There was a “delicate push and pull” with the audience, he said, with a need to be attuned to a variety of different audiences, as opposed to chasing one or another as O’Brien had suggested.

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“It must also encourage and in certain areas lead the audience in fresh directions,” Williams said. “That’s the essence of successful media.”

Documentaries such as the recent Nemesis examination of the Coalition governments, he said, alongside current affairs, were “heartland material” for the ABC.

“The ABC is given a very broad and generous remit in its act, and must always be exploring ways in which to give life to the act in the way in which it produces and distributes material.”

Funded by the Australian public, the ABC was allocated $1.11 billion in the 2022-23 budget after the Albanese government increased base funding, as well as committing to a five-year funding cycle.

The broadcaster also received $93.8 million from other sources during the year, according to its annual report. This included revenue from its ABC Commercial division.

Despite this, the extent of losses across the nine years of Coalition government have not been entirely restored, according to University of Sydney academic and former ABC head of policy and planning Michael Ward.

According to Ward, the ABC’s “real terms” funding fell by 14 per cent between 2013 and 2022, adjusted for inflation.

The ABC’s UK counterpart, the BBC, has brought in more than £2 billion ($4.1 billion) in commercial sales in the most recent financial year though its BBC Studios. This was driven by the licensing of content and intellectual property, with a boost from the global strength of the ABC co-created hit Bluey.

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“Bluey’s success helped to increase sales for consumer products by 10 per cent in the year,” recent BBC accounts said.

Chris Oliver-Taylor, the ABC’s chief content officer, has suggested the ABC could increase its commercial footprint, following in the footsteps of the BBC.

“Now we don’t have that same amount of money flowing back in, but if we did, it would either add more value back to the Australian taxpayers and allow us to do more things, or allow there to be a different approach to how we commission content,” he told this masthead in December.

Williams said BBC Studios had “obviously done a remarkable volume of good” for the BBC, however that it was too early to say whether the ABC should look to commercialise further down this route. “Do I have grand visions of privatising the ABC? Absolutely, categorically not,” he said.

A close former colleague of Williams’, speaking anonymously to speak openly about his character, said they expected the new chair to shake things up from the outset.

“Kim will change things up. He’s a change agent,” they said. Meanwhile, in her final address to staff on Wednesday, Buttrose urged staff not to “take the ABC brand for granted”.

She said it had taken positive steps towards securing its future over the past five years, “particularly since the current government provided more stable and comprehensive funding”, moving staff out of its Ultimo hub to reflect Australia’s diversity, transitioning towards a digital future, and to personalise its services for audiences.

“It would bring the ABC more closely into the lives and habits of modern Australians, and secure the ABC’s place in national life for the next generation and beyond.”

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