Government picks ABC-SBS efficiency review heads

Former Foxtel boss Peter Tonagh and former media authority chairman Richard Bean will run the Turnbull government’s review of the ABC and SBS, The Daily Telegraph has learnt.

Former Foxtel CEO Peter Tonagh is one of the two heads. Picture: John Feder/The Australian

FORMER Foxtel boss Peter Tonagh and former media authority chairman Richard Bean will run the Turnbull government’s review of the ABC and SBS, The Daily Telegraph has learnt.

The efficiency review will not consider any editorial changes at the public broadcasters, but how taxpayer money is being spent.

The efficiency review will not consider editorial changes. Picture: Istock

Mr Tonagh was the chief executive of Foxtel until January, and was last month appointed by the government to the Australian Film Television and Radio School.

Mr Bean was the deputy chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority, and was its acting chairman for some time, until October last year.

The last efficiency review into the ABC was in 2014 — headed by former Seven West Media executive Peter Lewis — and identified $60 million in potential savings that could be made by the public broadcasters.

Mr Lewis has since joined the ABC’s board.

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Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said the ABC and SBS remained vital public news and cultural institutions, and “represent a major Commonwealth contribution to civil journalism”.

“In the fast-evolving world of media organisations, it is important to support our public broadcasters to be the best possible stewards of taxpayer dollars in undertaking their important work for the community,” Mr Fifield said.

“The review will assist the public broadcasters as they approach the next funding triennium through which more than $3.9 billion will be provided from July 2019.”

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The review will not consider whether the ABC should allow advertising, or whether the public broadcasters should be privatised.

The Lewis review also recommended the ABC consider charging users to access some content on the popular iView online service, and recommended SBS be allowed to air more advertising on television.

Originally published as Government picks ABC-SBS efficiency review heads