Why Jo Puccini’s Exit Could Change the Future of ABC News

When the exit of Jo Puccini from the ABC was announced on Thursday afternoon, in sections of the ABC it felt like a funeral. It was not just the exit of a colleague, but for some it was the death of a culture that has defined investigative journalism at the ABC for over a decade.

For the last few weeks, as stories about Four Corners continued to emerge in the press, some had speculated and gossiped that Puccini could go. That speculation only grew when senior sources at the ABC briefed against Puccini in The Australian, saying she was “in the firing line”. Everyone knew she was the last senior editorial leader clinging on, after what has become a clear-out of an entire generation of senior ABC News bosses. But many refused to even say the words aloud, ‘Could Jo go?’.

To those outside the ABC, Puccini may not appear to be the most significant head to roll. Officially, she had been the Head of Investigations and Current Affairs for four short years, overseeing the ABC’s most important journalism at Four Corners, 7.30, Background Briefing and the Investigative Reporting Team. But to those inside the ABC, Puccini represented far more than a job title.