came from a total of 13 years with APN Educational Media and the higher education desk at The Australian. Economics correspondent Matthew Cranston, meanwhile, is heading to the US to succeed Jacob Greber as Washington correspondent.  Greber, in turn, is off to Canberra as senior correspondent.