‘We’re renowned as a difficult partner for the production sector, but that’s going to change’: ABC boss Hugh Marks
The ABC will become an easier commissioner for the production sector to deal with, new managing director Hugh Marks has pledged.
Marks: ‘ABC is fifth or sixth on the rung for producers’
Speaking at a media round table in the ABC’s Ultimo board room, Marks — himself a veteran of the production industry — conceded:
“We’ve been renowned as a difficult organisation to deal with for external producers.”
Marks, who took charge of the ABC five months ago, said that he and the ABC’s screen division director Jennifer Collins were working to put that right.
“Jen and I are having a series of meetings with the sector to try and change that. And we are looking at different ways of working with the external sector to make those partnerships work better and I think we’re having some success on that early on.
“I would say that the ABC is probably fifth or sixth in the rung of where you might pitch your best show to. We’re very focused on taking us up near the top. That’s a revolution to be able to get to that position where we are seeing the best ideas coming through.”
Although he is best known for his six years leading Nine, Marks spent much of his career in the independent production sector including as the co-owner, alongside Carl Fennessy, of production house Dreamchaser.
Many of the ABC’s most watched shows, including the likes of Gruen, Bluey and The Newsreader are created in partnerships with external production companies.
Marks also hinted that he would bring more business savvy to production deals to ensure that the ABC shares in the financial upside of global hits. The ABC infamously missed out on the global content and merchandising rights to Bluey, which the BBC picked up instead.
He said: “In hindsight, of course, it would’ve been better if we’d made the investment in Bluey that the BBC made at the time. I can’t talk to what happened at the time.
“I think we need to on occasion say, ‘You know what, we’re gonna go above and beyond on that particular show because we really believe in its potential and we’re gonna make an investment that hopefully will deliver benefits, long term for the ABC and the taxpayer’. That is a discussion that we’re having pretty much on most shows at the moment.”
But Marks ruled out spinning out a new for-profit business in the way fellow public broadcaster the BBC has in the UK. He said: “Does that mean we’ll set up a new operation? Or that ABC Commercial will be a much bigger? No, I don’t think it means that. It just means, why not participate?
“We can work with third parties and participate at a material level to achieve… almost the same outcome.”
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Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large. He returned to Mumbrella as Publisher in January 2025
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