Pay-TV veteran Jo Mullaley has been named head of marketing for ABC Television.
She takes over from Diana Costantini, who held the post for four years and will head up a newly formed internal creative services agency for the ABC.
Mullaley, who starts at the ABC on November 24, has been a marketing consultant for Foxtel since March. She spent 14 years at Austar in such roles as general manager of product and customer management, GM of marketing- customer management and group subscriber marketing manager.
In Constantini’s new role she will oversee the design, promo and creative teams for ABC’s TV, radio and digital marketing.
Leisa Bacon, director of audience and marketing, said, “Jo brings a wealth of industry experience and will be a key contributor both to the TV division and to the ABC audience and marketing team as we continue to evolve our broadcast TV and digital platforms in a transforming media environment.”
Mullaley’s appointment co-incides with a Sydney Morning Herald report that the ABC forked out $2.76 million on advertising in the 12 months to June 30, up 40% on the previous year.
The SMH said ABC spending on market research and promotion, which includes advertising, rose by 16.6% to $11.63 million and promotion spending went up by 15.7% to $3.3 million.
The ABC said the SMH report contains a number of inaccuracies. “The figures contained in the 2013/2014 annual report reflect the total amount spent by the Corporation across all of its advertising, marketing and audience research requirements,” a spokesman said.
“This budget supports a range of platforms unrivalled by other Australian media outlets – five television channels, 67 local and national radio services and a raft of online services.
“The ABC’s marketing budget fluctuates year-to-year depending on audience strategy and opportunity for specific content initiatives. In 2011/2012 the budget fell 18% from the previous year.”