HAROLD Mitchell, Australia's biggest media buyer, has been appointed chairman of community television station TVS.

While the station, based at the University of Western Sydney's Penrith campus, is a small fish compared with the media players Mr Mitchell is typically linked with, he said the station was an important part of giving young people the best education.

''My great interest is in the development of young people,'' he said. ''The appeal here was to give people a good education and bring people forward to get into our industry.

''We know, when wanting to employ people, that we don't always get young people presenting to us as well as they could.''

TVS, which also appointed UWS media lecturer Rachel Bentley as chief executive, recently became available on Freeview. Mr Mitchell is also involved with Deakin and RMIT universities.