Former News executive Peter Tonagh to head review of ABC, SBS

A Turnbull government review of ABC and SBS efficiencies will be headed by former News Corp executive Peter Tonagh.

Peter Tonagh has been appointed to head the government’s review of ABC and SBS. Picture: John Feder

A Turnbull government review of ABC and SBS efficiencies will be headed by former News Corp executive Peter Tonagh and former Australian Communications and Media Authority chairman Richard Bean.

News of their roles emerges as Communications Minister Mitch Fifield reiterates the government’s longstanding position not to sell off the ABC after the review became a divisive political issue.

Announced in the May budget, the review will report later this year to assist the ABC in meeting savings targets after the government said it would pause indexation of the national broadcaster’s operational funding in the next triennium. The move is aimed at achieving savings to the budget of $83.7 million over three years from 2019-20 to 2021-22.

But the ABC will continue to be exempt from the government-wide efficiency dividend, with its base operational funding maintained at 2018-19 levels.

Australian taxpayers will provide $3.16 billion in funding over the 2019-20 to 2021-22 period.

Mr Tonagh and Mr Bean are experienced and respected media executives. Mr Tonagh has held a series of senior roles in the media industry, most recently at the helm of subscription-TV provider Foxtel, which is majority owned by The Weekend Australian’s publisher, News Corp.

He is also a member of the Council of the Australian Film Television and Radio School and the current chair of Bus Stop Films, which gives people with intellectual disabilities opportunities through filmmaking.

Mr Bean was ACMA deputy chairman from 2010 to 2016 and acting chairman for just over 18 months until September 2017.

In a statement sent to The Weekend Australian, Senator Fifield said: “The ABC and SBS are vital public news and cultural institutions that are an important underpinning of media diversity and represent a major Commonwealth contribution to civic ­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. In the May budget the government announced a review to support the organisations to identify best public broadcasting practice.”

The review has caused deep disagreement between the government and ABC management. ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie and chairman Justin Milne have sought to cast the indexation pause as a serious threat to the organisation’s future.