Justin Stevens has resigned as the ABC’s director of news, ending a nearly 20-year tenure with the broadcaster.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Stevens said his four years in the top role ‘have been incredibly tough but immensely rewarding’.
‘Having said that, for reasons both professional and personal, now is the right time for me to move on and for someone else to take over the helm of the best news team in the country,’ he said.
ABC managing director Hugh Marks thanked Stevens for his service.
Marks said Stevens led the news division through a period of significant upheaval in the media industry, both in Australia and globally.
‘Justin has achieved this through a period of significant change and challenges across the media landscape, both internationally and in Australia,’ Mr Marks said in a statement.
‘I am grateful to have seen the strength of Justin’s editorial instincts and to have observed his commitment to the ABC and audiences. I wish him every success in the future.’
Justin Stevens’ tenure as the ABC’s director of news was marked by a series of editorial controversies.
Justin Stevens (pictured) has resigned as director of news at the ABC after almost 20 years with Australia’s national broadcaster
Among the most significant issues was the fallout from the ABC’s ‘Line of Fire’ Afghanistan reporting, where an independent review found extra gunshot audio had been inadvertently added to footage of Australian commandos.
Stevens apologised for the error, though a review by the ABC Ombudsman concluded the segment did not breach editorial standards, saying there was no deliberate attempt to mislead audiences.
More to come…
