In this edition of On Background, Hugh Marks’ honeymoon is over at the ABC, familiar faces meet in Riyadh, another rights deal in the works for the NRL, and Lachlan Murdoch’s favourite media asset to stay put.

Hollywood Hugh, live from Bulgaria

Reality hit home for Hugh Marks this week, seven months into his not-so-new gig running the ABC.

It was anything but the high-flying life the former commercial media man nicknamed “Hollywood Hugh” became accustomed to in his time running Nine. On Wednesday, he checked into a virtual staff meeting to present the ABC’s meagre 3 per cent pay offer from his hotel room in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, where he was speaking on a panel at this year’s Public Broadcasters International conference.

In the good old days, Marks would travel to his namesake c

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