The Managing Director of the ABC, Russell Balding, has restructured the senior management levels of the Corporation to sharpen its focus on content and better position it strategically in the changing media landscape.
Mr Balding said that this restructure was a confident move, undertaken within a climate of success and strength, to give the Corporation an even more effective road-map for the next decade.
The ABC Executive, the principal decision making body of management, has been reduced in size from 12 to 7. The Executive will now be made up of the Managing Director, the Directors of Television, Radio, New Media and Digital Services, and News and Current Affairs, as well as two new positions covering operational areas and strategy.
David Pendleton (currently Director Business Services) has been appointed to the new position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). It has been created to oversee and coordinate operational support areas: Business Services, Human Resources, Production Resources and Technology and Distribution. These support areas were formally represented individually on the ABC Executive. The COO will also be the ABC’s Chief Financial Officer.
Geoff Crawford (currently Director Corporate Affairs) has been appointed to the position of Director of Strategy and Communications. This is a redesigned role to reflect a broadening of the Corporate Affairs function increasing the emphasis on strategically positioning the Corporation.
International Broadcasting and Enterprises Divisions will continue to report to the Managing Director.
“This restructure will reposition ABC management to focus on its primary objective, the creation and broadcast of programs, and to ensure that those programs are supported in an efficient and cost effective manner,” Mr Balding said. “The ABC has successfully navigated beyond the turmoil of the past to a point where it is now achieving historically high audiences and is in a position to capitalise on emerging opportunities. Standing still is not an option. To confront the challenges of the digital media future the ABC must order its priorities towards content creation. That is why I have formed a new leaner content-driven executive team to concentrate on creativity and program output,” Mr Balding said.