Changes to Campbell Live will cut staff from 22 to 16 - sources

John Campbell. Photo / Jason Oxenham

A clearer picture is emerging of what yesterday's shock announcement that John Campbell is to depart MediaWorks means for TV3 staff and the channel's schedule.

Sources inside MediaWorks said the decision to air replacement current affairs only four night week - with the Friday broadcast axed in favour of entertainment programming - would see the current Campbell Live staff cut from 22 to 16.

One editing, one camera, two reporting and two producing positions are expected to be scrapped. Interviews with current staff to fill the reduced job pool are expected take place next week.

The replacement show, with two yet-to-be-cast co-hosts, is not necessarily a more stable proposition than Campbell Live with the company expected to undertake another formal review after six months.

Yesterday the company announced Campbell would be leaving the network and said the long-serving host had declined an offer to remain with the channel, albeit with a co-host and not necessarily long-term with Campbell Live.

The decision followed a six-week-long review period that generated significant levels of public interest and activism, with tens of thousands of people signing petitions to save the show and public meetings held to discuss the future of journalism.

The ratings boost that accompanied publicity around the review had seen Campbell Live regularly become TV3s most-watched show. However this improvement was ruled by management to be "unsustainable'', the source said.