Pronouncing himself “more a content person”, Hugh Marks has returned to broadcasting with a new role as managing director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Pictured looking predictably older than in his Nine Entertainment days – and notably, than when pictured picnicking with his executive assistant in 2020 – he replaces ABC veteran David Anderson. He was apparently, a unanimous choice by the broadcaster’s board, with chairman Kim Williams describing him as “a stand-out candidate”.
Marks served two terms with Nine, the first of eight years after joining in 1995 from law firm Mallesons. He moved quickly from legal counsel to director of film and television, but left for reality TV producer Southern Star. Back at Nine in 2015, he was in the right place to replace David Gyngell as chief executive, and in 2018, engineer Nine’s acquisition of Fairfax Media.
Seen as a solution for two “ailing” companies, the merger had followed the Rural Press “reverse takeover” of Fairfax, and when Nine took over, that structure provided a simple mechanism to sidestep regional publishing and avoid any commitment to print. Fairfax had already dumped its metro Chullora and Tullamarine print sites, and the sale of Rural Press to Antony Catalano and Alex Waislitz (as ACM) unloaded the remaining regional print capacity.
Beyond the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and national daily the Australian Financial Review, Nine had also inherited an interest in the Macquarie radio network, which Marks took to full ownership of 2GB, 3AW, 4BC and 6PR.
After a torrid pandemic year, he left in 2021 to create content studio Dreamchaser with former Endemol Shine Australia chief Carl Fennessey, his departure prompted when his personal relationship with another Nine staffer became public.
Now, buoyed by the “many opportunities to deliver quality news and entertainment to Australians”, he talks of priorities and choices to be made.
With the national broadcaster under constant fire from others including rival media company News Corp, his challenge will be to make the right choices to win public and importantly, government support.
Peter Coleman
Pictured: Hugh Marks answers questions at the Inform News Media Summit in 2018 (Picture GXpress)