ABC appoints Simon Robinson as news director after Justin Stevens’s resignation

Simon Robinson has been appointed as the ABC’s next news director, becoming the first external hire to fill the position in decades.

Managing director Hugh Marks announced the appointment in an email to ABC staff today, saying: “Simon Robinson is one of global journalism’s most experienced and respected newsroom leaders.”

“His track record of leading large, complex news operations and his deep commitment to fact-based reporting make him an outstanding choice to lead the ABC’s News division,” Mr. Marks said.

Robinson replaces Justin Stevens, who resigned yesterday after four years for “both professional and personal” reasons.

Robinson, who now lives in London, serves as deputy editor-in-chief of the Reuters news service. He has been with the organization for 16 years and has held many senior roles.

Robinson began his career as a reporter and fact-checker at Who Weekly in Sydney, then spent 15 years at Time, where he worked as a reporter, bureau chief and editor.

Robinson says in his LinkedIn bio that he has “many years of experience as a newsroom leader and working on strategy.”

“As acting editor-in-chief of Reuters, I help manage a newsroom of 2,600 professionals and lead our digital and publishing initiatives that help shape the news seen by billions of people around the world every day.”

In a statement to the ABC, Robinson said he was “thrilled and honored to be appointed as the ABC’s director of news and current affairs.”

“As a passionate believer in the power of fact-based, independent journalism, I believe the ABC plays a crucial role in providing Australians with the trusted journalism we all need.

“I grew up listening to and watching ABC News. It was always available in my childhood home. On a personal note, I am thrilled that this role has brought me home to my family and friends.”

Mr Marks declined to comment on reports of Robinson’s appointment at Senate estimates earlier today.

He confirmed that the incoming news director was selected after a recruitment process carried out by an external provider.

But he said he had met “many senior reporters around the world” and interviewed “several candidates” as part of an “informal process” over the past six months.

“Internal applications were considered, but we felt that a globally experienced executive was the right thing for ABC at this point,” he said.

Asked why Stevens was resigning, Mr. Marks said he “felt it was the right time for him to move on and pursue other careers,” according to Senate estimates.

“It’s a tough job as head of news at the ABC. I think after four years and intense scrutiny… I think Stevens felt it was the right time,” he said.

“I think there’s an opportunity for ABC to enter a new phase of our production over the next 20 years to make sure we’re fit for the future.”

In his farewell email to ABC staff on Wednesday, Stevens said: “There is no more sophisticated news organization in the country, there is no longer a scrutinized institution, and there are few institutions more imbued with public expectations.”

“In this context, I have sought to strengthen and defend our journalism without being blind to our stumbles, to keep pace with the state of constant change in the digital age, and to evolve our News culture in a way that holds ourselves to the same standards as others in the broader community,” he said.

Stevens had worked at the ABC for 15 years before being appointed news director; these included executive producing ABC’s flagship nightly current affairs program 7.30 and producing on Four Corners.

Stevens, who was appointed by Mr Marks’s predecessor David Anderson in 2022, was just 37 at the time and beat out a host of senior candidates to become the ABC’s top news executive.

Bringing a voice from outside

Robinson’s appointment marks a significant change of direction for ABC, which has previously promoted News division leaders from within.

The last time an outsider was brought in to run a large part of this division was in the early 1990s, when former Fairfax chief executive Chris Anderson was hired to run TV news and current affairs.

This position preceded the merger of ABC’s TV and radio news divisions and its entire digital news operation, which launched in 1997.

Since then the position has generally been given to experienced journalists and editors in the News division, which employs around 2,000 people across Australia.

In addition to being ABC’s largest division, the News is arguably its most reviewed; The ABC’s taxpayer-funded status makes it subject to freedom of information legislation, government surveillance including estimates hearings and intense criticism from commercial networks.

During his tenure as news director, Stevens oversaw a period of change for the broadcaster, including an overhaul of the ABC News website and branding, the end of legacy programming Q&As and an emphasis on digital-first reporting.

By the end of his tenure, ABC was consistently the nation’s number one news site, and the audience for its nightly 7 p.m. newscasts had increased.

However, he has also had to navigate a number of controversies, including the resignation of high-profile presenter Stan Grant, which led to criticism of racism at the ABC.

In 2024, he issued an apology on behalf of the ABC for the mishandling of gunfire and the use of a potentially misleading quote as part of a series of 2022 reports on the war in Afghanistan titled Line of Fire.

As part of wider ABC management, he also grappled with the controversial firing of Antoinette Lattouf by its content division and a historic strike that led to thousands of ABC employees walking off the job.

Robinson will start on ABC in September.