ABC International executive Murray Green will retire next month, after 22 years with the national broadcaster. He has told radioinfo: “The ABC has had over seventy years as a broadcaster in the Asia Pacific and it has been a privilege to have led the ABC International team where Australia Network television and Radio Australia have a footprint over some 46 nations. Additionally ABC International Development is providing leadership in communications for development in the Pacific and South East Asia.”
Murray Green currently leads ABC International and has responsibility for the State and Territory Directors. ABC International includes Radio Australia, International Projects and International Relations.
Paying tribute to Green, ABC Managing Director Mark Scott said he “represents the very best the ABC has to offer in terms of his depth of talent and knowledge and his ability to fulfil a number of quite varied senior roles across the organisation. Murray’s career also encapsulates the very national nature of the ABC.”
After some time with News Limited in his early career, Green began working for ABC Radio 6WF, now 720 ABC Perth. He moved to Melbourne to fill the role of State Manager Radio Victoria and was part of the team that brought six ABC Melbourne locations together in the Southbank Centre.
He later became State Director for Victoria and also chaired the Election Coverage Review Committee. Green was appointed as the ABC’s inaugural Complaints Review Executive and, in 2006, was appointed Director Corporate Strategy and Communications, which included responsibility for the state and territory directors.
When the decision was made to bring all of the ABC’s international broadcasting activities into the one division, Green became the Director of ABC International. He also acted as Managing Director between the departure of Russell Balding and the appointment of Mark Scott in 2006.
Scott said: “During his time as divisional head, ABC International has significantly extended the reach and relevance of the ABC to the Asia Pacific. Murray has been passionate in its commitment to the Pacific, with the ABC providing transformational assistance in media development, health and education outcomes and encouraging best practice in governance. Radio Australia will complete its Pacific capital city FM network this year and Australia Network is now available free-to-air in many Pacific locations.”
In partnership with AusAID, the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme provides long term commitment to media development. The ABC is the only broadcaster facilitating a daily Pacific-wide conversation around news, regional challenges and aspirations.
In his retirement Green will not be putting his feet up. He has taken up a position as a Research Associate at the Communications Law Centre, and will also teach in the Master of Communications Law Program at the University of Technology in Sydney.
In a personal tribute, Mark Scott said: “In my time working with him, I have found Murray to be a great source of wisdom and insight and always committed to the very best in public broadcasting. We are sorry he has decided now is the time to leave us, but know he has many interesting years ahead of him in his new and varied roles.”