Mark Scott looks forward to going “off the grid.”

Outgoing ABC managing director Mark Scott will take a well-earned break while he considers his next options.

In an interview on Media Watch, Scott told host Paul Barry he wasn’t sure of future plans.

“It’s time to take a break, to pause, to reflect. I hope there’s still big opportunities that lie ahead for me. But at the moment I’m not quite sure what they are so I’m just going to take it quiet for a spell, disappear, go off the grid, not tweet for a while and just see what the future lies,” he said.

Scott noted ABC News 24 and iview amongst many achievements during his 10 year tenure, both established without any additional government funding.

Barry asked if News 24 had been difficult by stretching news budgets, hinting at some opposition within ABC. But Scott said he valued the support of staff.

“I think we’ve got a lot more done here with the support of the staff at the ABC. I think they’ve understood the strategic direction that we’re taking the place. They’ve understood the digital opportunities.

But there had always been challenges, including the loss of 400 positions due to a budget cut, and 300 jobs in closing ABC Shops.

“At all times I’ve felt the support of the staff, the engagement of the executive team, and certainly the support of the Board.”

 

But he also warned of further job losses if current funding does not continue in the May budget. ABC is up for its triennial funding.

“That funding is up now for renewal and if it doesn’t get renewed then there’ll be significant job losses and that may go all the way through to Programming,” he said.

“At risk is 10% of our news budget.”

“If we don’t get the news money jobs will go. We’ll lose that money from early July and that will be an issue that my successor has to work with.”

Addressing claims of bias within ABC he said journalists were not asked about their political persuasion. News copy and content was subjected to the ABC’s Charter in balance and fairness.

“The test isn’t your background, the test isn’t your ideology. The test is the way you broadcast and the journalism you put to air.

“Are we too narrow in the subjects we put to air?

“Jim Spigelman, our chairman, framed it in an interesting way a little while back. He said ‘Are we more concerned about gay marriage than we are about electricity prices?’ That was a really good question,” he said.

He said ABC worked to broaden the voices it was putting to air.

“The truth is we do very well most of the time, but we’re probably not as good as we’d always like to be.

“At times we will fall short, at times we’ll be a bit narrow, at times humans exercising real judgment in front of a live microphone will make errors and we’ve got to accept that.

“Our role to play is an independent public broadcaster.

“Our role will be at times to upset government, to ask hard questions, to do rigorous investigations,’’ he said.

“It’s not our role to be a cheerleader for the country.

“That’s why a public broadcaster is different to a state broadcaster.”