ABC’s content chief exits Australian broadcaster

Chris Oliver-Taylor, chief content officer at the ABC in Australia, is stepping down following a restructuring of the broadcaster’s senior ranks.

Oliver-Taylor had been in the role since March 2023, taking up what was a newly created position that included oversight of screen, audio and digital.

He had left his role as Netflix’s director of production in ANZ to join the public broadcaster, launching a content division that was created from the merger of the former entertainment & specialist and regional & local units.

Oliver-Taylor reported into ABC managing director David Anderson, who is stepping down to be replaced by Nine Entertainment alum Hugh Marks. The broadcaster also recently named Kim Williams as its chair.

His exit follows a shift in structure at the ABC, with the audio division headed by Ben Latimer, who will report directly to Marks.

In a note to staff, Oliver-Taylor said his role and responsibilities had “considerably shifted”, adding that a “redefined creative vision set by the board” had impacted his decision.

Following Oliver-Taylor’s formal exit on 28 February, the chief creative officer role will be disbanded, the ABC said.

Head of screen content, Jennifer Collins, has stepped into the role of director of content to lead the division on an interim basis.

Oliver-Taylor had been behind shows including The Assembly, The Family Next Door and Return To Paradise during his stint at the ABC, with the broadcaster’s networks the top ranked across the country in 2023-24.

Prior to Netflix, he had been managing director of NBCUniversal’s Matchbox Pictures, and chief executive of Fremantle Asia Pacific. He started his career in London at the BBC.

Speaking to Broadcast last year, Oliver-Taylor said a main part of his role was to “shore up the relevance and value of public broadcasting” through the expansion of its digital platform ABC iview because the PSB “needs to be there in the future”.

Outgoing ABC managing director, David Anderson, said: “Chris has been outstanding in his creative approach to supporting our content teams and delivering valued programs for our audiences.

“He took on a very challenging role, one that required someone with his experience and ability, and led our content teams through this period of change and growth. The ABC thanks him and wishes him well for the next stage of his career.”

Oliver Taylor added: “After recent discussions with the managing director and reflecting on my ongoing conversations with the ABC Board and the Chair across many months, I have decided to make a difficult decision and move on to new opportunities outside of the ABC.

“With a new MD, a renewed board and what I think is a very positive and hopeful future, the ABC is in great shape to continue its vital role as the pre-eminent public broadcaster in Australia.

“There is sadness in this decision but also pride and excitement with the slate that will roll out across 2025 and in future years.

“The ABC is a vital cultural institution that will continue to deliver world-class content. I will always be a strong supporter of the ABC and public broadcasting and am deeply grateful for my time here, as well as the dedication of my ABC colleagues and the production companies that contribute to its success.”