Bhakthi Puvanenthiran leaves Crikey for ABC Life
Crikey managing editor Bhakthi Puvanenthiran is leaving the title to take up the helm as editor at ABC Life. Puvanenthiran has been with Crikey for just over two years, moving into the managing editor role five months ago after a year and nine months as associate editor.
ABC Life launched just over a year ago and acts as the ABC’s digital lifestyle arm.
The platform received some backlash in the lead up to its launch, with The Australian publishing a story which suggested several media businesses felt the lifestyle space was outside of the ABC’s remit.
Editorial lead Scott Spark, who was part of the team that pitched ABC Life, told Mumbrella he was happy to hear the complaints, but that ultimately it was the ABC’s job to be anywhere that its Australian readers wanted it to be.
Puvanenthiran announced her new role on Twitter, saying she was keen to start working on some ‘relevant’ and ‘inclusive’ content at ABC Life after some ‘wild and wonderful’ years with Crikey.
Now I get to go back to Aunty/channel 2/your ABC and make magic + relevant + inclusive content with the talented crew ABC Life. I’m really looking forward to it.
— Bhakthi (@bhakthi) August 30, 2019
Spark thanked current editor Claudine Ryan for her work on the title to date.
“In its first year, ABC Life has successfully engaged new audiences in ways that reinforce the value of independent public media. Launching a new digital service for the ABC has only been possible thanks to support and shared efforts across the organisation,” said Spark.
“As we head into our second year, we’re proud and excited to welcome Bhakthi Puvanenthiran back to the ABC as incoming Editor of ABC Life. Bhakthi has worked across digital, print, radio and literary festivals, with experience across the ABC, The Age, National Young Writers Festival and most recently Crikey, as their Managing Editor. We’re also grateful to our founding Editor, Claudine Ryan, for helping us establish a team that’s proudly diverse, adaptable and fiercely audience-focused.”
Excited to welcome @bhakthi back to @ABCAustralia as incoming Editor @abclifeau. Sincere gratitude to @claudinelryan for getting our team this far. Looking forward to everything ahead. https://t.co/A1t6MHtbXd
— Scott Spark (@scottspark) August 30, 2019
In her time with Crikey, Puvanenthiran has overseen the launch of INQ, the title’s investigative journalism arm which had been in the works for several years and saw 12 journalists appointed to longform investigative projects including former chief of staff and producer for The Project, Lauren Molan, and ex-ABC reporter David Hardaker.
Puvanenthiran is also a judging board member for the Walkley Foundation. Prior to her role with Crikey she spent over three years with Fairfax.
