Justin Stevens has resigned as Director of News at Australian Broadcasting Corporation after 19 years with the national broadcaster, ending a tenure that placed him at the centre of some of the most challenging years in Australian media.
Stevens announced his departure in a statement to staff, saying that after four years leading the ABC’s news division, “now is the right time” to move on.
“Having said that, for reasons both professional and personal, now is the right time for me to move on and for someone else to take over the helm of the best news team in the country,” Stevens said.
The outgoing news director described his time in the role as “incredibly tough but immensely rewarding”, reflecting the enormous pressure facing modern public broadcasters amid political scrutiny, rapid digital disruption and growing audience fragmentation.
ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks praised Stevens for his contribution to the organisation and the transformation of its journalism operations.
“Justin has achieved this through a period of significant change and challenges across the media landscape, both internationally and in Australia,” Marks said.
“I am grateful to have seen the strength of Justin’s editorial instincts and to have observed his commitment to the ABC and audiences. I wish him every success in the future.”
Stevens joined the ABC nearly two decades ago and rose through the ranks to become one of the most influential editorial figures in Australian journalism. Before taking the top newsroom role at just 38 years old, he served as executive producer of the flagship current affairs program 7.30.
During his leadership, ABC News strengthened its digital reach and maintained its position as one of Australia’s most trusted news brands. However, his tenure also coincided with intense debates over editorial independence, public broadcaster funding, political pressure and the future direction of national media institutions.
Stevens worked under two ABC managing directors and two board chairs during his time as news director, navigating an era marked by newsroom restructuring, audience shifts and growing competition from digital-first media organisations.
His resignation comes just one day before ABC executives are due to appear before a Senate Estimates hearing in Canberra, where questions about the broadcaster’s funding, editorial decisions and future strategy are expected to dominate discussion.
No successor has yet been officially announced.
