Mark Scott (businessman)

Mark Walter Scott AO (born 9 October 1962) is an Australian businessman, who was the managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 2006 to 2016.^[1] Prior to commencing at the ABC, Scott had previously held a senior role at Fairfax Media, responsible for the editorial content of the group's major newspapers including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age.

In June 2016, Scott was appointed Secretary of the New South Wales Department of Education.^[2]

Career and background

Scott was born in 1962 in Los Angeles. He holds dual Australian and United States citizenship.^[3]

Educated at Knox Grammar School, Scott worked for the New South Wales Greiner Liberal government, as chief of staff to the Education Minister, Virginia Chadwick, and as a senior adviser to education minister, Terry Metherell.^[4]

In 2010 he was appointed to a second five-year term as the ABC's Managing Director.^[5] His time at the ABC has been marked by extensive change, including the creation of ABC3, a digital TV channel for children, and the 24-hour news channel ABC News 24, as well as a major expansion into digital and on-line technology and an expansion of quality drama.^[6][7] Scott has been a strong defender of the value of social media in journalism^[8] and skeptical on the capacity of news organisations to charge for content they have previously provided free of charge.^[9]

In September 2015, Scott announced he would be retiring as managing director and would be leaving the ABC.^[10] In December 2015, Michelle Guthrie was announced as Scott's replacement,^[11] and took over the role on 2 May 2016.^[12]

In June 2016, Scott was appointed secretary of the New South Wales Department of Education. Scheduled to take up the role in August 2016, he will be responsible for more than 2000 schools and around 49,000 teachers in the state.^[13]

Cuts to the ABC

In November 2014, as Managing Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Scott announced that after 55 years, the Collinswood ABC television studios in South Australia would be closed.^[14] The announcement, following the 2011 demolition of the ABC TV facility in Perth^[15] and the 2012 closure of Tasmania's TV production unit^[16] also revealed the end of state based current affairs show 7.30 Report (state editions) - Formally Stateline.^[17]

Responding to 2014 Liberal Government budget cuts of $254 million over 5 years,^[18] Mark Scott axed ABC Radio National program Bush Telegraph^[19] and five regional radio outposts.^[20] In a senate inquiry about the cuts, Scott rejected claims that ABC management was using the Abbott Government's cuts as an excuse to pursue unpopular cost-saving initiatives.^[21]

Awards and honours

On 13 June 2011, Scott was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to media and communications, and to the community through advisory and governance roles with a range of social justice and educational bodies.^[22]

Personal life

Scott is married to Briony Scott, the principal of Wenona School, a private day and boarding school for girls.

Scott holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma of Education and a Master of Arts from the University of Sydney; and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University.^[23]

References