Peacock announces ABC exit

By Jonas Lopez in Media News on Friday, 10th November 2017 at 2:08pm

Matt Peacock (photo credit: Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency)

Matt Peacock is putting a finis to his long career at ABC, The Australian’s Stephen Brook reported today.

The veteran journalist wrote in an internal email that he will be voluntarily redundant in February 2018, leaving behind his spot as one of 7.30’s top reporters. His term as the ABC board’s staff-elected director is slated to end on April 21, 2018, but his departure is expected to trigger a new election.

“It’s not been an easy decision, but on balance I think it’s a good time for me to leave. It’s been a very tough five years, as everyone in the ABC knows, with cutbacks, attacks from the ABC’s enemies, reorganisations, and redundancies — as all the while those of us remaining continue to get quality programs to air and online,” said Peacock.

“Hopefully we are about to enter a better period of increased Australian production, less over-management, more creative and specialist content, and engaged workforce.”

“We aren’t there yet, but these are goals the managing director Michelle Guthrie has set herself and they are backed by the Board. I wish her every success. Despite the challenges, I am confident the ABC will survive the current transformation and grow stronger during the digital disruption that is enveloping media everywhere.”

Peacock’s career over the past 30 years has led to assignments in the US and England as correspondent, a chief political correspondent job with ABC Radio, and a groundbreaking asbestos investigation that became the ABC miniseries Devil’s Dust.

Follow Peacock on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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