The revolving door at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has spun again, with director of news and current affairs Justin Stevens calling it quits after a four-year stint. His departure leaves a massive hole in the top tier of Australia’s public broadcaster, and the rumour mill is already humming about who might be stepping into his shoes.
Industry insiders reckon the replacement will be plucked from outside the organisation. Hiring an outsider marks a shift in strategy for a broadcaster that has faced intense public pressure and internal upheaval over recent years. The salary package attached to this role is no small change, clocking in at $678,000 in the last financial year.
There is no more complex news organisation in the country, no more scrutinised institution, and few so laden with public expectations.
That was how Stevens described the beast he was trying to tame before heading for the exit. He’s been missing from the office since late last week, and his resignation officially takes effect this Wednesday. The search for a successor is in the advanced stages. Two sources close to the action confirm that candidates have already been grilled in interviews.
Appointed back in April 2022 by the former managing director David Anderson, Stevens was an unconventional pick at the time. At only 38, he landed the role despite having no previous experience in high-level executive management. He beat out a field of more seasoned hands to take the reins of a news division that employs roughly 2,000 staff across television, radio, and digital outlets.
A legacy of digital shifts and controversial departures
His tenure wasn’t a quiet one, defined by a push to get the ABC ahead of the curve in the digital age. This digital-first strategy was necessary to keep up with how Australians consume information. It saw over 120 roles chopped to clear the path for new tech, including the high-profile axing of political editor Andrew Probyn. It was a move that didn't sit well with everyone. Internal tension ramped up as the broadcaster navigated the political minefield of public funding.
The 2025 arrival of the current managing director Hugh Marks brought a fresh set of priorities. Marks has been keen to remind everyone that the old-school broadcast audience—the ones watching the nightly news bulletins—still matter, as they regularly pull in an average of 1 million viewers. This shift didn't stop the belt-tightening, with about 50 more staff members given their marching orders under his watch.
Things weren't exactly smooth sailing on the cultural front, either. The departure of veteran broadcaster Stan Grant remains one of the most talked-about moments from the Stevens era. Grant walked away from the ABC in 2023 after being publicly criticised for comments he made about Australia’s colonial history during the broadcaster’s coronation coverage for King Charles. He felt the organisation left him out to dry, and it highlighted deep fractures within the newsroom’s support structures.
Navigating the legal and political crosshairs
It hasn't just been internal drama; the ABC has had to dodge actual court cases. While the case wasn't directly pinned on the news division, the sacking of journalist Antoinette Lattouf made major waves. Lattouf took the broadcaster to the Federal Court and walked away with a win. This forced the ABC to go back to the drawing board and overhaul its entire social media and public comment policy for staff.
There were some tangible wins on the scoreboard. The ABC’s digital audience grew by 7 per cent during the 2025 financial year, and the traditional 7.30 program saw a bump in its average viewership. Stevens also focused on diversifying the newsroom by establishing dedicated teams for Indigenous and climate reporting, while consolidating various news streams under one umbrella.
With Stevens heading out the door, the broadcaster is bracing for its next chapter, which includes an appearance at the Senate estimates hearing this Thursday. Whoever fills the chair next has a massive job on their hands. They’ll need to balance the traditionalist expectations of the nightly TV bulletin with the relentless churn of the digital age. They must also keep a massive workforce from losing their collective minds. It’s a hot seat, and the industry is watching to see if the next pick from the outside can steady the ship.