Justin Stevens resigns as ABC director of news and current affairs
Updated ,first published
The ABC’s most senior news executive, Justin Stevens, has resigned after four years in the role and the search for his replacement is nearing completion.
Stevens, former executive producer of the flagship current affairs program 7.30 and director of news and current affairs since 2022, is leaving the ABC on Wednesday after overseeing a period of major change in Australia’s biggest newsroom.
The role, which employs just under 2,000 staff in its news division, is the most scrutinized role at the broadcaster apart from chief executive Hugh Marks’ own position to oversee news content broadcast across the public broadcaster’s television, radio and digital platforms.
Appointing Stevens would be Marks’ biggest decision to date and is expected to be announced next week, with candidates having already been interviewed, two sources with knowledge of the matter said, speaking on condition of anonymity. His successor is expected to come from outside the organization. The total package for this role, including pension, was $678,000 last financial year.
Informing staff Wednesday afternoon, Stevens said the decision was both professional and personal. “There is no more sophisticated news organization in the country, no more scrutinized institution, and too few public expectations,” Stevens said.
“In this context, I have sought to strengthen and defend our journalism without being blind to our stumbles; to keep up 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.”
Sources said Stevens, who left ABC completely, has not been at work since Thursday last week. He has been reached for comment.
Stevens, who was only 38 years old when he took on this position, worked under two general managers and two presidents while in office; Both eras were defined by very different leadership styles and approaches to how the broadcaster should run its news operation.
His appointment by former chief executive David Anderson in April 2022 was seen as unexpected at the time as he had never held a senior management position and had beaten out several other senior candidates.
Much of his time under Anderson has been driven by a digital-first strategy that has pushed the ABC towards newer platforms and faced criticism for distracting from the ABC’s core audience on streaming services such as linear television and radio. Under Anderson’s strategy, more than 120 roles were cut, including the controversial sacking of the ABC’s political editor Andrew Probyn.
But since Marks’ arrival in early 2025, he has highlighted the ongoing importance of the broadcast, with its nightly newscast regularly attracting an average of 1 million viewers. However, this period coincided with the dismissal of approximately 50 more people.
The ABC’s director of news and current affairs is one of the most contentious jobs in Australian media due to the political implications of its public funding. Editorial and programming decisions, such as takedowns Q&A It always sparks controversy in 2025.
Stevens is the latest in a long line of ABC executives to leave since Anderson’s resignation, including former content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor and head of communications Nick Leys.
During his tenure, Stevens created Indigenous and climate reporting teams, overhauled the ABC’s news app and consolidated all news output under a single banner.
He also oversaw highly charged reporting on Israel’s war in Gaza, which began after the attacks on October 7, 2023, and drew harsh criticism from News Corp outlets for perceived bias.
But one of the biggest controversies of his tenure was the departure of veteran journalist Stan Grant, who left in 2023 after it emerged during ABC coverage of King Charles’ coronation that Grant had mused about Australia’s colonial past.
Grant later said he felt betrayed by the ABC after being invited to appear on the broadcaster’s broadcast, but later failed to gain public support for his comments.
ABC also had to deal with the fallout from the firing of Antoinette Lattouf that same year, but this was not a decision made by Stevens or the news division. Since winning his subsequent lawsuit against the broadcaster in the Federal Court, Lattouf has implemented new public comment guidelines for his employees.
ABC’s digital audience grew 7 percent in fiscal 2025, according to its annual report. Average audience for nightly newscasts has also increased, as has that of the flagship current affairs programme. 7.30.
ABC executives will attend a Senate estimates hearing scheduled for Thursday.
The Market Summary newsletter is a summary of the day’s transactions. Let’s each take ittoday afternoon.
Calum Jaspan is a media writer for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, based in Melbourne. Reach him securely on Signal @calumjaspan.10Connect with: X or email.
