TV Blackbox
MICHAEL Rowland left the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) last week, ending a 39-year career with the public broadcaster.
Rowland joined the ABC in 1987 as a radio news cadet and went on to hold senior reporting roles across radio, television, and foreign correspondence, including five years as the network’s Washington correspondent.
He became a household name as co-host of News Breakfast, where he spent 15 years helping define the show’s tone and credibility.
He stepped down from the program in December 2024 but continued working across the ABC.
Most recently, Rowland had taken on the role of National Affairs Reporter for 7.30, a position he assumed only late last year, making the timing of his departure notable.
In a statement, Rowland described the decision as deeply personal and driven by family considerations, saying it was difficult to leave his “professional home” of nearly four decades.
He reflected on having worked under eight ABC managing directors and said he was grateful for the opportunities the organisation had given him.
ABC Director of News Justin Stevens praised Rowland’s contribution, describing him as a journalist whose professionalism, integrity, and experience shaped the broadcaster for decades.
Rowland’s departure closes this chapter of a career that has spanned the transformation of broadcast journalism.
No future roles have yet been announced.
