Turnbull was a regular critic of ABC boss Michelle Guthrie

Malcolm Turnbull repeatedly expressed frustration to his close friend ABC chairman Justin Milne over Michelle Guthrie.

Malcolm Turnbull and his senior ministers, led by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, were publicly critical of the ABC’s editorial stance under Michelle Guthrie. Picture: Sean Davey

Malcolm Turnbull repeatedly expressed frustration to ABC chairman Justin Milne in recent months over Michelle Guthrie’s leadership of the national broadcaster.

Sources close to Ms Guthrie revealed last night the then prime minister’s concerns were regularly passed along to the ABC managing director.

Ms Guthrie absorbed the criticism while at the same time facing public attacks from high-profile ABC presenters such as Jon Faine for not standing up for the organisation against Canberra.

Mr Turnbull, who appointed Mr Milne as ABC chairman last March, is also known to have shared the concerns of his long-time friend about Ms Guthrie’s ability to meet the seismic challenges faced by the broadcaster in the face of rapid changes in technology and consumer preferences.

“He (Mr Turnbull) looked at things broader than the editorial bubble,” one confidant said yesterday. “He had a broad view that the ABC could be run more effectively and he expressed that to the chair.

“He believed the ABC wasn’t reaching its potential. The board obviously agrees.”

Mr Turnbull and his senior ministers, led by Communications Minister Mitch Fifield, were publicly critical of the ABC’s editorial stance under Ms Guthrie, attacking reporting by economics correspondent Emma Alberici as “one of the most confused and poorly researched articles I’ve seen on this topic (corporate tax)”.

In June, Mr Turnbull told commercial broadcaster Neil Mitchell the ABC had become too Left-leaning, and its reporting had become sloppy.

But those close to Mr Turnbull said his editorial gripes were a “side issue”, and he did not personally get involved in making complaints, or urge his staff to make them. Mr Milne — who sat at the same table as Ms Guthrie at the parliamentary press gallery ball less than two weeks ago — was understood to have discussed the direction of the ABC with Mr Turnbull, who appointed him to the $174,690 post ahead of prominent lawyer Danny Gilbert, who had been the favourite to take the job.

As a former communications minister and internet entrepreneur, Mr Turnbull was more concerned at the direction the broadcaster was taking to maintain its relevance in an era when traditional viewing and listening habits were being upended.

The ABC chairman worked with Mr Turnbull at internet service provider Ozemail in the 1990s, and was appointed to the NBN board in 2013 by the then communications minister.

Mr Milne, who yesterday announced the ABC board had sacked Ms Guthrie, had fallen out with the broadcaster’s managing director in recent months, with sources saying the pair were pursuing conflicting strategies for the broadcaster’s future.

Ms Guthrie was seen by the board and leading government figures to be failing in one of her key roles — representing the interests of the ABC to government — while Mr Milne pursued his ­agenda for a “giant iview” system, known as Project Jetstream.

Announcing Mr Milne’s appointment to the ABC board in March, Mr Turnbull lauded his “deep understanding of traditional and digital media and the broad technology and software industry”. He also praised his “technical and marketing savvy, inclusive leadership style and understanding of technology shifts”.

Senator Fifield, a former close ally of Mr Turnbull who turned against him in last month’s leadership switch, led the campaign against the ABC’s editorial coverage, which was perceived in government ranks as being biased.

Mr Turnbull also lashed out at the broadcaster when it attacked his corporate tax-cut agenda, and over a report alleging Donald Trump was planning to bomb Iran. Speaking on 3AW earlier this year, Mr Turnbull said some ABC presenters and programs were “biased more to the Left … But what I’ve found disappointing in recent times is the quality of the journalism — it is the lack of accuracy.”