Mark Scott (businessman)

Mark Walter Scott AO (born 9 October 1962) is the current Managing Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.^[1] He took up his position in July 2006, having previously been the Editorial Director at John Fairfax, responsible for the editorial content of the group's major newspapers including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age. He worked for the New South Wales Greiner Liberal Party Government, as chief of staff to the Education Minister, Virginia Chadwick and as a senior adviser to education minister, Terry Metherell.^[2]

In 2010 he was appointed to a second five-year term as the ABC's Managing Director.^[3] His time at the ABC has been marked by extensive reform including the creation of ABC3 digital TV channel for children, a 24 hour news channel, ABC News 24, a major expansion into digital and on-line technology and an expansion of quality drama.^[4][5] He has been a strong defender of the value of social media in journalism ^[6] and sceptical on the capacity of news organisations to charge for content they have previously provided free of charge.^[7]

On 13 June 2011, Scott was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to media and communications, and to the community through advisory and governance roles with a range of social justice and educational bodies.^[8]

He is married to Briony Scott, the principal of Wenona School. He holds a B.A., Dip.Ed. and M.A. from the University of Sydney and a M.Pub.Admin. from Harvard University.^[9]

Scott appeared on Series 3, Episode 6 of Good Game: Spawn Point as himself, speaking to the co-presenter, robot DARREN.

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