A protest against ABC budget cuts, set to axe several news and current affairs programs, was held outside the ABC Board Meeting at ABC Headquarters in Sydney. Photo / Getty Images
A protest against ABC budget cuts, set to axe several news and current affairs programs, was held outside the ABC Board Meeting at ABC Headquarters in Sydney. Photo / Getty Images
Australian Prime Minister denies he broke election pledge over national broadcaster
Regional news, current affairs and sports coverage at the ABC will be slashed and more than 400 jobs lost as budget cuts start to bite Australia's public broadcaster.
Managing director Mark Scott has revealed a raft of proposed changes to programming, operations and structures to offset A$254 million in lostgovernment funding over the next five years. Around 10 per cent of ABC's workforce faces the axe, including management, with foreign bureaus restructured and a post opened in Beirut. "It's a sad day for all of us - no one takes any joy with the job cuts that we face," Scott said.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied he broke an election pledge not to cut funding to the ABC and SBS. Abbott insisted his Government had "fundamentally kept faith with the Australian people. We never promised special treatment for the ABC or SBS."
The A$254 million cut is 4.6 per cent of the ABC's budget and means it will now receive about A$5.2 billion over five years rather than $5.5 billion.
Veteran presenter Quentin Dempster said cuts to regional and rural production meant the ABC would have less diversity in local news.
What's being cut from the ABC
More than 400 jobs, almost 10 per cent of the workforce.
TV • State editions of flagship current affairs programme 7.30 to be replaced by national show • Adelaide TV production studio and other non-news studios to be closed down • State-based local sports coverage axed
Radio • Five regional outposts to be shut down: Wagin, Morwell, Gladstone, Port Augusta, Nowra • Rural and regional current affairs show, Radio National Bush Telegraph, axed • Programming changes and staff cuts to ABC local programming, Radio National and ABC Classic FM • Fewer concerts recorded for ABC Classic FM.
Changes • Lateline moved to a new fixed timeslot on ABC News 24. • Restructuring of foreign bureaus to create multi-platform hubs and a Beirut post opened.
