In his first week as the ABC’s new managing director, Hugh Marks wrote to all staff setting the agenda for his term at the helm of Australia’s national broadcaster.

He wants the ABC’s journalism, audio and video output to have “a real and meaningful impact.” Marks refers to the constant tension of national broadcasters to be both distinctive and engaging, to get an audience but do it in a different way to the populist style of commercial broadcasters.

In his email, the former Nine Entertainment CEO recognises that “change is exhausting,” but says it is part of the continually evolving modern media landscape, so staff should expect more change. He acknowledges staff and says he wants to build a safe and respectful workplace that is not afraid to experiment, even if there are some failures.

Below is the full text of his email.

Dear Colleagues,

Thanks for welcoming me to the ABC and for the many great messages I’ve already received.

Let me start by saying I have great hope and ambition for what we can achieve together.

Yes, our media world is changing and continued change is constant. But the ABC can use that change to our advantage in a manner that is unique in our domestic context. We are and can continue to explore new content genres and formats. We are and will continue to find ways of connecting with audiences at times and in ways that Australians choose. We have the advantage that in exploring this changed world we can focus solely on serving the Australian audience unimpeded by commercial implications.

In my view there has never been a more exciting time to work in media, particularly for the ABC. Everything is possible. Our challenge will be to take the fact that everything is possible but to not get lost in that possibility.

Instead, we must make the right decisions every day to prioritise the journalism, the video and the audio that best delivers on the ABC Charter which is to connect with Australians through programs and services that contribute to a sense of national identity and inform and entertain, and reflect the cultural diversity of, the Australian community.

To me this means creating journalism, video and audio that has real and meaningful impact. That is distinctive, that is engaging, that strives for excellence. That is aimed at a broad audience, or which we do because of its deliberate distinctiveness, or which delivers to a specific Charter objective. But always consciously made with the best interests of the audience at heart.

Ultimately, we must ensure that as many Australians as possible choose to regularly engage with the ABC and its services as part of their daily lives in the ways that they choose to do so.

I know change can be exhausting . Unfortunately, I can’t promise that there won’t be change. There likely will be. But let me tell you what you should expect from me as I proceed in my role as Managing Director.

For me, content comes first. Our ABC platforms enable our audiences to connect with our content with best in class user experiences. Support is of course key to ensure the organisation works as effectively as it can. Our processes and procedures should support that narrative by working effectively to support, not inhibit, content creation, effective platform execution and the ability of all ABC staff to do their jobs well. In addition to supporting the important relationships we must invest in with the broader industry and creative community. We must be easier to deal with. Not more difficult.

We should pursue clear and simple reporting lines with clear objectives and accountabilities. This enables prompt decision making. Where everyone knows what’s expected of them and what’s expected of others. Whether you’re in a content role, a platform role or a support role. Built around appropriate delegations of authority.

We should air and have conversations about the obstacles that inhibit our people doing their best work. Of course there are always daily problems to deal with but our processes and procedures must be simple and easy to follow and designed to enable people to do their jobs well.

We must not be afraid of failure as failure will sometimes be a consequence of our ambition. We should fear bland or mediocre. We should set high standards for our work and question those things that can’t meet these standards. There may well be things we are doing that we will stop. Or do less of. If they can’t justify their activity as a necessary priority in delivering to our shared purpose.

Our decisions must be clear, they must be consistent and they must always be made with a view to our purpose. Reaching the greatest number of Australians we can and servicing our obligations to create distinctive content and under the ABC Charter. To make sure that more Australians than ever choose the ABC as part of their daily media consumption.

That is my objective and goal for my time at the head of this wonderful, glorious public asset. With all the elements that come as part of that. Quality, trust, diversity and distinctiveness.

And finally we must all invest in the sort of organisation that we want to work for. That we want the ABC to be. One that celebrates creativity. But also one that ensures a respectful, safe and collaborative workplace. Respect must be a cultural foundation. Disrespect must not be part of our workplace. Something that we all should contribute to ensuring. We must develop our people to be the leaders of the future so we can be the undoubted market leader in reflecting the cultural diversity of Australia.

The ABC is an investment in our distinctive Australian culture. Playing a key role in identifying who we are as Australians. Celebrating what it means to be Australian. Without that investment, our unique sense of identity is forever weakened. Undoubtedly to the detriment of being an Australian.

The Board, led by Kim Williams, has done a fantastic job in advocating for the funding that is needed for the ABC to do what it is truly capable of. I will be another voice in supporting that narrative. At the same time, we must all continue to do our part in delivering the best ABC programs and services that we possibly can within our current budget, continuing to do the great work that the ABC does across so many areas. I saw this in play all last week. With the comprehensive and high-quality emergency broadcasting coverage delivered by teams working collaboratively together across the ABC to provide essential information to our audiences.

I am looking forward to working with you all to ensure the ABC is the best media business in the country. For our people, all of our stakeholders, and most importantly, our audience.

Kind regards,

Hugh

Main picture: ABC Chair Kim Williams with new MD Hugh Marks (ABC publicity)

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