Michael Carrington.
After acting in the role for almost a year, Michael Carrington has been officially appointed director of entertainment and specialist at the ABC.
Previously the E&S director role was held by ABC managing director David Anderson. Carrington’s among a range of new senior appointments at the public broadcaster, including Judith Whelan as director of ABC’s regional and local operations, and Libbie Doherty as head of children’s production.
Prior to being appointed acting head of E&S, Carrington had been acting as the department’s head of distribution.
Previously he was the ABC’s head of children’s content, a role he’d held since 2016.
Over his career, Carrington has worked at the BBC, including as channel controller and creative director of the CBeebies preschool channel, and at Turner Broadcasting as chief content officer, where he won an International Emmy for The Amazing World of Gumball. He was also a founding member of LEGO Media, Film & TV and CEO of Zodiak Kids Studios.
As director E&S, Carrington will manage the ABC’s drama, comedy, Indigenous, music, children’s, entertainment and factual content across its TV and national radio networks, plus digital services such as iview. E&S includes the specialist genres of arts, science, education, religion & ethics and society & culture.
Anderson said: “Michael brings a track record of outstanding content and creativity to the leadership team and Entertainment & Specialist, which he has managed with great success over the past year. He is a talented and accomplished individual who has shown the ability to innovate and grow audiences through diverse content across multiple platforms. He is a champion of Australian stories and I am confident he will lead our world-class content team well into the future.”
Carrington said: “I am happy and proud to have been appointed Director E&S and am committed to unlocking creativity inside and outside the ABC. I’m determined to maintain the range and ambition of our Australian content and our commitment to the highest production and editorial standards. The ABC represents the diversity and richness of Australian culture across radio, television and online and I’m thrilled to be part of its future.”