ABC boss David Anderson to restructure organisation, shift to BBC model

ABC managing director David Anderson is planning to overhaul the way programs are commissioned in a review that could result in the most significant change to the public broadcaster’s structure since 2017.

ABC sources, who requested anonymity to speak freely, said Anderson told a meeting of about 50 managers last Thursday that he planned to alter the broadcaster’s structure in an effort to improve processes around how content is commissioned and delivered to audiences, and to focus on growing the ABC’s digital platforms.

Such a move will likely result in regional and local radio teams moving to the news and investigations unit, while a separate division will remain for commissioning programs from other genres, such as comedy and children’s content. This structure is similar to one the BBC implemented in 2020, which is led by a chief content officer and has director positions for various genres and was described as “radical”. The ABC declined to comment.

The move, once completed, would be the biggest structural change to the ABC since 2017, when former managing director Michelle Guthrie reorganised the broadcaster into three teams focused on topics: news, analysis and investigations, entertainment and specialist, and regional and local. Anderson was head of entertainment and specialist when the structure was changed.

An ABC source said Anderson’s new plans would not result in any redundancies or commitments to regional, audio, or news coverage. It is being considered in light of the vacancies of two division heads: Michael Carrington, who left his position as head of entertainment and specialist this year, and Judith Whelan, who was recently promoted to editorial director from her role as head of regional and local.

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This masthead revealed in October the national broadcaster was considering reducing the amount of money it spends on traditional television and radio broadcasts, and allocating more funding to sites such as ABC iview. The change was part of a refresh of the five-year plan, which intends to introduce more rigor around efforts to engage younger audiences. Sources said this restructure was being considered in light of that shift.

Changes to the structure are not expected to affect plans to move to Paramatta, which involves the movement of about 300 Sydney-based radio and news team staff to Paramatta by the end of 2023.

Journalists from ABC Radio Sydney and ABC News are expected to move to new offices at Parramatta Square from early 2024, but the national broadcaster has stalled plans to move the ABC Radio National team, which includes hosts such as Geraldine Doogue and Sabra Lane. The move to Paramatta is being largely funded by the $88 million sale of Lanceley Place in Artarmon, which was unveiled in the ABC’s annual report last week.