The executive producer of 7.30, Justin Stevens, has been chosen to helm ABC news, leapfrogging over the acting head, Gavin Fang, and the current affairs head, John Lyons, to land the powerful job.
ABC managing director, David Anderson, has announced the appointment of Stevens as director of news, analysis and investigations on Thursday.
Stevens, who has been the boss of 7.30 with its host, Leigh Sales, since 2018, is a surprise appointment as, at 37, he is relatively young and has only led one major news program.
Fang has been acting in the role since the departure of Gaven Morris in October, who left the national broadcaster after six years in the role.
The executive editor of ABC news and head of investigative journalism, Lyons, 60, was also passed over for the job.
As news director, Stevens will be responsible for the nation’s biggest news-gathering workforce: about 1,200 staff across eight capital city newsrooms, 11 international bureaux and three suburban newsrooms in Parramatta, Geelong and Ipswich.
The candidate was chosen after a lengthy recruitment process which examined internal and external candidates.
The decision was the managing director’s to take but he consulted the board.
Our whole team is behind our awesome EP @_JustinStevens_ and his family #teamHarry https://t.co/mB9lIYivfg
— Leigh Sales (@leighsales) August 18, 2021
Stevens joined 7.30 in 2018 from Four Corners. He had earlier produced Kerry O’Brien’s series Keating: The Interviews.
He was a producer on the award-winning documentary The Killing Season, Sarah Ferguson’s exposé on the Australian Labor party.
The news director position is a highly political one. The director must manage staff expectations as well as front Senate estimates and defend programs, like Four Corners, from criticism.
Anderson said Stevens had a proven news track record.
“This is a key appointment for the ABC and it comes amid major news events – the continuing effects of the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, domestic issues such as the rising cost of living, and the upcoming federal election,” he said.
“It’s a position that requires exceptional editorial leadership, and Justin will be outstanding in the role.”
Stevens said he was looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m incredibly proud to be part of ABC News and it’s an honour to be given the opportunity to lead this great team.”
When he left the ABC in October, Morris, 50, urged the broadcaster’s 1,200 journalists to focus on the needs of the audience.
“One of the things that I’ve encouraged staff to do constantly is not to look at small media mouthpieces that have an agenda; and look at the impact that we have with our audience,” Morris told Raf Epstein on ABC Melbourne, hours after announcing his resignation.
“And what I would say to our staff and our teams: look at the broader impact we have on the Australian public.
“The Australian public often don’t think in the way that Sky News might think. And so, focus on the needs of the audience, focus on the feedback, and the respect and the dedication we have from our audience. That’s what matters a lot more to me than the media organisations that might have a preset agenda.”
