An
early hat has been tossed into the ring for the top job at ABC TV, vacated last
month by the surprise defection of Sandra Levy to the Nine
Network. Denise Eriksen, who reported directly to Levy as the head of Factual
Entertainment at ABC TV, has apparently submitted an application.

Ms
Levy’s old job was advertised three weeks ago through
Braithwaite Steiner Pretty Executive Search. Julie Steiner is given as the
contact for anyone interested – but there’s no mention of Julie’s
antecedents. Turns out she’s an old ABC executive, having run the ABC Enterprises
business, as well as being involved in the failed Australian Information Media,
its Pay TV News channel called The News Channel, which was killed off 10 years
ago.

The ABC provided an extensive run-down of Ms Eriksen’s previous experience when it announced
her appointment in August 2004 – including her experience with ABC
TV’s highly successful The Games (Series 1)with John Clarke and Clarke’s The
Problem With Men, plus Hessies Shed, The Craic Down Underfor RTE (Network 2, Dublin), and the
former ABC TV current affairs series Attitude and Couchman.

Another
possible internal candidate is thought to be Lynley
Marshall, the head of the ABC’s digital content which is one of the successes of
the national broadcaster.