Luminaries line up to run ABC television Deidre Brennan: General manager and director of channels, BBC Worldwide, Australasia. A handful of television executives have emerged as possible candidates to run the ABC's multichannel digital television business. The ABC is understood to be drafting a shortlist of contenders, including the head of the BBC's Australian pay TV channels business Deirdre Brennan and former SBS director of content Matt Campbell, who recently left a senior post at Shine Australia. The ABC1 channel controller Brendan Dahill is also said to be in the running. Brendan Dahill: Channel controller of the ABC's flagship channel, ABC1. Photo: ABC Of the leading candidates, Ms Brennan has emerged in the past few weeks as the strongest contender, say sources. Ms Brennan has extensive multichannel experience, has worked previously in pay TV and the ABC and has worked across a number of key disciplines, including program acquisition and marketing. One potential starter, the head of the ABC's international arm, Lynley Marshall, was rumoured to be in the running. She said she was "not an applicant." Matt Campbell: Former director of television and online content at SBS. Photo: Brendan Read ABC International includes oversight of the Australia Network. Ms Marshall was also involved in the ABC's digital evolution, notably the launch of the first of its multichannel suite of services, ABC2. Former Ten Network programming boss David Mott was also tipped as a potential starter earlier in the recruiting process, but it is understood he declined the approach. Two production industry veterans - producers Courtney Gibson and Anita Jacoby - are also said to have been in the ABC's sights. Ms Gibson has held several posts within the ABC but currently works for Southern Star. Ms Jacoby is a former 60 Minutes producer turned production executive. She worked with Andrew Denton at Zapruder's Other Films and recently left the merged outfit Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder. The position - director of television - is one of six divisions which report to ABC managing director Mark Scott. The others are innovation, radio and regional content, news and current affairs, international and commercial. The ABC's previous director of television, Kim Dalton, announced his resignation from the top post in December last year. He had held the post since 2006. At Mr Scott's request he delayed his departure until last month to finalise several projects he was involved with. During his tenure Mr Dalton oversaw the largest cultural and technological change in the ABC's history, including the introduction of digital channels ABC2, ABC4Kids and ABCNews24. He also oversaw the implementation of iView, the ABC's online content platform, which has become one of the ABC's strongest digital assets. A decision is expected to be made soon.