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ABC Oz confirms first female MD

Senior Google Asia Pacific executive Michelle Guthrie has been appointed MD of Australian pubcaster ABC, becoming the first woman to hold the position.

Michelle Guthrie

Michelle Guthrie

Confirming the widely expected appointment today, ABC chairman James Spigelman said Guthrie has the ideal credentials to lead the national broadcaster in the digital era.

“The ABC board made this appointment following a thorough local and international search that produced an outstanding field of candidates,” he said.

“Michelle is an exceptional media professional with strong content, operational and board experience within internationally respected media companies. She brings a unique local and global view to the role, having grown up in Sydney and having worked at senior levels here and around the world. She brings to the ABC her business acumen, record in content-making across an array of platforms, a deep understanding of audience needs and corporate responsibility for promoting issues like diversity.”

Guthrie, Google‘s Singapore-based MD for agencies in the Asia Pacific, succeeds Mark Scott, who has held the job for 10 years. She will receive a salary package of A$900,000 (US$644,000) per year, about A$80,000 more than Scott, and will start work in May.

The ABC board has resisted calls from members of the Australian government to separate the roles of MD and responsibility for all editorial content.

Guthrie said: “Having grown up with the ABC and having been a professional observer of it over the last three decades, I have profound respect for the important role the national broadcaster plays throughout Australia and internationally.

“I would also like to acknowledge the leadership provided by Mark Scott during his tenure. It is fortunate that I will be able to work closely with him during the handover next year.”

Originally a media lawyer in Sydney, Guthrie has held senior posts at Australia’s Foxtel, BSkyB and News Corp’s Asian satcaster Star, where she oversaw the launch of its 24-hour news channel in India.

Screen Producers Australia CEO Matt Deaner thanked Scott for his leadership, including the creation of terms of trade with the production sector. “We look forward to working with Michelle to deliver great Australian screen stories to the ABC’s audiences,” he added.

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