ABC managing director David Anderson announces intention to resign after almost six years in position
ABC managing director David Anderson has announced his intention to resign after almost six years at the helm of the national broadcaster. Mr Anderson's announcement comes just a year into his second term, but he says he is comfortable with his decision and feels the time is right.
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00:00The National Broadcaster is a $1 billion a year cultural behemoth in the Australian media,
00:09and the man at its helm has announced he'll be resigning once a replacement can be found.
00:15It is the right time for me and it's the right time for the ABC and it wasn't an easy decision
00:20to make.
00:21David Anderson took control of the public broadcaster in 2016.
00:26He was seen as a safe set of hands after a turbulent period of conflict between management,
00:31the board and the federal government.
00:33People were quite concerned about political interference into the ABC and I stepped into
00:38the role in what was a chaotic time.
00:41That's been I think his biggest contribution over the last five years is that he doesn't
00:45get flustered.
00:47He has a reasonably clear idea of where he thinks the corporation should go.
00:52He was appointed for a second five-year term but he's announced his plan to depart just
00:5712 months in and one year into the organisation's latest five-year plan.
01:03He gave little reason beyond the need for renewal.
01:08Kim Williams took over as the ABC's chair five months ago.
01:13He's been vocal about the ABC needing to improve programming and standards.
01:18In a letter to staff he said David Anderson is a special individual and that the ABC has
01:24been a better place for his leadership.
01:26High profile ABC journalist Laura Tingle told colleagues in her office that as a staff member
01:33she was grateful to David Anderson for the stability he had brought to the organisation
01:37and noted he'd often had to act as a human shield or punching bag for the national broadcaster.
01:44The pressure's been constant can I say for the entire period of time.
01:47The next managing director will face the same pressures, a heated political environment,
01:53cantankerous commercial competitors and an audience rightly expecting innovative programs
01:59and impartial journalism.
02:02The board's recruitment process is expected to take until early next year.