Hugh Marks Just Seized Control of ABC News. Plus, What's Really Behind the House-Clearing at Four Corners?

Only 14 months into Hugh Marks’ tenure as managing director at the national broadcaster, the former commercial media executive has cut over 50 jobs despite no external budget pressure, caused ABC staff to walk off the job for the first time in 20 years and now he has forced the public broadcaster’s director of news out the door and replaced him with a captain’s pick.

What’s more, Marks seems to actually want everyone to know this. He’s proud of it.

At Senate estimates on Thursday, he wasn’t hiding any of this. When asked if he had pushed Director of News Justin Stevens out the door, shockingly, he didn’t deny it.

He was asked by Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson: “ Can I assume Mr. Marks, that Mr. Stevens was encouraged to resign very strongly?”

“ Well, Senator, I think it's inappropriate for me to go into detail on specific staff matters,” Marks replied.

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