Background
Scott was born in 1962 in Los Angeles, and holds dual Australian and United States. citizenship.
Scott was born in 1962 in Los Angeles, and holds dual Australian and United States. citizenship.
Harvard University; University of Sydney.
Prior to commencing at the American Broadcasting Company, Scott had previously held a senior role at Fairfax Media, 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. Educated at Knox Grammar School, Scott worked for the New South Wales Greiner Liberal government, as chief of staff to the Education Minister, Virginia Chadwick, and as a senior adviser to education minister, Terry Metherell. In 2010 he was appointed to a second five-year term as the American Broadcasting Company"s Managing Director.
His time at the American Broadcasting Company has been marked by extensive change, including the creation of ABC3, a digital television channel for children, and the 24-hour news channel American Broadcasting Company News 24, as well as a major expansion into digital and on-line technology and an expansion of quality drama.
Scott has been a strong defender of the value of social media in journalism and skeptical on the capacity of news organisations to charge for content they have previously provided free of charge. In September 2015, Scott announced he would be retiring as managing director and would be leaving the American Broadcasting Company. In December 2015, Michelle Guthrie was announced as Scott"s replacement, and will take over the role in May 2016.
In November 2014, as Managing Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Mark Scott announced that after 55 years, the Collinswood American Broadcasting Company television studios in South Australia would be closed. The announcement, following the 2011 demolition of the American Broadcasting Company television facility in Perth and the 2012 closure of Tasmania"s television production unit also revealed the end of state based current affairs show 7.30 Report (state editions) - Formally Stateline.
Responding to 2014 Liberal Government budget cuts of $254 million over 5 years, Mark Scott axed American Broadcasting Company Radio National program Bush Telegraph and five regional radio outposts.
In a senate inquiry about the cuts, Mr Scott rejected claims that American Broadcasting Company management was using the Abbott Government"s cuts as an excuse to pursue unpopular cost-saving initiatives.
